Colleges with veterinary programs in CA are designed to prepare students for a career as a veterinarian. Many colleges and universities offer animal advocacy and studies classes, which is an important aspect of the program. These classes help students form opinions on animal policy and human-animal interactions.

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Colleges With Pre Vet Programs In California

Pre Vet Schools in California

If you hear the word, “veterinary,” you likely immediately think of animals. And rightly so since veterinary medicine is the branch of medicine that deals with the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of disease as well as disease prevention in animals of all types, from family pets to farm livestock and zoo animals.

What you may not know is that veterinary health care workers also contribute to human public health by working to control zoonotic disease, those diseases passed from non-human animals to humans, such as Lyme disease and West Nile virus, for example.

The scope of veterinary medicine is wide, covering all animal species, both domesticated and wild, with a range of conditions that can affect different species.

Select An Undergraduate Major

Veterinary schools would like for you to choose any major but prefer you to major in Animal Science or Biological Science. See a counselor to discuss your major/goal and obtain a Student Education Plan (SEP) to show you the path to reach your goal.

Make an appointment with our Pre-Health Counselor by contacting the CCC Counseling Office at (559) 325-5230 for more information.

Complete Prerequisites

The prerequisites for the Pre-Veterinary field are: one year of Biology, one year of General Chemistry, one year of Organic Chemistry, one year of Physics, one year of Calculus, and Statistics.

Clovis Community College recommends the following courses:

• CHEM 1A
• CHEM 1B
• CHEM 28A
• CHEM 29A
• CHEM 28B
• CHEM 29B
• BIOL 11A
• BIOL 11B
• MATH 5A
• MATH 5B
• PHYS 2A/PHYS 2B OR PHYS 4A/PHYS 4B
• STAT 7 or MATH 11

Explore & Research

Explore and research the Veterinary institutions you are interested in attending.

There is only one University of California campus that offers a veterinary school program:

• University of California, Davis

There are two private veterinary institutions in California and they are:

• Western University of Health Sciences
• Stanford University

Visit the website of the Association of American Veterinary Medical Colleges (AAVMC), for more information on out of state veterinary schools.

Become Involved

Veterinary schools are looking for well rounded students who have good grades in their prerequisite courses, as well as their undergraduate degree courses. Additionally, they are looking for student’s who are involved in their community or school and who have some type of experience working with animals and/or health field.

Some examples of becoming a well rounded student would include:

• Join an on campus club or organization. CCC has a Pre-Professional Health Club and Science club that is great for Pre-med students. Contact CCC’s ASG office at (559) 325-5243 or stop by room AC1 160 for more club information
• Join the TRIO program to help you become transfer ready and support you in transferring to a University. Contact the CCC TRIO Counselor at (559) 325-5230·
• Join the American Pre-Veterinary Medical Association (APVMA): http://apvma.org·
• Attend Pre-Medical conferences such as the National Pre-Health Conference at UC Davis.
• Apply for internships, job shadow, or volunteer at a clinic or animal shelter.·
• Use the Explore Health Careers Website for more information regarding the health field. http://explorehealthcareers.org/en/home

Take The GRE Or MCAT

Veterinary schools require you to take the Graduate Record Examination or the Medial College Admission Test.

Apply To Veterinary School

Apply to veterinary school by using the Veterinary Medical College Application Service (VMCAS). The application opens on June 5th every year and application materials are due October 2nd. Make sure you familiarize yourself with the application process early.

Interview

You may be given the opportunity for an interview. During your interview you may be asked questions that are related to the current and controversial health issues pertaining to animal care. You can learn more about these health issues on the Association of American Veterinary Medical Colleges website under Pro-grams and Initiatives.

Veterinary School Pathway

After you complete veterinary school you will receive a doctorates degree in veterinary medicine. You would then take the board certification exam that will allow you to practice veterinary medicine. You may continue your education to become a specialist in an area and this would require an internship or residency.

To find out more about the Pre-Veterinary path schedule an appointment with a counselor by calling the Counseling office at (559) 325-5230.

how to become a veterinarian california

Education, Training, and Other Requirements
Prospective Veterinarians must graduate with a Doctor of Veterinary Medicine (D.V.M. or V.M.D.) degree from a four-year program at an accredited college of veterinary medicine. The private Western University of Health Sciences Veterinary School in Pomona offers an accredited four-year program; however, the only public veterinary college in California is University of California, Davis School of Veterinary Medicine.

