What Education Do You Need to Become a Veterinarian? Degrees, Prerequisites, Exams, and Next Steps

Overview: The Education Needed to Become a Veterinarian

To practice as a veterinarian in the United States, you typically need a Doctor of Veterinary Medicine (DVM or VMD) from an accredited veterinary school, which generally follows a four-year veterinary program after completing prerequisite college coursework and a bachelor’s degree. You must also pass the North American Veterinary Licensing Examination (NAVLE) and meet state-specific licensing requirements before practice. [1]

Step 1: Build a Competitive Undergraduate Foundation

Degree expectation. While majors can vary, many aspiring veterinarians complete a bachelor’s degree in fields such as biology, animal science, biochemistry, zoology, or pre-veterinary studies to cover prerequisite sciences and strengthen applications. Some programs indicate that applicants without a completed bachelor’s may be considered in special cases if all prerequisites and performance benchmarks are met, but a completed degree remains the norm and strengthens competitiveness. [3] [2]

Typical prerequisite courses. Veterinary schools commonly require multiple semesters of biology, chemistry (general and organic), physics, math (often up to calculus), and additional coursework in areas like biochemistry, microbiology, genetics, and communications. Schools emphasize that minimum math requirements may vary, and many expect calculus even if published minima are lower. Always verify each school’s list and credit-hour expectations. [1]

Experience and recommendations. Competitive applicants accrue veterinary/animal experience hours, secure strong recommendations-often including at least one from a practicing veterinarian-and maintain a strong GPA. For example, one leading program cites a minimum overall and science GPA of 2.5, a bachelor’s degree, required prerequisites (C or higher), documented veterinary experience hours, and multiple professional recommendations, while noting that competitive applicants typically exceed the minima. [4]

Step 2: Apply to Accredited Veterinary Schools

DVM/VMD requirement. To work as a veterinarian in the U.S., you need a DVM (or VMD) from an accredited institution. Programs generally take four years, with didactic coursework in the first years and clinical rotations in the final year. [3] [1]

Program structure and curriculum. Expect rigorous training across animal health and disease, anatomy, pharmacology, radiology, parasitology, and more, followed by required and elective clinical rotations in areas such as small and large animal medicine, surgery, anesthesiology, dermatology, emergency care, cardiology, imaging, and wildlife medicine. Electives can shape early specialization interests and strengthen residency applications later. [2]

Admissions strategy. To implement a strong application: 1) Map each target school’s prerequisites; 2) Track grades and retake any sub-C work where required; 3) Plan and document veterinary experience hours under licensed veterinarians; 4) Request recommendations early, including from a DVM/VMD; 5) Prepare for interviews (e.g., Multiple Mini Interview where required). Some programs no longer require the GRE; always confirm current policy at each school. [4]

Step 3: Complete the Four-Year Veterinary Degree

Years 1-3: Core sciences and systems. Training emphasizes biomedical sciences, clinical reasoning, and species-specific medicine. You’ll gain competencies in diagnostics, therapeutics, and surgery fundamentals, while building communication and decision-making skills essential for clinical practice. [2]

Year 4: Clinical rotations. The final year immerses you in hospital-based rotations supervised by licensed veterinarians. You’ll examine patients, contribute to case management, and perform procedures appropriate to your training level, rotating through core services and selecting electives aligned with career goals. [3] [2]

Practical example. A student interested in small animal emergency medicine may prioritize rotations in emergency/critical care, anesthesia, and cardiology, while selecting electives in advanced imaging and surgery to prepare for a rotating internship after graduation. Conversely, a student targeting food animal practice may focus on large animal internal medicine, theriogenology, and field service rotations.

