A Comprehensive Guide to the UCF Veterinary School Program
The University of Florida (UF) College of Veterinary Medicine (UFCVM) stands as Florida's sole College of Veterinary Medicine, as reported by U.S. News & World Report. It is dedicated to training future veterinarians and providing advanced care to animal patients from across the Southeast through its Veterinary Hospitals. This article provides a detailed overview of the UCF veterinary school program, covering academic preparation, prerequisites, the application process, and other essential aspects.
Academic Preparation and Prerequisites
Admission to the Doctor of Veterinary Medicine (DVM) program at the UCF College of Veterinary Medicine does not mandate a specific undergraduate program or major. Applicants are free to choose their major and school based on their interests and aptitudes, provided they fulfill the necessary prerequisites. These prerequisites can be completed even after obtaining a bachelor's degree, which is required before matriculation.
Prerequisite Guidelines
To be considered for admission, applicants must complete specific prerequisite courses at a regionally accredited college or university. Online courses and labs are acceptable. A minimum grade of C (not C-) is required for all prerequisite courses.
Key guidelines include:
- With the exception of three upper-division courses (biochemistry, genetics, and physiology), prerequisites can be taken at a community college.
- Applicants can apply once 75% of the prerequisites are completed, with a maximum of three courses pending at the time of application.
- All upper-division courses must be completed at the upper-division level at a four-year college and cannot be completed at a community college.
- A Prerequisite Substitution Request Form is required for course approval, especially for the three upper-division courses.
- Lower-division courses do not require approval unless the course title or sequence does not clearly reflect the course content.
- Students should adhere to the series/sequence for prerequisite courses, maintaining consistency with either all semesters or all quarters.
- If an articulation agreement does not exist for the institution where courses have been or will be taken, the course descriptions should be used as a guide for finding comparable courses.
- Applicants are responsible for ensuring they have taken the appropriate prerequisite courses to be admitted to the DVM program.
Specific Prerequisite Courses
The prerequisite courses are based on the UC Davis undergraduate courses and course series. Equivalent courses at other institutions can be found in the prerequisites database, listed alphabetically by institution name. The following is a detailed breakdown of the required courses:
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College Physics
- Two semesters or two/three quarters (depending on sequence content coverage), no lab.
- Recommended prerequisite: Trigonometry or calculus/pre-calculus.
- UC Davis courses: PHY 1A, 1B or PHY 7A, 7B, 7C* (three quarters may be necessary for some sequences to meet content requirements)
Course Descriptions:
- PHY 1A Principles of Physics: Mechanics. Introduction to general principles and analytical methods used in physics with emphasis on applications in applied agricultural and biological sciences and in physical education. (Lecture-3 hour(s))
- PHY 1B Principles of Physics: Continuation of PHY 001A. Heat, optics, electricity, modern physics. (Lecture-3 hour(s))
- PHY 7A General Physics: Introduction to general principles and analytical methods used in physics for students majoring in a biological science. (Lecture-1.5 hour(s); Discussion/Laboratory-5 hour(s))
- PHY 7B General Physics: Continuation of PHY 007A. Physics 7B is most like the first quarter or semester of traditionally taught courses which treat classical mechanics. (Lecture-1.5 hour(s); Discussion/Laboratory-5 hour(s))
- PHY 7C General Physics*: Continuation of PHY 007B. Physics 7C is most like the last quarter or semester which, in traditionally taught courses, treats optics, electricity and magnetism, and modern physics. (Lecture-1.5 hour(s); Discussion/Laboratory-5 hour(s)). *Third quarter is required as of the 2024-25 admissions cycle.
General Biology
- Two semesters or three quarters with lab.