The prerequisites for admission to veterinary programs vary. The program at UC Davis does not require a bachelor’s degree for entrance; however, most students have completed an undergraduate program and earned a bachelor’s degree upon entering the program. Thus, applicants without a degree may have a more difficult time getting accepted to the program. In addition to satisfying course requirements, applicants must submit test scores from the Graduate Record Examination (GRE). Programs outside of California may have different admission requirements than UC Davis. About 50 percent of the decision to accept a student at UC Davis is academic, which is the combined grade point average and GRE scores. A GRE score at the 70th percentile or higher may increase a student’s chances of UC Davis accepting them.

Other advanced degree programs available to veterinary medicine students at UC Davis include the Veterinary Scientist Training Program (Ph.D. and D.V.M. combination program), the Master of Preventive Veterinary Medicine (M.P.V.M.), and the Master of Public Health (M.P.H.).
Experience
When deciding whom to admit, veterinary medical colleges place heavy consideration on candidates’ references as well as their veterinary and animal experience. Formal experience, such as work with Veterinarians or scientists in clinics, agribusiness, research, or some area of health science, is required. For example, UC Davis requires a minimum of 180 hours of experience; however, the average hours of the admitted students is 2,500-3,000. Informal experience, such as working with animals on a farm or at a stable or animal shelter, also can be helpful.
Early Career Planning
High school students interested in becoming Veterinarians should take many of the sciences including the different chemistry and biology courses offered; mathematics courses including college algebra, trigonometry, statistics, and calculus; English; and social sciences. Courses in management and business may help those who wish to operate their own offices and clinics in the future.

Some Regional Occupational Programs (ROP) may offer beneficial experience in preparing for a veterinary career. To find an ROP program near you, go to the California Association of Regional Occupational Centers and Programs Web site.

Apprenticeship and Work-Study Programs
Many new graduates of veterinary medicine may choose to enter a one-year internship. Interns receive a small salary but often find that their internship experience leads to better paying opportunities later. For more information on apprenticeship programs currently available, visit the State of California’s Department of Industrial Relations, Division of Apprenticeship Standards Web site.
Continuing Education
Similar to other medical occupations, Veterinarians should keep their knowledge current and be aware of any advancements in their field. In order to maintain their license to practice veterinary medicine, Veterinarians should take 36 hours of approved continuing education every two years.

Licensing and Certification
Veterinarians must be licensed before they can practice. They must complete the D.V.M. degree, or equivalent education level, as well as pass the North American Veterinary Licensing Exam. This exam covers all aspects of veterinary medicine as well as visual materials designed to test diagnostic skills. To practice in California, Veterinarians must pass a state board exam in addition to the national exam. Contact the agency that issues the license for additional information. Click on the license title below for details.

Veterinarian
The Educational Commission for Foreign Veterinary Graduates grants certification to individuals trained outside the United States who demonstrate that they meet specified requirements for English language and clinical proficiency. This certification fulfills the educational requirement for licensure in all states. There is also the Program for the Assessment of Veterinary Education Equivalence (PAVE) which is accepted in California and many other states.

Additional licensing may be required for Veterinarians who become U.S. government meat and poultry inspectors, disease-control workers, animal welfare and safety workers, and epidemiologists. Commissioned officers in the U.S. Public Health Service or various branches of the U.S. Armed Forces may also need additional licensing.

New graduates with a Doctor of Veterinary Medicine degree may begin to practice veterinary medicine once they receive their license. Those who seek board certification also must complete a 3-to-4-year residency program. The residency program provides intensive training in one of the 39 specialties recognized by the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA). The specialties include internal medicine, oncology, pathology, dentistry, nutrition, radiology, surgery, dermatology, anesthesiology, neurology, cardiology, ophthalmology, preventive medicine, and exotic-small-animal medicine. For more information, go to the U.S. Department of Labor’s Career InfoNet Web site and scroll down to “Career Tools.” Click on “Certification Finder” and follow the instructions to locate certification programs.

best colleges for veterinarians in california

10 best Veterinary colleges in California

Here are the top veterinary colleges in California:

1. The University of California-Davis(UC Davis)

The University of California-Davis is a large, public, four-year university enrolling 35,186 students and offering 270 degrees in Davis, CA. It offers the largest variety of degree programs amidst the University of California campuses.

