Student Life at the University of Pennsylvania VetMed
The University of Pennsylvania School of Veterinary Medicine‘s acceptance rate depends on the number of applicants. It accepts 9% of the total number of applicants. For instance, in 2015, the School welcomed 125 applicants out of the 1296 applications. Forty-five are residents out of a total of 125 accepted new students. Non-residents get the remainder (80)
The History of Pennsylvania Veterinary Medicine
The University of Pennsylvania’s School of Veterinary Medicine – Penn Vet – was founded in 1884. Compared to other schools of veterinary medicine, it is one of the world’s top veterinary institutions offering veterinary medicine. In addition, Penn Vet is the United States’ only veterinary School that grew directly out of the University’s School of Medicine.
Since its beginnings, Penn Vet has been a trailblazer in infectious disease research, germ cell biology, animal transgenesis, comparative oncology, and comparative medical genetics. In addition, Penn Vet has successfully integrated scholarship and research into all elements of veterinary medicine education.
The School’s strengths in basic sciences, immunology, and mathematical modeling are vital assets for developing ways to quickly detect and control the spread of new illnesses and enhance and manufacture vaccinations that successfully protect animals.
Pennsylvania’s First Beginnings
One of the founding professors of the University of Pennsylvania’s Medical school, Benjamin Rush, advocated that they taught veterinary medicine at Penn in 1807. However, one of the University Trustees, Joshua Ballinger Lippincott, did not give $10,000 until 1882 to found a veterinary school within the University.
The Board of Trustees established a special committee, chaired by Lippincott, to investigate possibilities for establishing such a school. In 1889, the state of Pennsylvania appropriated $25,000 for the School, beginning a century-long heritage of funding. This was merely the first of several that have contributed to the school’s rapid expansion.
In 1901, the School of Veterinary Medicine relocated from 36th and Pine Street to 39th and Woodland Avenue to create room for the current medical laboratories. Dean Leonard Pearson proposed proposals for a combined veterinary school and hospital in 1905.
Mrs. James J. Goodwin (daughter of J. Ballinger Lippincott) gave $100,000, Mr. Joseph E. Gillingham bequeathed $50,000, and extra-state appropriations totaling $380,000 from 1906 to 1911 enabled the completion of a new structure by 1913. Since then, this structure has housed the School.
In 1933, the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine resolved to allow women into the program so that they don’t make any compromises regarding the work necessary. Within two years, the School offered courses leading to Master’s and Doctor of veterinary medicine degrees. Since then, the School has offered graduate courses in collaboration with the Graduate School of Medicine.
The school established an ambulatory clinic in 1937, thanks to a legacy from the heirs of Effingham B. Morris of Bolton Farm to enhance clinical veterinary medicine training.
The Media Field Station, which operated as the school’s clinical Center until 1952, was founded in 1945 after the faculty reorganized the ambulatory clinic. In addition, they constructed a third level in the north wing of the school building in 1947 to house pathology and microbiology laboratories.
In 1952, the University purchased land for the Veterinary School in London Grove, Pennsylvania, 32 miles southwest of the University campus. It has been a prominent center for veterinary medicine instruction, research, and clinical services under the name New Bolton Center.
In recent decades, the School of Veterinary Medicine has further specialized the profession in collaboration with the faculty of the School of Medicine, cementing its position as one of the nation’s top veterinary institutions.
Information on Studying at the University of Pennsylvania School of Veterinary Medicine
Location
West Philadelphia is home to Penn Veterinary Medicine. A modest animal hospital, classrooms, and research facilities are all at the Philadelphia site. The New Bolton Center, an 800-acre (323.7-hectare) farm 40 miles (64.3 kilometers) from Philadelphia, includes the food-animal and horse medicine departments, additional research facilities, and a vast animal hospital.
Penn Vet School is one of the few veterinary colleges, a medical school, allowing for an integrative veterinary medicine approach and direct observation of human-animal interactions.
How Many Students are Accepted Per Year
The number of applicants determines the admission rate at the University of Pennsylvania School of Veterinary Medicine. It only accepts 9% of the total number of applications. In 2015, for example, the School took 125 students out of 1296 applications. Out of 125 admitted new students, 45 are locals. Non-residents had access to the remaining 80 spaces.
Admission Criteria for US Students (Who can Apply)
Residents of Pennsylvania get priority at Penn Veterinary Medicine School. They choose applicants on a comparative basis in general. There is no requirement for a minimum GPA or GRE score. For each student, they consider the entire application file, but the following characteristics are the most important:
Academic Ability
- Knowledge of the veterinary profession
- Desire to work in the veterinary field
- Letters of recommendation
- Character, personality, general fitness, and adaptability are essential for a veterinarian career.
Admission Criteria for Foreign Students
The Committee on Admissions, a standing faculty committee, reviews all applications for each incoming class. They choose applicants on a comparative basis. Therefore, even if you meet all of the prerequisites for admission, you may not be accepted because there are far more applications than spots available.
