Pre-Veterinary Program
Are you the type of person who finds yourself slowing down outside pet store windows to catch a glimpse of the puppies or kittens? Maybe you have an annual pass for your local zoo, find yourself watching endless funny cat videos on YouTube, and have go-to pet stories you laugh about over family dinners.
In a nutshell, you love animals. Ever consider a career that puts that love into practice? ºìÐÓ¶ÌÊÓƵ Fox offers the science and mathematics courses required by veterinary schools. You will most likely major in biology, but you may choose any academic major we offer as long as you take certain specific courses required of your veterinary school of choice.
The best part is, you will have an academic advisor to help plot your course. Consult with him or her early to develop a sound plan, maintain excellent grades (3.5 GPA or above), and perform well on national admissions tests (the GRE and VAT, usually taken in the spring of your junior year). You will then be positioned to embark on your next adventure – veterinary school!
Beyond that, you’ll have a plethora of choices. You may work in clinical settings in a specific field, such as companion animal or “pet” medicine, livestock medicine, equine medicine (e.g. sport, race track, show, rodeo), laboratory animal medicine, reptile medicine, or ratite medicine. Or, you may specialize in veterinary disciplines such as surgery, dermatology or internal medicine, after post-graduate training and certification.
What Will I Study?
Your course of study will vary depending on your major, but you must take certain courses to meet veterinary school requirements.
- Your course load will include classes in biology (general biology, genetics, advanced physiology), chemistry (general chemistry, organic chemistry, biochemistry), physics (general physics) and mathematics (statistical procedures).
- We offer undergraduate research and clinical job shadowing opportunities, and many of our students engage in research both at the university and at Oregon Health & Science University.
- You should also focus on learning as much as you can about medicine, ethics, etc., from physicians, local hospitals, and other health professionals. Shadowing a veterinarian can be helpful in determining whether you would really like to have a career in the profession.
- Veterinary schools have competitive admissions processes, so you should choose electives that will demonstrate your knowledge and dedication to learning. Select your major based on what you enjoy and where you will thrive academically. However, most pre-veterinary students major in biology.
Bachelors (BS) in Biology Requirements
×Biology Core Requirements (18 credit hours)
Complete the following:
Biology Upper-Division Electives (16 credit hours)
Complete at least one course from each of the following groups.
Choose one of the following:
Choose one of the following:
Choose one of the following:
Physical Sciences (16 credit hours)
Choose four of the following:
Quantitative Skills (6-8 credit hours)
Complete the following:
Choose one of the following:
Optional Thesis
Students can petition the department thesis committee by the end of the fall semester of their junior year for permission to do original research as part of their degree requirement. Students allowed to pursue the thesis option must:
- Complete an acceptable research proposal and the Research Methods course (BIOL 384) by the end of the spring semester of the junior year.
- Take up to 4 hours of Biological Research (BIOL 465) between the spring semester of their junior year and graduation, and Senior Thesis (BIOL 496) during the spring semester of their senior year.
- Complete a written thesis acceptable to the thesis committee by April 1 of their senior year.
- Prepare a poster and give an oral presentation of their research prior to graduation.
The department considers this an honor to be noted on the student's transcript. The thesis is designed to enhance a student's preparation for graduate or professional school.
Jalane Jara
I remember entering as a freshman biology major having no idea what I was getting myself into, but quickly finding myself pushed beyond my self-imposed limits to what I could learn, yet at the same time supported each step of the way by professors who cared to know my name and story.