- UC Davis courses: BIS 2A, 2B, 2C
Course Descriptions:
- BIS 2A Introduction to Biology: Essentials of Life on Earth: Essentials of life including sources and use of energy, information storage, responsiveness to natural selection and cellularity. Origin of life and influence of living things on the chemistry of the Earth. (Lecture-3 hour(s); Discussion-2 hour(s))
- BIS 2B Introduction to Biology: Principles of Ecology & Evolution: Introduction to basic principles of ecology and evolutionary biology, focusing on the fundamental mechanisms that generate and maintain biological diversity across scales ranging from molecules and genes to global processes and patterns. (Lecture-3 hour(s); Discussion-1 hour(s); Laboratory-3 hour(s))
- BIS 2C Introduction to Biology: Biodiversity & the Tree of Life: Introduction to organismal diversity, using the phylogenetic tree of life as an organizing theme. Lectures and laboratories cover methods of phylogenetic reconstruction, current knowledge of the tree of life, and the evolution of life's most important and interesting innovations. (Lecture-4 hour(s); Laboratory-3 hour(s))
General Chemistry
- Two semesters or three quarters with lab.
- UC Davis courses: CHE 2A, 2B, 2C
Course Descriptions:
- CHE 2A General Chemistry: Periodic table, stoichiometry, chemical equations, physical properties and kinetic theory of gases, atomic and molecular structure and chemical bonding. Laboratory experiments in stoichiometric relations, properties and collection of gases, atomic spectroscopy, and introductory quantitative analysis. (Lecture-3 hour(s); Discussion/Laboratory-4 hour(s))
- CHE 2B General Chemistry: Condensed phases and intermolecular forces, chemical thermodynamics, chemical equilibria, acids and bases, solubility. Laboratory experiments in thermochemistry, equilibria, and quantitative analysis using volumetric methods. (Lecture-3 hour(s); Discussion/Laboratory-4 hour(s))
- CHE 2C General Chemistry: Kinetics, electrochemistry, spectroscopy, structure and bonding in transition metal compounds, application of principles to chemical reactions. Laboratory experiments in selected analytical methods and syntheses. (Lecture-3 hour(s); Discussion/Laboratory-4 hour(s))
Organic Chemistry
- Two semesters or two quarters with one lab.
- UC Davis courses: CHE 8A, 8B or CHE 118A, 118B, 118C* or CHE 128A, 128B, 128C*
Course Descriptions:
- CHE 8A Organic Chemistry: Brief Course: With CHE 008B, an introduction to the nomenclature, structure, chemistry, and reaction mechanisms of organic compounds. Intended for students majoring in areas other than organic chemistry. (Lecture-2 hour(s))
- CHE 8B Organic Chemistry: Brief Course: Laboratory concerned primarily with organic laboratory techniques and the chemistry of the common classes of organic compounds. Lecture portion a continuation of CHE 008A. (Lecture-3 hour(s); Laboratory-3 hour(s))
- CHE 118A Organic Chemistry for Health & Life Sciences: Rigorous, in-depth presentation of basic principles with emphasis on stereochemistry and spectroscopy and preparations and reactions of nonaromatic hydrocarbons, haloalkanes, alcohols and ethers. (Lecture-3 hour(s); Discussion/Laboratory-1.5 hour(s))
- CHE 118B Organic Chemistry for Health & Life Sciences: Continuation of CHE 118A, with emphasis on spectroscopy and the preparation and reactions of aromatic hydrocarbons, organometallic compounds, aldehydes and ketones. (Lecture-3 hour(s); Laboratory-3 hour(s))
- CHE 118C Organic Chemistry for Health & Life Sciences*: Continuation of CHE 118B, with emphasis on the preparation, reactions and identification of carboxylic acids and their derivatives, alkyl and acyl amines, ß-dicarbonyl compounds, and various classes of naturally occurring, biologically important compounds. (Lecture-3 hour(s); Laboratory-3 hour(s)). *Third quarter in this series is suggested, but not required.
