Texas A&M University College Of Veterinary MEDICINE

All About Texas Vet Schools

Vet schools in Texas are scarcer than hen’s teeth. The Texas A&M University College of Veterinary Medicine is one of only two vet schools in Texas, ranking one of the top 5 veterinary schools in the United States.

Some southerners say that finding the right vet school for a student can be like putting socks on a rooster. Let’s look at one of the best veterinary colleges in Texas.

How and When Was Texas A&M Vet School Established?

The Texas A&M College of Veterinary Medicine & Biomedical Sciences (CVMBS) started as a humble small school and has progressed in the past 100 years into a leader in veterinary education, medicine, and research.

The first trained veterinarian, Dr. Mark Francis, qualified when CVMBS was still known as Texas’s Agricultural and Mechanical College. Dr. Francis continued his career training future vets and lectured the agricultural students with little to no infrastructure.

A breakthrough discovery made by Dr. Francis proved that ticks caused Texas cattle fever even though he had little to no access to labs and equipment. He then developed inoculations to alleviate strain on Southern livestock plagued by the disease since the late 1700s.

In December 1888, a frame barn served as a classroom, but there were still no hospital facilities. For over 15 years, the facilities remained unchanged except for the addition of a dissecting room in 1889.

In the 1930s, the erection of the veterinary hospital and anatomy building provided students with practical training opportunities. The Texas A&M vet hospital is one of the cornerstones of CVMB’s history. The teaching hospital continues to raise the bar of excellent service delivery to surrounding communities.

What You Need to Know About Studying at Texas A&M College of Veterinary Medicine & Biomedical Sciences

The following information lends a hand to aspiring students who would love to attend Texas A&M vet school.

Location

The campus is in College Station in East-Central Texas, also known as the heart of the Brazos Valley.

Texas A&M Vet School Acceptance Rate

The class of 2025 was the largest incoming veterinary class in the history of A&M, with 180 students, including the CVBM 2+2 students. There are only about 132 DVM students accepted. The table below outlines the acceptance statistics of the 2021 applicants.

	Qualifying applicants	Interviewed applicants	Reviewed applicants
Resident	Non-resident	Resident	Non-resident	Resident	Non-resident
Male	100	17	58	6	30	3
Female	416	94	198	39	125	24
Average Age	24	23	23	22	23	22
Overall GPA	3.58	3.63	3.68	3.81	3.71	3.86
Total	516	111	256	45	155	27

Admission Criteria for US Students

Getting into veterinary schools in Texas can be competitive. Still, it is incredibly challenging if you are not a resident of Texas. The first steps in the application process are through a Texas Medical and Dental Schools Application Service (TMDSAS) online application.

Applicants must send a supplemental application through the CVMBS website before Friday, September 16, 2022, at 5 pm CT. Prospective students must submit the application fee alongside the supplemental application.

Completing the Altus Suite Assessments is required to assist with the selection process. This two-part assessment tests non-cognitive skills, interpersonal characteristics, and personal values. The assessment is used during applicant screening and aims to enhance fairness and objectivity.

All official academic transcripts will need to be submitted when requested by TMDSAS.

Students applying to the DVM Professional Program must meet all three minimum grade point average (GPA) requirements to qualify:

Overall GPA: 2.90.
Last 45 semester hour GPA: 3.10.
Science GPA: 2.9.

The aforementioned minimum academic standards do not represent a competitive application and are simply a guideline. They may not qualify applicants for an interview. GPAs from completed coursework are the only scores eligible for submission at the time of application.

Applicants also need to include practical experience in animal or veterinary care. Points are assigned based on the number of hours worked and the various environments where the student obtained the hours. This criterion evaluates the applicant’s personal qualities and motivation to be a veterinarian.

Animal experience includes animal shelter or kennel work caring for and handling animals. It may also include experiences under indirect veterinary supervision.

Veterinary experience requires time spent working under the direct supervision of a veterinarian. These hours can consist of paid or volunteer work in clinical or research environments. More than 100 hours’ worth of veterinary experience is a prerequisite to qualify for an interview.

