University of Pennsylvania
School of Veterinary Medicine
In response to the prevention and control of animal diseases, the
University of Pennsylvania decided to open up its own School of Veterinary
Medicine in 1884. The school recognizes that this step will help benefit
both animal welfare and human health. It is through this principle that
the University of Pennsylvania and its School of Veterinary Medicine is able
to strengthen its bond with each other. They work together in conducting
comparative medical research on diseases that affect animals and humans.
There are two campuses owned and operated by the Pennsylvania Veterinary
School, one of which is located in Philadelphia and it is where classrooms,
research facilities and administrative offices are housed. The Matthew J.
Ryan Veterinary Hospital can also be found in this campus. The second campus
is located 35 miles from the West Philadelphia campus, at New Bolton Center
in Kennett Square, and is a facility mainly for large animals. Penn Vet
has already produced around 6,000 veterinarians ever since 1887. Its recent
batch of 2008 had a class size of 105, composed of 20 men and 85 women. As
of the moment, an estimated 440 students have been admitted in the four-year
program. Applicants may also opt to enroll in the school’s VMD-PhD and
VMD/MBA program. It’s not very difficult to spot a Penn Vet graduate – the
first thing you’ll notice about them is the VMD tag along with their names.
Being a leading research university, Penn Vet is very well-known for its
distinct basic science and clinical research programs. As a matter of fact,
there are more than 260 research projects going on right now. In order to
promote the relationship of its basic science and clinical faculty, the
school has also organized an interdisciplinary Research Centers. At Penn
Vet, students are never discriminated and will accept any individual from a
wide range of race, sexual orientation, age, color, nationality/ethnicity
and religion. All students, including those with physical limitations are
able to enjoy all privileges, right, activities and programs that the school
has to offer. In its quest to have a diversified population of students,
the school made efforts to consider an individual’s socioeconomic
background, interests and activities, geographic origin, personal traits, as
well as academic background. Children of alumni and employees of Penn Vet,
particularly faculty members and other staff, are also given high regard by
the school. The school also offers 5-6 year combined courses culminating
to VMD/MBA degrees which can help individuals who seek to harness the career
opportunities available from both the veterinary medicine and business
perspective. Because of the close proximity of the two schools inside the
Pennsylvania University, knowledge sharing coming from the two faculties
then becomes possible, making it a much more effective endeavor. With
today’s ever increasing demand for individuals who are proficient in both
the fields of business and veterinary medicine, veterinary schools are also
becoming more needed than before. A good example of this scenario is in the
animal food producing industry. Here, the veterinarian takes his role as the
person responsible for the diagnosis, treatment, control and prevention of a
particular disease. And in today’s fast-paced world, the modern
veterinarians also need to have a solid background on agro-economic
concerns, such as working alongside farmers in order to help them yield
meat, poultry, dairy and animal fiber products in the most efficient way
possible. In order to make this possible, the veterinarian also needs to
have a great deal of experience and exposure in today’s business methods and
a sufficient amount of knowledge on the nation’s economy. For
veterinarians who decide to operate their own veterinary hospital, it is
highly recommended that the healthcare services they provide be kept at the
most affordable level possible and see to it that they are able to display
sound financial judgement. Generally speaking, veterinarians themselves also
act as their own business agents since they don’t usually have a hospital
administrator. Today’s field of veterinary medicine also involves a
considerable amount of business concerns, and this is why the modern
veterinarian also needs to have a sufficient comprehension of both
professional and business problems. This fact is very much evident in areas
such as research, academics, service laboratories, and publication services
as well. And with the many new innovations in veterinary medicine, as well
as the past-faced economy, veterinarians of today need a solid business
background more than ever. For their first year, students may opt to apply
for the joint program, as long as they are enrolled in either the Wharton
School or Veterinary School. By accomplishing a regular application for the
school which they are not enrolled in, students can be able to apply for
this joint program. Once a student completes his initial application with
the Veterinary School or the Wharton School, he may then proceed with his
application for the joint VMD/MBA program. He must also complete the regular
applications for each particular school. For individuals aspiring to be
enrolled in the Wharton School or School of Veterinary Medicine, they must
also meet the requirements similar to that of the regular degree course such
as MBA or VMD. Whether or not an individual is accepted will greatly depend
on his application in the joint program. The following are pre-requisite
courses for any individual seeking enrollment in the school:
- Two semesters of General Chemistry with lab work
- One semester of Organic Chemistry with lab work
- Two semesters of General Physics with lab work
- Any three courses in biology; at least one should give you a
background on genetics
- One semester of Calculus
- One semester of biostats or math stats
- Two English courses, with at least one course on composition
- Two courses on humanities/behavioral science or one of each
The courses stated above are the most basic of requirements for
enrollment in the Veterinary School. In today’s modern society, being
competitive is of utmost importance, and course requirements are becoming
more demanding, which is why completion of advanced biology courses can
prove to be an advantage in the long run. Also, the courses completed must
have at least a C grade or 2.0 in order to be eligible for admission.
Admission application here:
http://www.vet.upenn.edu/EducationandTraining/StudentAdmissions/Applications/tabid/300/Default.aspx
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