- CHE 128A Organic Chemistry: Introduction to the basic concepts of organic chemistry with emphasis on stereochemistry and the chemistry of hydrocarbons. Designed primarily for majors in chemistry. Chemistry majors should enroll in CHE 129A concurrently. (Lecture-3 hour(s))
- CHE 128B Organic Chemistry: Continuation of CHE 128A with emphasis on the chemistry of alcohols, ethers, their sulfur analogs, and carbonyl compounds. Introduction to the application of spectroscopic methods to organic chemistry. Introduction to synthesis of moderately complex organic molecules. (Lecture-3 hour(s))
- CHE 128C Organic Chemistry*: Continuation of CHE 128B with emphasis on enolate condensations and the chemistry of amines, phenols, and sugars; selected biologically important compounds. (Lecture-3 hour(s)). *Third quarter in this series is suggested, but not required.
Biochemistry with Metabolism
- One semester or quarter.
- UC Davis courses: ABI 102 or BIS 103
Course Descriptions:
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- ABI 102 Animal Biochemistry & Metabolism: Water and biological buffers; thermodynamics of metabolism; structure and function of biomolecules; enzyme kinetics and function; membrane biology; digestion and absorption; carbohydrate metabolism. (Lecture-4 hour(s); Discussion-1 hour(s)). Prerequisite(s): (CHE 002A, CHE 002B, CHE 008A, CHE 008B) or (CHE 118A, CHE 118B). Not open for credit to students who have completed BIS 102.
- BIS 103 Bioenergetics & Metabolism: Fundamentals of the carbon, nitrogen, and sulfur cycles in nature, including key reactions of biomolecules such as carbohydrates, amino acids, lipids, and nucleotides, and of energy production and use in different types of organisms. Principles of metabolic regulation. (1.5 units of credit for students who have completed BIS 105; 1 unit of credit if students who have completed ABI 103).
Genetics
- One semester or quarter.
- UC Davis course: BIS 101
Course Description:
- BIS 101 Genes & Gene Expression: Nucleic acid structure and function; gene expression and its regulation; replication; transcription and translation; transmission genetics; molecular evolution. (Lecture-4 hour(s)). Prerequisite(s): (BIS 002A C- or better, BIS 002B C- or better); (CHE 008A or CHE 118A or CHE 128A); (STA 013 or STA 013Y) or STA 100 or STA 102 or STA 130A); STA 100 preferred.
Systemic Physiology
- One semester or quarter; animal or human.
- UC Davis courses: ANS 100 or NPB 101 or NPB 110C
Course Descriptions:
- ANS 100 Animal Physiology: Basic principles of animal physiology in domesticated and captive animals with a comparative approach. Molecular, biochemical, chemical and physical aspects and their influences on function of physiological systems in animals. (Lecture-4 hour(s); Discussion-1 hour(s)). Prerequisite(s): BIS 002A; CHE 002B. Pass One restricted to students in the Animal Science and Animal Science and Management majors.
- NPB 101 Systemic Physiology: Systemic physiology with emphasis on aspects of human physiology. Functions of major organ systems, with the structure of those systems described as a basis for understanding the functions. (Lecture-5 hour(s)). Prerequisite(s): BIS 002A; (CHE 002B or CHE 002BH); PHY 001B or PHY 007C strongly recommended.
- NPB 110C Foundations 3: Physiology: Focuses on the structure, function, and interactions of human and other animal organ systems in homeostasis and reproduction, and the response to perturbations of homeostasis; neural and endocrine signaling; skeletal muscle and movement; cardiovascular and respiratory systems; renal, digestive, immune, and reproductive physiology. (Lecture-4 hour(s); Discussion-1 hour(s)). Prerequisite(s): NPB 110A C- or better; PHY 007A; PHY 007B and PHY 007C recommended.
Additional Programs and Facilities at UF
The UF College of Veterinary Medicine offers several additional programs and facilities:
- Comparative Biomedical Sciences M.S. and Ph.D.: These programs coordinate training for graduate degree-seeking students and those pursuing graduate degrees alongside professional or residency programs.