The Texas A&M DVM Professional Program enrollment is subject to specific residency requirements. Applicants must comply with the following residency qualification to be considered:

Residents of Texas that are United States citizens.
Residents of Texas who live in the United States under a permanent residence visa or qualify for residency under the rules of SB 1528.

Non-resident applicants must present with superior credentials to be eligible for the reserved 10% of the DVM class positions.

Independent individuals 18 years of age or over, who are gainfully employed and living within the state of Texas for 12 months leading up to their enrollment in an institution of higher education, may be classified as a resident for tuition purposes.

The selection committee evaluates the applications through a points system with a maximum of 300 points. The points system academic performance heavily. The professional preparation criteria include veterinary experience, animal experience, and honors courses.

Academic rigor and course loads evaluate how well prepared the students are for the heavy loads required in veterinary school.

Scores determine applicant rankings and the top 250 applicants have their interviews scheduled and conducted.

Selected applicants participate in Multiple Mini Interviews (MMI), which are approximately 6-10 minutes long, with two interviewers at each station. The applicants rotate through the stations until the circuit is complete. The whole process can take up to an hour.

The purpose of the MMI format is to increase fairness to applicants and increase the reliability and measurability of characteristics such as communication skills, critical thinking, cultural competency, problem-solving, empathy, and ethics.

Lastly, the Selections Committee assesses an applicant’s extracurricular activities, leadership experience, personal statement, and evaluations. Unrelated individuals who have known the applicant for an extended time must complete the evaluations.

The qualifying score includes the applicant’s final GPA score recomputed to include fall semester grades, and all successful applicants receive their acceptance letters.

A generated alternate list informs applicants of available spots in the class in the case of declined admission offers.

The Admissions Formula reflects the relative weight of the factors considered when reviewing applications and includes the following factors:

Academic Ability:

30% – 38% GPA, including GPA Overall, Last 45 hours GPA and Science GPA.

Other Skills & Achievements:

13% – 16% Veterinary and Animal Experience.
25% – 41% Multiple Mini Interviews (MMIs).
16% – 21% All other achievements, activities, and evaluations.

Before admission to the DVM program, pre-requisite coursework must include 53 hours of the coursework listed below:

Organic Chemistry I with Lab.
Physics I with Lab.
Biochemistry I.
Genetics.
Animal Nutrition.
Biochemistry.
Statistics.

Admission criteria for Foreign Students

International applicants cannot qualify for admission to the DVM Professional Program at the Texas A&M University College of Veterinary Medicine.

Educational Opportunities and Programs

Doctor of Veterinary Medicine

The Doctor of Veterinary Medicine (DVM) program is a four-year degree that includes three years of classwork and laboratory instruction. The fourth-year is solely clinical experience. Students train in various disciplines, including small, mixed, or large animal medicine, with opportunities for experience in exotics and research.

DVM/MBA

The joint program with the Mays Business School allows students to earn a dual degree that includes a Master of Business Administration (MBA) degree and a DVM degree. The program is five years long, including the four-year DVM program and the additional year for the MBA. Completing the MBA program occurs between the 2nd and 3rd years of the DVM program.

B.S. in Biomedical Sciences

A bachelor’s in biomedical sciences is available for pre-vet undergraduate students focusing on basic sciences and advanced veterinary medicine, microbiology, and genetics classes.

The CVMBS’ 2+2 DVM Program

The development of the CVMBS 2+2 veterinary program gained official approval from the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) Council on Education (COE) in 2013.

The Veterinary Education, Research & Outreach (VERO) program on West Texas A&M University’s (WT) campus is where the program is based. Additional veterinary students can now complete the first two years of their four-year veterinary curriculum in Canyon, Texas.

The program aims to increase large animal veterinary medicine access in the Texas Panhandle.

Postgraduate Educational Opportunities

The Texas A&M vet hospital offers one-year internship programs to newly graduated vets. Internships are advisable if an individual wants to get into a residency position for further training or board certification.

