Pre-Veterinary Medicine Program

Pre-Veterinary Medicine Professional Curriculum | Scholarships| Pre-Vet Club

Veterinary medicine is the profession dedicated to protecting the health of both animals and people through prevention, reduction and cure of animal diseases. The prevention, diagnosis and treatment of animal health problems through both medical and surgical procedures require intensive training in biomedical sciences.

Today in the United States more than 66,000 veterinarians are professionally active, providing a wide variety of services in private practice, teaching and research, regulatory medicine, public health, military service, private industry, aerospace and many other specialized activities. Tremendous opportunities exist for both men and women in veterinary medicine.

Students considering careers in veterinary medicine should take their high school's college preparatory courses. Credits should include four years of English, all courses offered in mathematics, physics, chemistry, biology and computer science. Also, become involved in debate, clubs and other extracurricular activities.

SDSU Pre-Vet Club

Pre-Veterinary Medicine Professional Curriculum

Current Veterinary Medicine Pre-Professional Program Guide (SDSU Veterinary Science Department, June 2007) pdf

SDSU has an excellent pre-professional curriculum which allows students to meet the basic science & other course requirement for application to colleges of veterinary medicine. SDSU also has the advantage of having departments that offer many complimentary courses that can enhance your opportunity for acceptance into a college of veterinary medicine. Examples of such courses include: animal nutrition, feed technology, livestock reproduction, pathogenic microbiology, virology, immunology, production courses (both animal and dairy science), anatomy and physiology of animals, and animal diseases and their control. These and many other excellent courses are available at South Dakota State University to enhance your application into a college of veterinary medicine.

The pre-veterinary medicine professional curriculum require at least two years (60 plus credit hours), however most students do not apply until their junior or senior year. Since many students will be here 4 years, they are encouraged to complete requirements for a specific B.S. degree. Choices include: Animal Science, Biology, and Microbiology. The following is a typical course outline for a three-year pre-professional program in pre-veterinary medicine at SDSU:

 

Fall Credits

Spring Credits

FRESHMAN YEAR

 

 

General Chemistry, CHEM-112/113 & 114/115

4

4

Intro to Biology, BIO-151/152 & 153/154

4

4

Freshman Composition, ENGL-101

3 or Spring

 

Fundamentals of Speech, SPCM-101/101A

 

3 or Fall

Intro to Veterinary Medicine, VET-103

1

 

Algebra, MATH-102 or Algebra & Trig, MATH-113

 

3 to 5

Wellness, WEL-100 plus a lab, or Lifetime Learning, GR-143

2

 

Intro to Sociology, SOC-100, or Social Problems, SOC-150, or

 

3

     Soc of Rural America, SOC-240, or Cultural Anthropology, 

 

 

     ANTH-210

 

 

Intro to Animal Science, AS-101/101A

3

 

Opportunities in Animal Science, AS-100

1

 

 

 

 

SOPHOMORE YEAR

 

 

Organic Chem, CHEM-326/327 (U of MN)

4

 

     or CHEM-326/327, 328/329 (ISU)

4

4

Intro to Physics I, PHYS-111/112 & 113/114

4

4

Composition II, ENGL-201

3

 

Anatomy & Physiology of Livestock, VET-223/223A

 

4

General Microbiology, MICR-231/232

4

 

Social Sciences/Humanities/Fine Arts--Goals #4 and #7

3

6

 

 

 

JUNIOR YEAR

 

 

Biochemistry, CHEM-464/464L

4 or

4

Genetics, BIO-371

3 or 4

 

     or Genetics & Org Biol, BIO-201/202

 

 

Embryology, ZOOL-383/383A (Elective)

 

4

Animal Diseases & Their Control, VET-403 (Elective)

 

3

Electives to match SDSU core and specific BS requirements

x

x

Senior Year
Completion of electives, major requirements and specific requirements for application to various colleges of veterinary medicine. In many instances, students that leave for veterinary college before completing their B.S. requirements, may transfer back credits from veterinary college and receive an S.O.S.4 degree.

Admission to colleges of veterinary medicine is very competitive and selective. Scholastic performance in pre-professional courses, standardized test scores, background and animal experiences, and extracurricular activities are used in the selection of candidates. A solid foundation in the sciences is basic to success in veterinary medicine and scholastic achievement is essential to admittance.

South Dakota residents are granted reciprocity by Minnesota and our students are placed in their in-state pool when applying to the College of Veterinary Medicine. Iowa State University College of Veterinary Medicine provides six slots for South Dakota students and the top six students qualify for tuition assistance through a contract with the State of South Dakota.

For further information concerning Department of Veterinary Science Pre-Veterinary Medicine Program, please contact:
Veterinary Science Department
South Dakota State University
Box 2175, North Campus Drive
Brookings, SD 57007-1396
Telephone 605-688-5171
E-mail: David.Zeman@sdstate.edu

Scholarships
The Veterinary Science Department has scholarships (13-15) for incoming freshmen and upper-class students in pre-veterinary medicine. These scholarships include: Dr. Harry Halverson Memorial Scholarship, Richard and Carol Dierks Scholarship, Freeman J. Lewis Memorial Scholarship, J. Michael Robbie Scholarship, and the J. B. Taylor Memorial Scholarship.

There are several College of Agriculture and Biological Science scholarships and SDSU scholarships available to students in the pre-veterinary medicine program as well. Also, the Department of Veterinary Science/Animal Disease Research and Diagnostic Laboratory hires many students part-time to supplement their educational experience & defray their college expenses.

The College of Agriculture and Biological Sciences Continuing Scholarship Application is now available.  Students may access the application at the following website and submit it directly on line – that website is http://agbioap.sdstate.edu They may submit this application on line, submit a printed copy to our office in Ag Hall 156 or pick up a hard copy in our office.  Deadline for submission February 10.

Veterinary Science Department Scholarship Application

For further information concerning Department of Veterinary Science Scholarships, please contact:
Veterinary Science Department
South Dakota State University
Box 2175, North Campus Drive
Brookings, SD 57007-1396
Telephone 605-688-5171
E-mail: David.Knudsen@sdstate.edu
Scholarship Chairman