Step 4: Licensing-NAVLE and State Requirements

NAVLE. Before independent practice, graduates must pass the North American Veterinary Licensing Examination. Schools typically position NAVLE preparation near the end of the program, when students have sufficient clinical exposure to succeed on a case-based exam. [1] [2]

State licensure. After NAVLE, states may require additional jurisprudence or clinical exams, background checks, or documented supervised practice. Because requirements vary, you should verify details directly with your state veterinary medical board when planning to practice. [2]

Step 5: Optional Postgraduate Training and Specialization

Internships and residencies. Many new veterinarians pursue a one-year rotating internship to broaden clinical experience, then apply for residencies in specialties such as internal medicine, surgery, emergency/critical care, cardiology, or dermatology. Board certification follows completion of a residency and passing a specialty board exam overseen by organizations recognized by the American Board of Veterinary Specialties (ABVS). There are currently numerous AVMA-recognized specialties; applicants typically seek board certification after earning the DVM/VMD. [1]

Real-world pathways. For example, a graduate may complete a small animal rotating internship, then a cardiology residency, culminating in diplomate status. Another graduate may enter mixed-animal general practice immediately after licensure, leveraging strong fourth-year rotations to transition directly into practice.

What About Roles Requiring Specific Regulatory Qualifications?

Facility attending veterinarians under federal regulation. In regulated environments (e.g., research facilities under the Animal Welfare Regulations), an attending veterinarian must have graduated from an AVMA-accredited veterinary school, hold AVMA certification if a foreign graduate, or possess equivalent formal education as determined by the Administrator, along with appropriate species-related training/experience and delegated authority by the facility. State licensure may be required for certain functions like issuing health certificates or administering rabies vaccines, depending on the state and context. [5]

Action Plan: How to Implement Your Path

1) Map prerequisites (freshman-sophomore years). Identify your top 5-8 veterinary schools and make a spreadsheet of each prerequisite (course title, credits, lab requirements, minimum grades). If calculus is optional at some schools but required or expected at others, plan to complete it to remain broadly eligible. [1]

2) Build experience and documentation (sophomore-junior years). Seek roles in veterinary clinics, farms, shelters, or research labs to log veterinary/animal hours. Keep dates, settings, species, and supervising DVM contacts. Ask a veterinarian early if they can observe your work over time and later provide a recommendation aligned with admissions criteria. [4]

3) Strengthen academics and competencies (ongoing). Aim above minimum GPA thresholds; competitive cohorts often exceed them. Use tutoring, study groups, and office hours for challenging courses like organic chemistry, physics, and biochemistry. Document communication, teamwork, and ethical decision-making experiences-topics that often feature in interviews. [4]

4) Prepare applications (junior-senior years). Complete all prerequisites with required minimum grades, request recommendations at least 6-8 weeks in advance, and prepare for interview formats such as the Multiple Mini Interview where used. Confirm whether standardized tests (e.g., GRE) are required; several schools have dropped them. [4]

5) During vet school. Engage fully in core sciences and seek early clinical exposure. Choose fourth-year electives that align with your intended career (general practice, emergency, surgery, exotics, food animal). Begin NAVLE preparation with question banks and case-based review aligned to your curriculum. [2] [1]

6) After graduation. Pass NAVLE, complete any additional state requirements, and decide whether to enter practice directly or pursue internship/residency toward board certification through ABVS-recognized specialties. [1]

Alternative and Contingency Pathways

Applicants without a completed bachelor’s degree. Some programs may consider applicants who complete all prerequisites and meet performance standards without a finished bachelor’s degree; however, many schools explicitly require a bachelor’s and competitive applicants typically have one. If you are in this situation, review each target school’s policy and adjust your plan accordingly. [2] [4]

International or foreign-trained veterinarians. If your veterinary degree is from a non-AVMA-accredited school, you may need AVMA Educational Commission for Foreign Veterinary Graduates (ECFVG) or equivalent certification to qualify for certain regulated roles and for state licensure pathways. Always verify current certification processes and state board requirements. [5]

Key Takeaways

– Expect a four-year DVM/VMD after completing undergraduate prerequisites, followed by NAVLE and state licensing steps. [1] – Admissions are competitive; exceed minima in GPA, experience hours, and recommendations where possible. [4] – Clinical rotations in the final year develop hands-on competency and inform specialty interests. [3] [2] – Specialized roles may require additional certification, residencies, or federal/state-specific qualifications. [5]

References

[1] Penn State (n.d.). Steps to Becoming a Veterinarian. [2] Ross University School of Veterinary Medicine (2023). What Is a Veterinarian? Education & Training Info. [3] North Central College (2022). How to Become a Veterinarian: 8 Requirements. [4] UC Davis School of Veterinary Medicine (2025). Criteria for Admission. [5] USDA APHIS (2024). Who Can Be an Attending Veterinarian?