Pre-Vet
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The Pre-Vet Program
Saint Vincent College has a long history of preparing students for entrance to health profession schools including veterinary schools.
Pre-health profession students may choose any major and are guided by the Preprofessional Health Committee. The Committee consists of approximately eight SVC faculty and a physician. It advises students about coursework, clinical/veterinary exposure, service activities, leadership roles, entrance examinations, applications and interviews. The Committee also conducts a comprehensive orientation program, maintains an extensive system of electronic resources for students and hosts speakers. Shortly before students submit their applications to veterinary schools, the Committee assesses the candidacy of each prospective applicant and prepares detailed recommendation letters. The overall goal is to enable each student to put his or her best foot forward.
Pre-Professional Programs
How can I prepare myself academically for veterinary school?
You'll need a strong foundation in mathematics and the sciences that relate most to veterinary medicine: biology, general chemistry, organic chemistry, and physics. Entrance requirements at most veterinary schools include completion of course work in biology, mathematics, chemistry, physics, and English. There also are a number of school-specific requirements at veterinary schools across the country. These can be found on the website for the American Association of Veterinary Medical Colleges (https://www.aavmc.org/).
In addition to the above requirements, a liberal arts education is a key ingredient to becoming a veterinarian, so it's important for your college experience to be well-rounded. Taking courses in the humanities and the social sciences will help you prepare for the "people" side of veterinary medicine, because all pets have owners who consider their pets part of the family. Furthermore, the ideal veterinarian understands how society works and also can communicate and write well.
Extracurricular activities also are important. You may want to volunteer at a local animal hospital, clinic, park, zoo, or private practice to gain practical veterinary experience.
Curriculum Requirements
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Requirements for the Health Professions
Every student interested in the health professions must complete one year of General Biology with lab (BL 150-153), one year of General Chemistry with lab (CH 101-104), one semester of Calculus (MA 109), one year of Organic Chemistry with lab (CH 221-224) and one year of General Physics with lab (PH 111-114). Individual health profession schools may have additional requirements. More specific information about prerequisite coursework is available from:
- Allopathic Medicine: American Association of Medical Colleges (www.aamc.org)
- Osteopathic Medicine: American Association of Osteopathic Medical Colleges (www.aacom.org)
- Dental Medicine: American Dental Education Association (www.adea.org)
- Veterinary Medicine: American Association of Veterinary Medical Colleges (www.aavmc.org)
- Optometry: Association of Schools and Colleges of Optometry (www.opted.org)
- Podiatry: American Association of Colleges of Podiatric Medicine (www.aacpm.org)
- Chiropractic: Association of Chiropractic Colleges (www.chirocolleges.org)
In addition to preparing students for matriculation to health professions schools, SVC offers programs in some allied health professions. For more information about those programs, click on the links to the right.
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Student Learning Outcomes
- To broadly and effectively educate students in the theory and practice of science for success in the health and allied health professions.
- To empower students with the skills and knowledge of biology, chemistry, mathematics, and physics necessary to form a broad scientific foundation as preparation for admissions exams, and for application in the health and allied health professions.
- To specifically prepare undergraduate students for study in allopathic medicine, chiropractic medicine, dental medicine, osteopathic medicine, optometry, podiatric medicine, and veterinary medicine.
- To specifically prepare undergraduate students for study in allied health fields including nursing, occupational therapy, pharmacy, physical therapy, and physician assistant graduate programs.
Program Highlights
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Placement Statistics
Following are the admissions statistics and schools attended for students who graduated from Saint Vincent College during the past five years.
ALLIED HEALTH PROFESSIONAL PROGRAM # MATRICULANTS/# APPLICANTS % ACCEPTED Medicine (Allopathic/Osteopathic) 36/39 92% Dental 6/6 100% Optometry 4/4 100% Veterinary 5/6 83% Other (e.g. PT, PA, Pharm, Chiro, Podiat) 19/19 100% Total 70/74 95%
Schools Attended
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Medicine
Drexel University
Georgetown University
University of Virginia
University of Pittsburgh
Penn State University
Penn State Hershey
Temple University
Jefferson Medical College
West Virginia University
Trinity School of Medicine
Ross University School of Medicine
Northeastern Ohio Universities College of Medicine
Commonwealth Medical College
The Ohio State University of Medicine
Uniformed Services University Of the Health Sciences: F. Edward Hebert School of Medicine
University of Maryland
PCOM
LECOM
Lincoln Memorial-DeBusk
Meharry Medical College
Campbell University School of Osteopathic Medicine
Edward Via College of Osteopathic Medicine-Virginia Campus
Edward Via College of Osteopathic Medicine-Carolinas Campus
Touro COM
Ohio Heritage College of Osteopathic Medicine -
Dental/Dentistry
University of Pittsburgh
Temple University
West Virginia University
University of California at San Francisco
Virginia Commonwealth -
Optometry
Salus University
Indiana University – Bloomington
University of Houston
Nova Southeastern University, College of Optometry
Ohio State University, College of Optometry -
Podiatry
Kent State University
Ohio College of Podiatric Medicine -
Veterinary
Auburn University College of Veterinary Medicine
Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine at Tufts University
Ohio State College of Veterinary Medicine, Ohio State University
Ross University School of Veterinary Medicine
University of Illinois School of Veterinary Medicine
University of Pennsylvania
University of Wisconsin-Madison School of Veterinary Medicine -
Chiropractic Schools
National University of the Health Sciences- Chiropractic Medicine
New York Chiropractic College
Palmer College of Chiropractic
Experiential Learning Prepares Students For Success
Gregory Bisignani, M.D., and Carl Hasselman, M.D., clinical professors at Saint Vincent College, describe their teaching laboratory periods in the Liberatore Human Anatomy Laboratory, a gift of Ralph and Donna Liberatore. The laboratory is used by undergraduate students for the study of human anatomy and physiology, facilitated by cadaveric dissection. The lab is also used by external clients for surgical training and demonstrations. Students observe and assist with demonstration surgeries, an opportunity Hasselman has described as a “huge step forward in preparing undergraduates for medical school.”