Intern opportunities in internal medicine, small animal, large animal, and zoological medicine include rotations through different specialties. A quarter of the program rotates through the emergency service department.

Elective times allow interns to gain more experience in an area of interest within the Veterinary Medical Teaching Hospital (VMTH).

There are three- or four-year residency programs available to qualified vets who wish to further specialize in either of the following clinical disciplines: anesthesiology, cardiology, emergency medicine, critical care, equine theriogenology, internal medicine, neurology, oncology, radiology, surgery, and zoological medicine.

Alongside numerous specialists, residents and interns gain significant clinical knowledge and case exposure in the teaching hospital.

The following programs are available:

Large Animal Clinical Sciences Internships & Residencies.
Small Animal Clinical Sciences Internships & Residencies.
Veterinary Pathobiology Residency.

Ph.D. Degree

The following postgraduate doctoral programs are available in the following fields:

Biomedical Sciences.
Veterinary Pathobiology.
Epidemiology and Public Health.
Interdisciplinary Faculty of Toxicology.

Master’s of Science Degrees

The Texas College of Veterinary Medicine Research Tower offers MScs in the following fields:

Veterinary Public Health.
Epidemiology.
Biomedical Sciences.
Laboratory Animal Medicine.
Science and Technology Journalism.

What Does Texas A&M Veterinary School Offer Other Than Education?

The Texas A&M vet hospital is the teaching hospital for the Large Animal Clinical Sciences (VLCS) and Small Animal Clinical Sciences (VSCS) departments. Established in 1916, the hospital now generates approximately $15 million annually from clinical services provided to the public.

The hospital receives referrals from 3000 vets all over the state of Texas and some other states all over the USA. The hospital boasts over 180 veterinarians with multidisciplinary backgrounds that see an estimated 24,000 cases per year.

The Large Animal Hospital (LAH) at the Veterinary Medical Teaching Hospital (VMTH)

The teaching hospital staff include faculty members, residents, and interns from the Large Animal Clinical Sciences department. Fourth-year veterinary students also assist in the hospital during their final clinical year.

The hospital offers several services, which include:

Anesthesiology.
Dermatology.
Diagnostic Imaging.
Equine-specific services: Community Practice, Field Service, Internal Medicine, Orthopedics, Soft Tissue Surgery, Sports Medicine & Imaging, and Theriogenology.
Emergency Medicine.
Food Animal Medicine & Surgery and Field Services.
Ophthalmology.

Small Animal Hospital (SAH) at the Veterinary Medical Teaching Hospital (VMTH)

The small animal hospital staff include specialists, faculty members, residents, interns, and fourth-year students. The hospital offers the following services for small animal patients:

Anesthesiology.
Cardiology.
Dentistry.
Dermatology.
Diagnostic Imaging.
Emergency Medicine.
General Surgery, Orthopedic Surgery, and Soft Tissue Surgery.
Internal Medicine.
Interventional Radiology.
Neurology.
Oncology.
Ophthalmology.
Primary Care.
Sports Medicine & Rehabilitation.

Canine Comparative Orthopedics & Cellular Therapeutics Laboratory (CCOCTL)

The lab founded in 2010 focusses on clinical orthopedics, biomechanics, stem cell biology, cartilage, and bone tissue engineering.

Gastrointestinal Laboratory (GI Lab)

The testing services offered help manage pets with chronic vomiting, weight loss, diarrhea, loss of appetite, or poor body condition.

VirtualVet is the Veterinary Medical Teaching Hospital (VMTH).

The telemedicine program offers clients and referring veterinarians consultations with clinicians and specialists through live video interaction.

The appointment-based service is also available to clients and patients who have an existing Veterinary-Client-Patient-Relationship (VCPR) with the VMTH, using the VetNOW virtual care platform.

Departments/centers/institutes

Texas A&M vet school has several departments in addition to the Small and Large clinical Services.