Importantly, UC Davis’s programs are nationally ranked, thanks in part to the university’s award-winning faculty. UC Davis offers more than 180 undergraduate and graduate degree programs and specializations.

The veterinary medicine programs are particularly strong at UC Davis, and since its inception, it has continued to have a reputation as a good “Vet school.”

Most importantly, the College is well known globally as a top lead in public health, veterinary medicine, and biomedical research.

The college offers both DVM, P.h.D, Master’s and combined degree programs, as well as a wide range of continuing education in Veterinary Medicine.

Basically, the College Doctor of Veterinary Medicine degree program is four years of study.

Graduates from this school are great Vet doctors in California and beyond.

Acceptance Rate: 37.95%
Number of Programs: 2
Graduation/Employability Rate: 81%
Accreditation: This institution is accredited by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges, Senior College and University Commission

#2. University of California-San Diego

The University of California-San Diego is a large, public, four-year university enrolling 32,906 students and offering 180 degrees in La Jolla, CA.

This University of California—San Diego is a public institution that was instituted in 1960. It is located in the La Jolla community of San Diego, close to the Pacific Ocean.

Also, more than 75 percent of the student body studies at the undergraduate level. The school offers more than 100 undergraduate programs across a range of disciplines.

UCSD undergraduates are allotted to one of six residential colleges – smaller academic and social communities within the university.

Incoming undergraduates and transfer learners are guaranteed to house for two years. Accommodations are also prepared for graduate students. 

Out-of-state students must pay a supplemental charge on top of the tuition in-state students pay.

UCSD follows a quarter-based academic calendar, and English is the language of instruction.

The University of California-San Diego offers 2 Veterinary Science Degree programs. It’s a large public university in a large city.

The college offers both DVM, P.h.D, Master’s and combined degree programs, as well as a wide range of continuing education in Veterinary Medicine.

Graduates from this school are great Vet doctors in California and beyond.

Acceptance Rate: between 13%
Number of Programs: 2
Graduation/Employability Rate: 86.2%
Accreditation: This institution is accredited by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges, Senior College and University Commission

#3. Western University of Health Sciences in Pomona, CA

The College of Veterinary Medicine at Western University of Health Sciences was instituted in 1998 as the first new college of veterinary medicine in the United States in more than twenty years.

The school stands as a new standard in veterinary medical education: innovative instructional programs, cost-effective delivery of education, and cooperation with other educational institutions and the private sector. 

On March 3, 2010, the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) Council on Education (COE) granted the College Full Accreditation.

Instruction and clinical opportunities are provided in a wide category of domestic species, including food animal, equine, and companion animals.

The College provides a vibrant, diverse faculty by encouraging progression through personal and professional advancement. and research, creating an academic community of competent, caring, ethical professionals, where cooperative learning., public service, and scholarship can flourish.

The college offers both DVM, P.h.D, Master’s and combined degree programs, as well as a wide range of continuing education in Veterinary Medicine.

Acceptance Rate: 12%
Number of Programs: 3
Graduation/Employability Rate: Western University Vet School is a fairly new veterinary school and admitted its first class in 2003.
Accreditation: The Western Association of Schools and Colleges, Senior College and University Commission

#4. San Joaquin Valley College-Visalia

San Joaquin Valley College-Visalia offers 1 Veterinary Science Degree program. It’s a large private college in an outlying rural.

In 2015, 56 students graduated in the study area of Veterinary Science with students earning 56 Associate’s degrees.

The college offers both DVM, P.h.D, Master’s and combined degree programs, as well as a wide range of continuing education in Veterinary Medicine.

Graduates from this school are great Vet doctors in California and beyond.

Acceptance Rate: 100%
Number of Programs: 2
Graduation/Employability Rate: 50%
Accreditation: The Western Association of Schools and Colleges, Accrediting Commission for Community and Junior Colleges.

#5. Pima Medical Institute – Chula Vista

The Pima Medical Institute – Chula Vista is a for-profit college located in Chula Vista, California in the San Diego Area. It is a small institution with an enrollment of about 883 undergraduate students.

The Pima Medical Institute- Chula Vista acceptance rate is 100%. Popular programs include Veterinary Technician and Assistant, Medical Assistant, and Pharmacy Technician.

Graduating 76% of her students, Pima Medical institute – Chula Vista alumni go on to earn a starting salary of $26,700.

Pima Medical Institute-Chula Vista is a small private college in a large suburb. In 2015, 210 students graduated in the study area of Veterinary Science with students earning 153 Certificates degrees, and 57 Associate’s degrees.

