Time
Line for Veterinary School
**UNDER CONSTRUCTION**
Requirements
Students contemplating a career
in veterinary medicine should acquire a sound foundation in the
biological and physical sciences and a general knowledge of the
arts and humanities in both high school and college. In addition,
they should be motivated by a liking for animals, a sincere desire
to serve the public, a propensity for the biological and medical
sciences, and a deep interest in the promotion of the health of
animal and human populations. They must have a high aptitude for
scientific study and must possess an excellent moral and ethical
character.
Candidates for the Doctor of
Veterinary Medicine degree must complete a minimum of six years
of college education. This includes two or more years of preveterinary
training and four years of professional training. The preveterinary
requirements may be completed at LSU or at any other accredited
college or university offering courses of the quality and content
of those prescribed in the LSU General Catalog.
The minimum requirement of 66
semester hours, including 20 hours of elective courses, may be
completed in two years. Successful completion of a preveterinary
program does not ensure admission to the school for professional
training. Currently, there are more qualified applicants each
year than there are spaces available to the entering class. Instruction
in the four-year program is available only through the School
of Veterinary Medicine at LSU. Scholastic achievement is measured
by performance in the prescribed preprofessional courses. A minimum
grade-point average of 2.50 (“A” = 4.00) in these courses
is required for consideration for admission. A grade of less than
“C” in a required course is unacceptable. Physical education
activity courses may not be used as electives for meeting preprofessional
requirements.
Credit earned through advanced
standing is acceptable, but is not used in the computation of
the grade-point average. Evaluation of the applicant’s record
in the preprofessional program is made in accordance with LSU
procedures. Credit is not granted for College Level Examination
Program (CLEP) general examinations. Granting of credit for CLEP
subject examinations may be considered in those subjects recommended
by various departments of the University upon receipt of test
scores indicating the student meets the minimum acceptable scores
required by those departments.
Back to Top
Residence
Classification
Louisiana applicants must meet all residence requirements, as
stated in University regulations. Determination of residence for
Louisiana applicants is made by the School of Veterinary Medicine’s
Office of Student and Public Affairs. Residents of Arkansas should
contact their program coordinator as early as possible for information
concerning admission requirements, applications, and residence.
Applicants from contract states
must be certified as having residence or citizenship established
as required by the contract state. Inquiries should be addressed
to: Arkansas Department of Higher Education, 114 E. Capitol Avenue,
Little Rock, AR 72201-3818.
Back to Top
Minimum
Prerequisites for Admission
Preveterinary students are encouraged to familiarize themselves
with admission requirements for the professional program at the
LSU School of Veterinary Medicine. Students should seek knowledgeable
preveterinary counselors and/or advice when enrolled in preprofessional
programs other than at LSU.
A minimum of 66 semester hours
is required for admission to the professional program. This must
include the 46 semester credit hours (minimum mandatory level
requirements) listed below. If there are any questions regarding
equivalency of courses or substitution of higher level courses,
please contact the LSU School of Veterinary Medicine Admissions
Office.
Biological Science, 12 sem. hrs.
Must include at least 8 sem. hrs. (two-semester course sequence
with laboratory) in general biology or introductory zoology at
a level appropriate for premedical students. Must also include
at least 4 sem. hrs. (one-semester course with laboratory) in
microbiology. LSU courses— Biology 1201, 1202, 1208, 1209,
1502, 1509, and 2051.
Inorganic Chemistry, 8 sem. hrs.
Must include laboratory and must be at a level for science or
engineering majors. LSU courses— Chemistry 1201, 1202, 1212.
Organic Chemistry, 3 sem. hrs.
Must cover aliphatic and aromatic compounds, with emphasis on
the biological aspects of organic chemistry. LSU course—
Chemistry 2060.
Biochemistry, 3 sem. hrs. Must
include 3 sem. hrs. of basic concepts and an introduction to the
nature and physiological uses of natural substances. LSU course—
Biochemistry 2083.
Mathematics, 5 sem. hrs. Must
be at the college algebra/trigonometry level or higher. LSU courses—Mathematics
1020/1021, 1022. Students who qualify for more advanced mathematics
may substitute Mathematics 1023 (5 sem. hrs.) for 1020/1021 and
1022.
Physics, 6 sem. hrs. Must be
at a level for science majors and must include mechanics, heat,
sound, light, electricity, magnetism, and topics in modern physics.
LSU courses— Physics 2001, 2002.
Communication Skills, 9 sem.
hrs. Must include 6 sem. hrs. of English composition and 3 sem.
hrs. of speech communication. LSU courses— English 1000/1001,
1002, and Speech Communication 2010 or 2060.
In selecting the remaining required
courses for admission to the professional program, applicants
should consider the following:
The objective of the D.V.M. program
is to offer a well-rounded curriculum in veterinary medical education
enabling the graduate to select from a wide range of professional
opportunities. The selection of elective courses in the preprofessional
curriculum should reflect the interests and the objectives of
the candidate. Potential applicants should plan their programs
with the recognition that these elective courses provide the only
formal opportunity in the college years to obtain a broad general
education.