Veterinary Integrative Biosciences (VIBS)

The VIBS training programs offer learning experiences for undergraduate, graduate, and medical professional students. Scholars must prepare to contribute to society through professional service, scientific inquiry, communication in scholarly journals, and robust educational outreach programs.

The state-of-the-art research conducted across various interactive focus areas allows each enrolled individual’s potential to be maximized to achieve interdisciplinary synergy.

The following focus areas form part of the VIBS program:

Anatomy.
Epidemiology & Public Health.
Neuroscience.
Reproductive Biology.
Science & Technology Journalism.
Toxicology.

Veterinary Pathobiology (VTPB)

The faculty of VTPB offers Master’s and Ph.D. graduate programs in Biomedical Sciences. There are several interdisciplinary programs in genetics, neuroscience, and toxicology within the department.

The Pathology Residency program aims to train vets as competent diagnostic pathologists with solid foundations in graduate research training. It is a three-year clinical or anatomic pathology program and seeks to include the American College of Veterinary Pathologists (ACVP) certification examination eligibility requirements.

The program aims to prepare graduates for the American College of Laboratory Animal Medicine (ACLAM) board certification examination. The residency training includes clinical laboratory animal medicine, laboratory animal resources and facilities management, comparative and diagnostic pathology, and biomedical research methods and practice.

Veterinary Physiology & Pharmacology (VTPP)

The VTPP faculty combines expertise and state-of-the-art technologies within a wide range of biological fields that include toxicology, development biology, cardiovascular science, and regenerative medicine to solve significant health problems of both humans and animals. .

The department offers an array of valuable education and training opportunities for undergraduate, Masters, Ph.D. and professional DVM students.

What is There to Do for Me in Texas?

College Station in Brazos County is most famous for being the home of Texas A&M University, but there are numerous activities and exciting places of interest for students to visit.

There are several museums, live music events, breweries, restaurants, memorials, and sporting venues in this vibrant city filled with students experiencing the joys of university life.

Bonfire Memorial

The Aggie Bonfire was a ritual event each time the football team at College Station played against the University of Texas. A tradition that started in 1909 ended tragically in 1999 after the incorrectly built bonfire collapsed and 12 people lost their lives.

A memorial commemorates the victims through twelve stone arches that point towards the hometown of each one of the victims.

Brazos Valley Natural History Museum

Located in neighboring Bryan, the Brazos Valley Natural History Museum is the only museum in the area to focus on natural history. Exhibits of plants, animals, and minerals in the Brazos Valley area and a unique observation beehive, butterfly exhibits, and fifteen different species of live animals in the discovery room.

There are rotating and static exhibitions throughout the year, and other highlights include fossils, taxidermy specimens, and period agricultural equipment from the region.

Children’s Museum at Brazos Valley

The Brazos Children’s Museum is in the neighboring town of Bryan. The museum has a vast array of attractions for children of all ages.

The main attractions include a spaceship for the kids to climb on, a replica H-E-B store, a model of a television station, and a construction site that allows the kids to play with “tools” to make their own weird and wonderful machines and buildings.

Games like Giant Checkers and Animal Kingdom feature live animals like Georgie’s Lily Pad, where you can learn about frogs.

Dixie Chicken

College Station’s local legend Dixie Chicken opened in the 1930s. The prized establishment serves local favorites like fried chicken, burgers, and cheese fries. It’s a great place to come for a domino game, a pool tournament, or listen to country music.

Escape Room BCS

A fun group activity that involves being “locked” in a room with only sixty minutes to escape using the clues provided. The rooms have a variety of themes with their unique theme, story, and puzzles. It’s a great experience for visiting family members or groups of friends

Kyle Field

Texas A&M’s Kyle Field has been the home of the Aggie football team since 1905, and it is one of the five large stadiums in collegiate football.

Kyle Field’s namesake originates with Edwin Jackson Kyle, the dean of agriculture at Texas A&M. Kyle donated a 400 x 400-foot area of the southern edge of campus assigned to him for horticultural experiments. The Aggies have played on grass since 1996, which is an unintentional honor for Kyle’s horticultural roots.

