Finding Veterinary School

College of Veterinary Medicine (CVM) at the University of Florida
College of Veterinary Medicine (CVM)
University of Florida

The state of Florida offers veterinary studies through the University of Florida’s College of Veterinary Medicine or CVM. The school primarily aims to provide quality education which is designed under its established mission, namely teaching, research, extension and patient care. In the year 1980, its first batch of graduates paved way for the school’s legacy of excellence.

Through the school’s graduate program, over 199 students have been able to realize their dreams of achieving Master’s (M.S.) or Doctor’s (Ph.D.) degree in Veterinary Medicine. Degree holders like them are able to work in a variety of work settings such as government agencies, biomedical sciences, academia, as well as research facilities, which aims to improve the health of not only animals, but humans and the environment too.

Besides being Florida’s sole College of Veterinary Medicine, the school is also consistently part of the top 10 veterinary colleges – an honor granted by the United States News and World Report. After its establishment in the year 1976, the College of Veterinary Medicine in the University of Florida has taken an active part in improving animal, human and environmental welfare by means of their activities in teaching, research, extension and patient care. The college is also associated with two administrative units in the University of Florida, and provides the Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences and Health Science Center with financial support and reporting networks.

With the school’s Doctor’s and Master’s degree enrollment exceeding 330 and 120 students respectively, it is easy to see why the College of Veterinary Medicine in the University of Florida is considered the nation’s trend-setter when it comes to veterinary education.

The school features college programs that you will only find with them. Examples are Comparative Clinical Immunology Program, Marine Mammal Health Program, Pet Memorial Program, Center for Environmental and Human Toxicology, Equine Neonatal and Perinatal Studies, Mobile Equine Diagnostic Service, the Charlie Bild VIP Program, Greyhound Adoption Program, Ticks and Tickborne Diseases Program, Zoological Medicine Training, Operation Catnip, Island Whirl Equine Colic Research Laboratory, Racing Laboratory, and the Center for Veterinary Sports Medicine.

The College of Veterinary Medicine in the University of Florida always takes an active part in the VMCAS or Veterinary Medical College Application Service. It is a national program and centralized application service which is actively participated by most of the Veterinary Colleges in the United States, and is responsible for the receiving, processing and forwarding of applications to the College of Veterinary Medicine in the University of Florida. The data gathered is used in the selection of a particular class with a population of 80-88 students.

The Dean of the College of Veterinary Medicine is the person responsible for student selection, primarily through the endorsement of the Faculty Committee on Admissions. With respect to student selection, the criteria named below are used as basis:

1.) Residency – Students who reside in Florida are given priority when it comes to admission. As for non-residents, only applicants with excellent academic and personal background will be entertained.

2.) Academic Performance – This is a good measurement of an applicant’s academic accomplishments.

3.) GRE Scores – These are ratings based on the student’s Graduate Record Examination.

4.) Background and Veterinary Experience – Admission priority will be given to applicant’s who have a decent level of experience in supervised veterinary-related activities. The school gives great importance on an individual’s experience working under a veterinarian’s direct supervision. Based on recent history, applicants who have accumulated over 500 hours of cumulative working experience in a wide range of animals have the highest chances of being accepted in the school.

5.) Evaluation Forms – By completing the evaluation forms found on the website of the Veterinary Medical College Application Service or VMCAS, an applicant’s character and aptitude as an aspiring veterinarian can be properly evaluated.

6.) Extracurricular Activities – This can be described as the applicant’s level of participation in community activities, as well as his leadership skills and most recent accomplishments.

7.) Communicative Skill – This can be evaluated through the applicant’s short statement of his intentions and motivations for pursuing admission in the College of Veterinary Medicine.

8.) Personal Interview

9.) Competitiveness – For individuals who have been trying to make a successful application inside the College, repeated applications may not always be a guarantee of success. This is because the competitive quality of each year’s applicants as a whole is a determining factor in the student selection.

Application here: https://www.vetmed.ufl.edu/education/dvmadmissions/online_application.html