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If you have aspirations of becoming a veterinarian, you might be wondering what subject you should major in. You can’t just enroll in a Doctorate of Veterinary Medicine (DVM) program immediately after graduating high school. DVM programs are extremely competitive, so they selective choose candidates based on their education. By earning a degree in the right major, you’ll have an easier time getting accepted into a DVM program so that you can become a licensed veterinarian.

What Is a Major?

Also known as an academic major, a major is a group of college-level courses that allow for specialization of a particular subject. They typically consist of both core courses and elective courses. To earn a degree in a major, you must complete all of the required courses set by the school. Each major is a specialty that consists of multiple courses related to a specific subject.

There are literally hundreds of different majors, each of which focuses on a specific subject. Computer science, for instance, focuses on computational processes, whereas nursing focuses on clinical nursing and research. Regardless of the subject, most majors involve a four-year bachelor’s degree program. After completing the required courses, you’ll earn a bachelor’s degree with a major in your selected subject.

The Benefits of a Major

Earning a degree in the right major will help you get accepted into a DVM program. Statistics show fewer than half of all students who apply to enroll in a DVM program are accepted. But don’t let that you fool into thinking it’s impossible to enroll in a DVM program. Schools often reject applicants because they don’t meet the prerequisites for their respective DVM program. If you major in the right subject, you’ll meet — or potentially exceed — the school’s prerequisites. In turn, you’ll stand out among a sea of other aspiring veterinarians to increase your chances of acceptance.

According to the Association of American Veterinary Medical Colleges (AAVMC), the United States has about 30 veterinary schools. Each of these schools has its own prerequisites that candidates must meet to be accepted into their respective DVM program. In other words, they don’t have a set of universal and shared requirements. Rather, each school sets its own requirements for DVM program enrollment.

Some of the core courses required by DVM schools include the following:

• Anatomy
• Biology
• Physiology
• Toxicology
• Immunology
• Pathology
• Biochemistry

When seeking to enroll in a DVM program, you’ll need to check the school’s prerequisites. Schools typically don’t require a major in any specific subject, but having a major can help you stand from other candidates. It will project as being more qualified, as well as motivated, than other candidates. As a result, the school will be more likely to accept you into its DVM program. You can then work towards completing the DVM program to become a licensed veterinarian, or you can even branch out into a specialized field of veterinary medicine. Once you’ve made your way into a DVM program, the possibilities are endless.

Pre-Vet Major

Some schools offer pre-vet as major. Pre-vet consists of courses that are designed specifically to prepare you for veterinary school. They cover core courses that veterinarians use in their line of work. Some of them even focus on a specific field of veterinary medicine, such as animal science, biological science or poultry science. A pre-vet major is simply a group of college-level courses that are intended to help students prepare for veterinary school.

Pre-vet majors are typically offered by schools with their own DVM program. To enroll in its DVM program, a school may require students to earn a pre-vet major. With that said, not all DVM schools offer pre-vet majors. Some of them offer traditional majors found in other, non-DVM schools.

Science Major

Many students earn a bachelor’s degree in a traditional major to prepare themselves for a DVM program. A major in science, for example, is always beneficial when seeking to enroll in a DVM program. Because of the direct way in which veterinarians use science, schools are more likely to accept you into their DVM program if you have a bachelor’s degree in a science major.

Like with other majors, a science major generally consists of four years of education. A science major, however, covers topics pertaining to science, all of which are used in some way by veterinarians. Science majors involve biology, chemistry, mathematics and more.

In Conclusion

Choosing a major is a big decision that shouldn’t be taken lightly. After all, you’ll have to invest four years to complete the required courses. If you’re aspiring to become a veterinary, consider going with a pre-vet or science major. If the school offers pre-vet as a major, that’s probably your best choice. If it doesn’t, a science major is a useful alternative that will help you get accepted into a DVM program upon completion.