Olsen Field

The stadium opened in 1978 and has a rich history in baseball. Over 6 000 spectators attend the games, so the atmosphere is brilliant, especially as the home of the Texas A&M baseball program. Spectators are referred to as Raggies because of the banter used to “rag” on the opposing team.

Messina Hof

Messina Hof is College Station’s resident winery where patrons sip on the local vintage and enjoy the scenery. The winery has been famous for blends refined since 1977. The wine tours and tasting rooms offer an immersive experience from vine to vat to bottle. The on-site restaurant offers signature dishes and a great local wine selection.

Museum of the American GI

The Museum of the American GI opened in 2002, intending to educate guests about those who have been in service in the United States. The museum contains a significant amount of military memorabilia, including restored tanks, boats, and planes from the Second World War and the Vietnam War.

There are also 3,417 dog tags on display to represent military personnel from Texas who were killed or declared missing during the Vietnam War.

New Republic Brewing

Head on downtown to College Station’s craft brewery. Founded in 2010, New Republic Brewery offers tours of its famous taproom. The founders host beer tastings and tours, so the insight into its history is straight from the horse’s mouth.

The brewery offers live music events on the weekend, and an array of food trucks from the local area provide delicious food options to complement the craft beers.

Northgate

Northgate is the swinging hotspot in College Station that offers all the nightlife and best bars in town. With a great selection of restaurants and bars, visitors can look forward to late-night festivities. Why not try the fantastic local cuisine with famous barbecues or Tex Mex flavors that combine American and Mexican flavors.

Research Park

Research Park is next to the Bush library and provides an ideal afternoon outdoor strolling venue. The leafy College Station area has a pond with ducks and other birdlife where students picnic and relax in the late afternoons. The park is serene and picturesque.

Sanders Corps of Cadets Center

The Sam Houston Sanders Corps of Cadets Center is situated on the campus of Texas A&M University. The museum aims to inform visitors about the university’s Corps of Cadets.

The museum opened in 1992 and has over 60 exhibits with Corps of Cadets’ memorabilia. The exhibits detail a lot of Texas A&M’s most exciting traditions, including the 12th Man, the Silver Taps, and the Muster.

Texas World Speedway

The Texas World Speedway is a great place to practice driving skills in the College Station area.

It is the only Super Speedway in the Southwest of the United States. It was once known as the ‘World’s Fastest Speedway,’ after setting a world record for the fastest lap time in 1973.

The open track offers individuals the opportunity to drive on a speedway or take classes as aspiring drivers. Spectators are always welcome to come and enjoy watching the drivers in action.

The George Bush Presidential Library and Museum

The museum is on the Texas A&M campus and is dedicated to the 41st President of the United States. The museum is full of interesting presidential props, memorabilia, and a reconstruction of the Oval Office.

There are great photo opportunities and unique artifacts like a piece of the Berlin Wall and a selection of gifts from dignitaries. The museum offers guided or audio tours for the history buffs who like to know all the details.

Santa’s Wonderland

College Station offers a unique opportunity to get into the holiday spirit from November to January. Santa’s Wonderland is a holiday fair that provides everything Christmasy! Festive food, products, snacks, and activities are abundant at Santa’s Wonderland village.

Santa himself is present for the younger visitors or the older ones who love a good photo opportunity. Romantic Horse and carriage rides are also available with live music and cozy campfires to get everyone into the festive spirit. The retail booths offer great Christmas shopping.

Summary

Texas A&M University College of Veterinary Medicine is a prestigious school with high academic standards. It is an excellent option for Texas state residents, but applicants from out of state require outstanding results to qualify for admission.

The incredible facilities and high caliber of specialist faculty members make Texas A&M an exceptional school where only prime candidates are accepted. Even though getting into vet school is tough, it’s not as tough as trying to herd cats, as the Southerners say.