University of Nebraska Kearney

Pre-Veterinary Medicine

The faculty advisor for the Pre-Veterinary Medicine program is Dr. Paul Twigg, Department of Biology, Greenhouse, Bruner Hall of Science, phone 308-865-8315. I’ll be glad to help you in any way, and invite you to contact me whenever you need assistance during your time at UNK! (FAX: 308-865-8045; Internet electronic mail address: twiggp@unk.edu)

Introduction

1. Students planning to pursue any science-related career should have a strong high school background (grades 9 through 12) including four years each of English, mathematics, and sciences. Strong preparation in social sciences, literature, and fine arts is also recommended. An ACT composite score of at least 20 should be attained.
    

2. The Pre-Veterinary Medicine curriculum at UNK is designed to comply with admission requirements of the Veterinary Medicine cooperative professional program at University of Nebraska-Lincoln (UNL)/Iowa State University (ISU). This is the only such program with a contract relationship with the State of Nebraska. Students admitted into the professional program start classes at UNL and finish clinical courses at ISU.  

3. The curriculum at UNK preceding the professional program at UNL/ISU includes course work indicated by UNL/ISU as pre-professional courses, which are required to prepare the student for the extremely rigorous demands of the professional program. It is the ultimate responsibility of the student to be sure these requirements are met, as failure to do so will prevent a student from being considered for the program.
    

4. It must be emphasized that completion of the Pre-professional requirements at UNK does NOT guarantee acceptance into the professional program. Each student is responsible for his/her own application for admission to the UNL/ISU program.
    

5. Students desiring to attend a professional veterinary medicine program at a university other than UNL/ISU should obtain a catalog from that university and insure that their curriculum at UNK is planned according to admission requirements of that institution. The faculty advisor for pre-veterinary medicine at UNK will be glad to assist in this planning.
    

6. Students planning a career in veterinary medicine should have as much experience with animals and veterinary medicine as possible, and a reference from a veterinarian is required for admission to UNL/ISU. This means that working with animals in a paid or non-paid position is strongly recommended even before undergraduate course work, and at least during these years as much as possible. Some Kearney veterinarians employ pre-vet students part-time while they’re attending UNK, and students often secure such employment in or outside Kearney during the summer months, sometimes on a full-time basis.
    

7. Veterinarians often become prominent people in their communities, so students are encouraged to be as well-rounded in their pre-professional education as possible. This would include, for example, good public speaking preparation, good personal relationship skills, and good business comprehension. A reasonable, but not extensive, blending of campus activities with academic work can provide good personal development along these lines. One skill seriously examined by all applicants to their program is that of personal time management.
    

8. Searching the World Wide Web provides excellent information you should explore: Association of American Veterinary Medical Colleges, American Veterinary Medicine Association, NetVet Veterinary Resources.

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Pre-professional Courses for UNL/ISU

To be eligible for admission to the professional D.V.M. degree-program at University of Nebraska -Lincoln/Iowa State University, students must first complete 70 hours of course work, including the UNK courses listed below, with a minimum G.P.A. as specified by UNL/ISU. The General Test of the Graduate Record Examination is also required.
 

In addition to the courses listed above: 

General Studies courses in Humanities and/or Social & Behavioral Sciences: 8 hours

General electives (any courses): 8 hours

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Application To UNL/ISU Program

NOTE: General timelines are listed below. The official deadline dates change yearly and are listed here.
 

1. The application process should start as early as possible in the summer or fall semester one year prior to expected entry to UNL/ISU. Online applications usually become available in June or July and are usually due in September/October. A Nebraska Residency Form is also required and needs to be filled out/submitted by September/October.
    

2. The Graduate Record Examination (GRE), must be taken by all applicants, and the score must be received by ISU by late November. Only the General Test is required (no Subject Tests). Current information and details about the GRE may be obtained at the Office of Graduate Studies in Founders Hall on the UNK campus, or from the Pre-Veterinary Medicine faculty advisor.
    

3. Applicants are required to submit three electronic letters of recommendation with their application and are strongly encouraged to have at least one of these recommendations from a veterinarian. Other suggested evaluators include academic advisors, professors, or employers.

4. An application interview can be scheduled for all qualified Nebraska applicants from November through January. During the interview, the committee evaluates the candidate’s motivation to be a veterinarian, as evidenced by his/her knowledge of the profession and his/her explanation on how attending veterinary school helps fulfill life goals. Other qualities evaluated include the ability to communicate, the ability to solve problems, integrity, and other characteristics essential for success in veterinary medicine.
   
   The interview is a very important part of the selection process, and conscientious preparation beforehand is essential for the applicant. Students are urged to contact the Career Services office on the UNK campus and take advantage of interview training sessions they offer. An annual interviewing seminar is held in the fall semester for all pre-professional students at UNK, so it’s wise to watch for posted announcements about this meeting, and definitely plan to attend every year, as much as possible. It’s never too early to begin preparation for the interview, and keep up-to-date on the latest information!
    

5. Acceptance invitations are issued in mid-spring, and applicants must accept or decline by a specified deadline. All invitations at that time are conditional on the completion of the spring semester Pre-professional courses with acceptable grades. Applicants who accept the invitation must submit a deposit to hold their space in classes; the deposit is non-refundable, but is applied to fall semester fees at registration time (first semester of Veterinary College).
    

6. Each Spring, UNL and ISU offer an open house for visitors. This is an excellent time to view their facilities and meet some of the people in the College of Veterinary Medicine. Contact the UNK pre-vet advisor for the exact date of the open house you wish to attend. It’s always wise to become familiar with the UNL and ISU campuses before applying and interviewing for admission!

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