College of Veterinary Medicine

The College of Veterinary Medicine offers courses of study leading to the degrees of Doctor of Veterinary Medicine (DVM), Master of Science, and Doctor of Philosophy. Additional information, including requirements for admission, is contained in the general information section of this catalog.

The professional DVM program offered by the College of Veterinary Medicine at Washington State University is accredited by the Council on Education of the American Veterinary Medical Association.

DOCTOR OF VETERINARY MEDICINE PROGRAM REQUIREMENTS

A minimum of seven years is generally necessary to obtain the degree of Doctor of Veterinary Medicine (DVM).  Most successful applicants have completed three to four years of undergraduate education.  Following undergraduate studies, a student then takes four years of professional study directed by the College of Veterinary Medicine.

Applicants for admission to the College of Veterinary Medicine must complete at least 63 semester credits of acceptable prerequisite credits from an accredited college or university. The 63 semester credits should include:  35 credits of science and math prerequisites, including general biology, inorganic and organic chemistry, biochemistry, physics, mathematics, genetics, and statistics; and 27 credits of University Common Requirements (UCORE): 21 credits of social science, arts and humanities, history, diversity studies, language, etc.; and 6 credits of English composition and communication (written or verbal).  Non-academic criteria for admission include clinical, animal, employment, volunteer, and research experience; honors, awards, and scholarships; extracurricular activities, community service, letters of recommendation, personal statements, and may include a personal interview. 

Courses designed to fit the academic requirements are offered by Washington State University, and the number of students admitted to undergraduate courses is not limited. Because the number of applicants for admission to the DVM program exceeds the number that can be admitted, no assurance can be given that all applicants who successfully complete the undergraduate curriculum will be admitted. WSU does not grant a BS in pre-veterinary medicine. Students taking pre-veterinary course work may declare a major in any subject.  Many successful applicants major in animal science, biology, chemistry, microbiology, neuroscience, wildlife ecology, zoology, or other science-related fields.

A major in veterinary medicine is not declared until admission to the College of Veterinary Medicine has been granted.

Information regarding the acceptability of course credits should be obtained from the Office of DVM Admissions, College of Veterinary Medicine.

ADMISSION TO THE DVM PROGRAM

A student seeking to enter the professional DVM program should fill out a Veterinary Medical College Application Service (VMCAS) application (http://www.aavmc.org/Students-Applicants-and-Advisors/Veterinary-Medical-College-Application-Service.aspx) designating WSU as a school of choice and answering any supplemental questions as appropriate.  Please see https://vetmed.wsu.edu/education/dvm/ for further application information.  The Admissions Committee selects those students to be admitted to the first year of the professional DVM program. Applicants will be notified of their acceptance on or before April 15th. Unsuccessful applicants who wish to be considered the next year must submit new applications.

In accordance with policies adopted by the Board of Regents, preference for admission to the professional DVM program in the College of Veterinary Medicine is as follows:

• To qualified applicants who are certified and financed as residents of Washington, Idaho, Montana, or Utah. 
• To qualified applicants certified and financed by the Western Interstate Commission for Higher Education (WICHE) contract states
• To all other qualified applicants

PRE-ADMITTANCE PROGRAMS

1. A highly selective program for admission of academically qualified students to the DVM program at Washington State University College of Veterinary Medicine has been established with the WSU Honors College. This program conditionally admits successful applicants directly to the program upon completion of one year of undergraduate work at WSU. This is a pre-admit program leading to the Doctor of Veterinary Medicine degree after satisfactory completion of a designed curriculum. It consists of three years of a unique undergraduate pre-professional education and the four-year professional DVM program. The first three years of this program are a combination of Honors College courses and regular University classes which fulfill the pre-veterinary requirements plus the completion of an honors thesis. The last four years are the traditional Doctor of Veterinary Medicine program. Interested students should identify themselves to the Honors College as soon as they decide to enter WSU, because the number of positions is limited.
2. Combined Program in Animal Sciences and Veterinary Medicine - See Department of Animal Sciences.