University of Nebraska Kearney

The faculty advisor for the Pre-Veterinary Medicine program is Dr. Paul Twigg, Department of Biology, 211C Bruner Hall of Science, phone 308-865-8883.  I'll be glad to help you in any way, and invite you to contact me whenever you need assistance in during your time at UNK!  (FAX:  308-865-8045; Internet electronic mail address: twiggp@unk.edu)

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 professional program at Iowa State University (ISU), located in Ames.  This is the only such program with a contract relationship with the State of Nebraska.
    
3. The curriculum at UNK preceding the professional program at ISU includes course work indicated by 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 ISU program.
    
4. It must be emphasized that completion of the Pre-professional requirements at UNK does NOT guarantee acceptance into the professional program at ISU!  Each student is responsible for his/her own application for admission to the ISU program.
    
5. Students desiring to attend a professional veterinary medicine program at a university other than 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 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 ISU in 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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1. Option 1:  Completion of all requirements and graduation at UNK with a Bachelor's (BS) degree, then completion of the four-year curriculum at ISU College of Veterinary Medicine and graduation with the DVM degree.  This is by far the most popular plan, typically involving a total of at least 8 years, or more if the BS degree cannot be completed in 4 years.  The BS degree is most commonly earned with a major in Biology with the Environmental Health Emphasis.
    
2. Option 2:  Completion of all BS degree requirements at UNK except for some science courses, then enrollment in ISU College of Veterinary Medicine, from which certain courses are transferred back to UNK to substitute for the science courses.  Graduation with the BS degree from UNK is then achieved, then completion of the I
3. SU curriculum and graduation with the DVM degree.  The ISU courses transferred back, then, do "double duty" toward the BS and the DVM degrees.
    
4. Option 3:  Completion of Prerequisite courses at UNK, then enrollment in the I
5. SU College of Veterinary Medicine and graduation with the DVM degree.  No BS degree is earned, leaving a lack of a valuable credential for alternatives should something prevent completion of the DVM program.  This Option is probably the least favorable, but it does save some time.

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1. General Biology 103 is not recommended if you've had a good, recent, high school background in biology.  Select Zoology 107 instead, as a "starting course".
    
2. The Department of Mathematics offers a placement test if you're unsure about your high school math preparation.  The departmental secretary can administer the test for you at any time, score it for you, and identify the math course for which you're best prepared.  Scientific Topics in Mathematics 112 is the recommended course for the program, however you may elect Trigonometry 103, or Calculus 115, or Applied Calculus 123 instead.  Generally, for enrollment in Math 103 or 112, you should have had at least three years of high school mathematics, including 2 years of algebra.  If your high school background is good in trigonometry you should not enroll in 103, but choose 112, or even 115 if you've had four years of high school mathematics.
    
3. For enrollment in Chemistry 160, you should have had at least one year of chemistry in high school, plus three years of mathematics including two years of algebra.  Your science ACT/SAT score should be at least in the 50th percentile.  If you're deficient in any of these situations, you should enroll first in Chemistry 145 before taking 160.
    
4. The full year of Organic Chemistry 360 and 361 is strongly recommended over the single-semester Organic Chemistry 250.  The latter is best left to situations with limited time and/or class scheduling difficulties.
    
5. Because of fluctuating demands for the Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry courses, the particular semesters in which these courses are offered will vary.  It is wise to consult the Pre-Vet Advisor or the Chemistry Department for advice in planning your enrollment in these courses, and to watch for announcements concerning their scheduling.
    
6. Developmental Biology 404 is a required Pre-professional course, and is offered ONLY every third semester.  Remember this in your course work planning, and keep alert for announcements concerning the scheduling of this course!
    
7. Animal Behavior 462 is a recommended course, and is offered ONLY in Spring semesters of odd-numbered years.  Ecology 307 is a prerequisite for 462, and is offered every Fall and Spring semester.
    
8. ISU expects all students to be computer-literate upon admission, hence computer courses are good choices for the "General Electives" requirement in the Pre-Professional group.  It is also very important that you obtain your own account (access) to the campus "Platte" computer system and check it frequently for electronic mail messages as well as becoming acquainted with Internet.  There is no charge for this, and if you don't have your own computer there are several computer labs where you can access the Platte system.  With your own computer, the same can be done with a modem, or through system connections in certain dormitory rooms.  Understanding of the World Wide Web is essential for the best computer literacy.
   

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To be eligible for admission to the professional D.V.M. degree-program at Kansas 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 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: 12 hours

General electives (any courses): as needed to complete the 70-hour requirement.

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1. The application process should start as early as possible in the Fall semester one year prior to expected entry to ISU.
   
   The application packet must be requested from ISU, and none will be mailed out after September 15th.  It is due back at ISU 10 days after the applicant receives it, and in no case may it be postmarked later than November 1st.  Transcripts must also be requested from every school where Pre-professional courses have been taken, to be sent directly to ISU. 
    
2. The Graduate Record Examination (GRE), must be taken by all applicants, and the score sent to ISU by October 1st.  Only the General Test is required (no Subject Tests).  It may be taken on the UNK campus in either the paper or computerized form, however the Educational Testing Service (ETS), which administers the GRE, has recently announced that the paper form will be discontinued in the near future, probably by 1998.  The deadline for receipt of registration for the paper form to be received in the ETS office is very early in September, for the exam in October.
   
   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 list three references in their application, and only three will be considered.  These references must include an academic advisor (preferably a pre-vet advisor), a personal reference who knows the applicant well but is not a family member, and a veterinarian (preferably one with whom the applicant has worked).
    
4. An application interview is scheduled for all qualified Nebraska applicants in February, with the Nebraska Admissions Committee at the University of Nebraska in Lincoln. 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, ISU offers 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.  Manhattan is about 260 miles from Kearney, and located northwest of Topeka.  Contact the UNK pre-vet advisor for the exact date of the open house you wish to attend; it will usually be the first Saturday of April, unless Easter falls on that weekend.  It's always wise to become familiar with the ISU campus before applying and interviewing for admission!  Maps showing how to reach the ISU campus are available on the door of Dr. Ikenberry's office.

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