- UF Small Animal Hospital: A leading referral facility for patients throughout Florida and the Southeast.
- UF Large Animal Hospital: Provides advanced diagnostics and veterinary care to a variety of large animals, including horses, cattle, alpacas, llamas, goats, and pigs.
- UF Veterinary Hospital at World Equestrian Center: A 40,000 square-foot facility in Ocala, Florida, offering leading-edge patient care.
Veterinary Experience and References
While the University of Florida College of Veterinary Medicine (UFCVM) does not have a minimum requirement for veterinary experience, it is recommended that applicants gain exposure to both large and small animal clinical practices under the supervision of veterinarians. This experience should reflect a wide range of responsibilities and quality of experiences.
The UFCVM requires three strong professional references, with at least one from a veterinarian. Committee references are accepted, but not from family members.
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Academic Evaluation and Application Review
The University of Florida College of Veterinary Medicine does not have a set minimum academic requirement for admission. However, Science, Last 45, and Overall GPAs are used to evaluate the academic ranking of applicants.
Candidates are ranked in two independent applicant pools based on residency: State-Funded and Self-Funded seats. Applications are reviewed individually by multiple members of the UFCVM Admissions Committee.
Other Factors Considered
Overall Professionalism and Readiness to Matriculate encompass several factors:
- Overall professionalism of the application
- Strength of written communication skills
- Extracurricular experiences
- Community involvement
- International experiences
- Awards and recognition
- Non-veterinary or animal-related employment experiences
Candidates are encouraged to review the Technical Standards found in the Student Handbook as part of their application steps and admissions decision-making process.
Candidate Interviews
Select candidates from the application pool will be invited to participate in the Candidate Interview process, conducted virtually via Zoom. Each applicant will be interviewed by a two- or three-member panel.
Zoology and Pre-veterinary Track
The Zoology and Pre-veterinary Track is designed for students seeking entrance into a veterinary medical program or graduate school in an animal biology-related field. This track emphasizes courses in Physiology, Animal Behavior, and Comparative Vertebrate Anatomy, in addition to core Biology courses in Genetics and Evolutionary Biology.
Additional courses in Mammalogy, Ornithology, Herpetology, and Ichthyology broaden the student’s experience. Electives such as Vertebrate Evolution and Ecology, and Zoo & Aquarium Management, as well as lab courses in Anatomy, and Embryology/Development, prepare students to succeed in veterinary school or any graduate program in animal biology. Students can also acquire hands-on experience and earn independent study credit through established connections with organizations such as the Central Florida Zoo, Back To Nature, and the Birds of Prey Center of Maitland.
Degree Requirements
Students who change degree programs and select this major must adopt the most current catalog. Co-op credit cannot be used in this major. The major requires 13 credits of the Biology Core and 22 credits of the Biology Track for a total of 35 upper-level credits.
Core Requirements
All tracks within the Biology Major must complete two (2) upper-level labs from those listed below (A Lab and B Lab). All tracks within the Biology Major must complete at least one (1) Plant Class and one (1) Animal Class. To fulfill the department Residency requirement, students must complete a total of 23 hours of upper-level courses taught by the Biology department.
Double Major Restrictions
Students seeking a double major must satisfy the requirements for both majors and must take no fewer than 40 semester hours of upper-division restricted elective course work appropriate to the combined areas of specialization in the two majors.
Prerequisite Completion
Courses designated in Common Program Prerequisites are usually completed in the first 60 hours. A "C" (2.0) or better is required in all BSC or PCB prefix courses meeting Biology Core Requirements. All prerequisites of courses taught within the College of Sciences will be enforced. No more than 4 semester hours of Independent Study, Directed Research, Thesis, and Internship credit, may be applied toward major requirements.
Upon reaching junior standing (60 hours), Biology majors are expected to have completed the following courses and associated laboratories. These classes are prerequisites for advanced science classes, and students entering the major without these classes will be unable to register for most of the advanced courses.
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