Applicants who have completed advanced preparatory courses in
high school are, in all probability, qualified to complete the
prerequisites within four semesters. These students are encouraged
to take higher level university courses when so permitted. Applicants
who are inadequately prepared may find it advantageous to complete
the preveterinary requirements over a longer period.
Although the primary objective of the applicant may be to complete
the preveterinary requirements, those who have not previously
obtained a baccalaureate degree are encouraged to plan for alternative
career possibilities through registration in a degree-granting
program which has similar course requirements. Several LSU curricula
include all of the minimum mandatory requirements. Many other
curricula which do not specify all of the requirements allow them
as electives.
Since not all applicants will gain admission to the School of
Veterinary Medicine on their first attempt, they should continue
in degree programs while making themselves more competitive in
subsequent years. Some students may elect to complete a baccalaureate
degree in order to pursue graduate training during the first and
second summers of the professional program.
Because applicants must take
the Graduate Record Examination (GRE) or the Medical College Admission
Test (MCAT) in the fall preceding application or earlier, those
students following a four-semester program must complete this
test soon after beginning the sophomore year. Appropriate preparation
and selection of a curriculum that contributes to an acceptable
score are strongly suggested.
Students who are enrolled at
accredited institutions other than LSU must determine that courses
taken conform in content and quality to descriptions contained
in the latest issue of the LSU General Catalog, which can be obtained
for $3 per copy upon request from the LSU Office of Student Records
& Registration, 112 Thomas Boyd Hall, LSU, Baton Rouge, Louisiana
70803.
All requirements must be completed
by the end of the spring semester of the year in which admission
is sought. The GRE or the MCAT scores must be submitted no later
than December 15 preceding the year in which admission is sought.
Applicants who have not taken the GRE or MCAT by December 15 will
not be granted an interview or considered for acceptance.
Information concerning LSU’s
preveterinary medicine requirements is contained in the LSU General
Catalog and this website, and may also be obtained from the dean
of the College of Agriculture.
Back to Top
Admission
Procedures
Admission to the School of Veterinary Medicine is granted only
for the fall semester of each school year and only on a full-time
basis. A prescribed number of student spaces is planned for each
class, and a formal application with supporting credentials is
required of each applicant.
The Committee on Admissions and Scholastic Standing is responsible
for determining the application procedure and for selecting the
entering class in the professional curriculum. All preprofessional
requirements must be completed by the end of the spring semester
before fall matriculation in the School of Veterinary Medicine.
Formal applications from Louisiana residents must be submitted
no later than October 1 of the calendar year preceding the year
in which admission is sought. Applications must be submitted through
the Veterinary Medical Colleges Application Service (VMCAS). Application
forms for VMCAS are available through the AAVMC website (http://aavmc.org/vmcas.htm). Students reapplying must submit a new application
for each application period.
Students admitted and enrolled
in the school must be capable of meeting satisfactorily all requirements
of the curriculum in veterinary medicine. Eligible candidates
are interviewed by members of the Committee on Admissions and
Scholastic Standing and are carefully selected to ensure that
they are properly motivated, competent to undertake the rigorous
course of professional study, and capable of meeting the demands
of a professional career.
Academic and nonacademic qualifications
are considered in the selection process. Selection for admission
is based on the sum of two scores: an objective score which comprises
approximately 60-70 percent of the final calculation and a subjective
score which comprises the remainder.
The objective evaluation is based
on scholastic achievement and standardized test scores. Official
transcripts of college course grades are examined to determine
scholastic achievement. The total objective score is derived from
the grade-point average on required courses, the grade-point average
on the most recent 45-60 semester hours of course work, and the
results of the GRE or MCAT.
New knowledge, especially in
the sciences, is accruing at a rapid rate and records of students
who have completed their preprofessional requirements several
years prior to application will be carefully scrutinized. All
required science courses should be completed within six calendar
years immediately prior to application. At least one course in
organic chemistry, biology, and physics must be completed within
the last six years.
The subjective evaluation of
applicants is based on nonacademic qualifications considered relevant
to the determination of the applicant s prospective performance
in the veterinary medical curriculum and in the practice of veterinary
medicine. Motivation, maturity, attitude, interest, and other
characteristics will be evaluated for all qualified candidates,
along with work experience, familiarity with animals, and reference
information submitted in support of the application. These qualities
are evaluated by two separate committees. The first committee
reviews the supporting documents (autobiography, letters of recommendation,
transcripts, work experience, and familiarity with animals). The
second committee evaluates the individual through a personal interview.
These appraisals result in an average subjective score which is
added to the objective score to produce the total numerical evaluation
of the candidate. Through this process, the professional judgment
of several faculty members is included in arriving at a final
decision.
Back to Top
Special
Admission
Each year a limited number of applicants not selected under the
above criteria may be admitted. This number may represent up to
10 percent of the entering class. Factors to be considered by
the Committee on Admissions and Scholastic Standing include undergraduate
experience, GRE or MCAT score, advanced academic work, work experience,
or participation in special educational programs, as well as those
special attributes possessed by the applicant which add to the
cultural, educational, and/or geographical diversity of the entering
class.
Back to Top
*Some Information taken from
LSU Veterinary School