The college offers both DVM, P.h.D, Master’s and combined degree programs, as well as a wide range of continuing education in Veterinary Medicine.

Acceptance Rate:
Number of Programs: 2
Graduation/Employability Rate:
Accreditation: Nationally accredited by the Accrediting Bureau of Health Education Schools (ABHES)

#6. Foothill College

The Foothill College offers one (1) Veterinary Science Degree program. It’s a very large public college in a large suburb. In recent years, about 35 students graduate in the study area of Veterinary Science with students earning 35 Associate’s degrees.

The Foothill College is a community college in Los Altos Hills, California. It is part of the Foothill-De Anza Community College District. The college offers 79 Associate degree programs, 1 Bachelor’s degree program, and 107 certificate programs in the school.

The college offers its graduates both DVM, P.h.D, Master’s and combined degree programs, as well as a wide range of continuing education in Veterinary Medicine.

Acceptance Rate: 100%
Number of Programs: 1
Graduation/Employability Rate:90%
Accreditation: The Accrediting Commission for Community & Junior Colleges of the Western Association of Schools and Colleges.

#7. Platt College-Los Angeles

The Platt College-Los Angeles offers 2 Veterinary Science Degree programs. It’s a very small private university in a large suburb.

In recent years, 64 students graduated in the study area of Veterinary Science with students earning 32 Associate’s degrees, and 32 Certificates degrees.

The Platt College lanched its Veterinary Technology Program in July 2011, with a scheduled graduation date of January 2013. The College has received AVMA accreditation for its program.

With AVMA approval, graduates will be eligible to sit for the California Veterinary Medical Board Registered Veterinary Technician (RVT) Examination.

The Veterinary Technology Program at the Platt School of Medical Sciences is specifically designed to provide in-depth study and training necessary to gain entry-level employment in animal health care.

Acceptance Rate: 100%
Number of Programs: 2
Graduation/Employability Rate: 80%
Accreditation: Accredited by the Accrediting Commission of Career Schools and Colleges(ACCSC)

#8. Santa Rosa Junior College

The Santa Rosa Junior College (SRJC) is a public community college in Santa Rosa, California with an additional campus in Petaluma and centers surrounding Sonoma County.

Santa Rosa Junior College was modeled as a feeder school for the University of California system (a “junior” version of nearby University of California, Berkeley, with the Bear Cub mascot modeled after Oski). SRJC is operated by the Sonoma County Community College District.

Santa Rosa Junior College offers 1 Veterinary Science Degree program. It’s a very large public college in a mid-sized city.

In the recent years, 9 students graduated in the study area of Veterinary Science with students earning 9 Certificates degrees.

The Veterinary Technician Certificate curriculum provides students the academic knowledge and semester units necessary to pursue the Category 5 (Alternate Route Category) to becoming a Registered Veterinary Technician (RVT).

Upon completion of this certificate’s 23-semester unit requirement and 36 months (4680 hours) of outside. Practical experience working for a California licensed veterinarian, students are prepared to satisfy the requirements to sit for the RVT examination. in the State of California.

All coursework and practical experience must be completed within five years prior to the examination application date for registration as a Registered Veterinary Technician.

Acceptance Rate: 100%
Number of Programs: 1
Graduation/Employability Rate: 48.4
Accreditation: Accredited by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges.

#9. Central Coast College

Central Coast College offers 1 Veterinary Science Degree program. It’s a private school in a mid-sized city.

In recent years, 7 students graduated from the study area of Veterinary Science with students earning 7 Certificates degrees.

The college offers both DVM, P.h.D, Master’s and combined degree programs, as well as a wide range of continuing education in Veterinary Medicine.

Graduates from this school are great Vet doctors in California and beyond.

Acceptance Rate: 56.7%
Number of Programs: 1
Graduation/Employability Rate: 71.8%
Accreditation: Accredited through ACCET (the Accrediting Council on Continuing Education and Training).

#10. Mt San Antonio College

Mt San Antonio College offers 1 Veterinary Science Degree program. It’s a very large public college in a large suburb.

Recently, 41 students graduated in the study area of Veterinary Science with students earning 41 Associate’s degrees.

Mt. San Antonio College is a public community college in Walnut, California.

The school offers more than 260 degree and certificate programs, 25 support programs, and more than 50 student clubs and athletic programs, including counseling and tutoring.