Veterinary medicine focuses on maintaining the health and welfare of animals and people. Veterinarians diagnose and control animal diseases, treat sick and injured animals, prevent the transmission of animal diseases to people, and advise owners on the proper care of animals.

Pre-veterinary study is not a major in itself. It is a preparatory track that can be incorporated into any major. As long as students complete the general core requirements for veterinary school, they can select any undergraduate major they wish.

Whatever major is chosen, students should be sure to meet with the pre-vet specialist in the Health Professions Student Center when they enroll at WSU. Whether students are deciding on a major, working core requirements into their schedule, or putting together a strong veterinary school application, the specialists in the HPSC can help them plan for success.

What is the best major for pre-veterinary study? The quick and simple answer: Any major a student would enjoy.

The most important things needed as a pre-veterinary student are to fulfill the prerequisites for veterinary professional school and maintain a strong academic record. Admission to veterinary professional programs is highly competitive, so strong academic performance is an absolute must — and the more a student enjoys their studies, the better their grades will be.

Remember, no preference is given by veterinary medicine programs for any particular major. Students can major in virtually anything and gain admission to veterinary school. That said, however, most students choose majors in the sciences; it's easier to incorporate the veterinary school prerequisites into a science major, and a broad background in biological science is helpful.

Four majors at WSU offer pre-veterinary tracks that incorporate the WSU College of Veterinary Medicine D.V.M. program prerequisites: • Animal Sciences

• Neuroscience • Wildlife Ecology • Zoology

In addition to these majors, pre-veterinary students at WSU often major in bioengineering, microbiology, genetics and cell biology, chemistry, biochemistry, biology, natural resource science, and other majors offered by the College of Sciences, the College of Veterinary Medicine, and the College of Agricultural, Human, and Natural Resource Sciences.