Pre-Veterinary

Midwestern State University (MSU Texas) offers a pre-professional programs that are designed for students interested in dentistry, medicine, pharmacy, physical therapy and veterinary school and who wish to use their undergraduate program to get the prerequisites before applying to their program and choice.

Pre-professional is not a major—it is a focus. This focus will help students pick out the courses and activities to increase their ability to be admitted to a professional program. Competition for limited spots in professional programs is high, and students will need to find ways to academically prepare and differentiate yourself for admission.

Animals are the focus of veterinary medicine, which is the branch of health care that deals with the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of disease as well as disease prevention in animals. Veterinary patients include family pets (small animal), livestock (large animal) and exotic/zoo animals. Veterinarians also contribute to human public health by preventing zoonotic diseases which pass from non-human animals to humans.

It takes four years of veterinary school to attain a Doctor of Veterinary Medicine (DVM) degree. Approximately 79% of all veterinarians work in veterinary services, and 71% are in small animal veterinary. Within veterinary medicine the American Veterinary Medicine Association recognizes numerous specializations that focus on specific systems, illnesses or species.

The academic requirements for admission to veterinary school typically include courses in biology, microbiology, genetics, general chemistry, organic chemistry, biochemistry, statistics, physics, technical writing, and psychology. One required course is animal nutrition, which MSU does not offer but some universities do offer online (check the Texas A&M prerequisites page for information). Veterinary schools may vary in their policies regarding prerequisites, so be sure to check prerequisites by veterinary school. As of Fall 2021 there will be two veterinary schools in Texas: Texas A&M University at College Station and Texas Tech University School of Veterinary Medicine.

Students who are interested in going to veterinary school typically will pursue Biology, Chemistry, or Biochemistry as their undergraduate program.