The Committee on Admissions examines all factors offered in the applicant’s dossier while making decisions; however, the following are the most important: Academic ability; evident acquaintance with the field and resulting sincerity of interest; academic counselors’, scientific faculty’s, and veterinarians’ recommendations; GRE scores; character; and personality.
Also, general fitness and adaptability for a career in veterinary medicine.
Requirements for Prerequisite Courses
You must pass all the prerequisite courses with a grade of C or above and complete them by the end of the summer term of the desired admission year.
Science and Math courses required as prerequisites include:
- Biology or Zoology
- Toxicology
- Chemistry in general
- Chemistry of Organic Compounds
- Microbiology
- Biological chemistry
- Physics, which consists of two labs
- Calculus (Mathematics)
- Biostatistics or Mathematical Statistics
Educational Opportunities
Certificate in Animal Welfare and Behavior
Individuals working with animals in research, industry, and the non-profit sector and those interested in building careers in animal health and welfare can benefit from this four-course, for-credit Certificate Program in Animal Welfare Science and Animal Behavior.
It teaches students to learn how animal welfare and behavior are understood and assessed, and it is led by nationally and internationally renowned Penn Vet experts. In addition, students will have direct contact with multiple faculty members who have unique expertise in large and small animal health, welfare, and behavior.
The course follows Penn’s semester schedule and includes both asynchronous and weekly synchronous components, allowing students direct contact with multiple faculty members who have unique expertise in large and small animal health, welfare, and behavior.
Curriculum
You must complete four courses to earn this credential.
Courses that are required
- VCSP 633- Animal Behavior Fundamentals
- VCSN 639- Animal Welfare Science
- VCSP 639 -Animals & Society
- VCSN 650 Applied Animal Welfare and Behavior
Animal Welfare and Behavior, MSAWB
Working professionals in animal protection, animal agribusiness, food production, animal research, animal oversight, or animal health, and students interested in developing a career in these fields, can benefit from this online Master of Science in Animal Welfare and Behavior.
You will need eight or nine online courses for the degree, which you can complete in two to four years.
Curriculum
Four Core Courses Are Available Online:
- VCSP 633-Animal Behavior Fundamentals
- VCSN 639-Animal Welfare Science
- VCSP 639 Animals & Society
- VCSN 650 Applied Animal Welfare and Behavior
Four Advanced Online Courses
- VCSN 659-Contemporary Animal Welfare Issues
- VCSN 660-Animal Welfare Assessment
Keep track of your electives
- VCSN 652 Animal Welfare and Regulations
- VCSN 658 Animal Welfare Evolution
Veterinary Medicine, VMD
The University of Pennsylvania’s School of Veterinary Medicine (Penn Vet), as part of a comprehensive, multi-disciplinary university, exists to improve the health and welfare of animals and humans.
The synergy created by Penn Vet’s interactions with the University community and the Delaware Valley’s biomedical establishment presents unique challenges and opportunities for teaching, research, and service.
Penn Vet is dedicated to developing innovative training programs for veterinarians and biomedical scientists, pioneering research and discovering new information in the primary and applied sciences, and providing specialized veterinary medical care and service.
Curriculum
Penn Vet’s commitment to making veterinary medicine more inclusive benefits our students. Interactions with the lively, varied biomedical establishment in and around the University of Pennsylvania and the greater Philadelphia region, with its various healthcare, research, and technology institutions, enrich their educational experience.
The Core Curriculum
A Penn Vet education would not be complete without the Core Curriculum. This curriculum determines the curriculum for the entire first and second years and the courses for the third year’s fall term. Students enter the clinical portion of the curriculum in the spring semester of their third year.
The Core Curriculum integrates with foundation clinical rotations in the fourth year. All pupils are required to complete the entire curriculum.
The VMD Curriculum
1st year
Fall
- Structural Adaptations to Function (Gross Anatomy)
- Histological basis of Pathology
- Biology of Development
- Disease’s Cellular and Biochemical Foundation
- Clinical Veterinary Medicine I
- Comparative Medical Research
3rd Quarter of Spring
- Structural Adaptations to Function in Gross Anatomy
- The Neurosciences: An Overview
- Physiology of Animals
- Clinical Veterinary Medicine II
- Comparative Medical Research: Introduction
4th quarter
- The Neurosciences: An Overview
- Physiology of Animals
- Clinical Veterinary Medicine II
- The Basics of Radiology
- Nutrition
- Immunology
- Comparative Medical Research: Introduction
Year 2
Fall
- Pathology, both general and systemic
- Parasitology
- Microbiology
- Principles of Surgery
- Clinical Veterinary Medicine IV (Introduction to Clinical Veterinary Medicine)
Spring
Quarter 3
- Toxicology and Pharmacology
- Poultry, Swine, and Dairy Medicine: An Overview
- Veterinary Medicine/Surgery I
- Pathology in Clinical Practice
- Orthopedics in Clinical Practice
- Clinical Veterinary Medicine IV
4th quarter
- Toxicology and Pharmacology
- Epidemiology Principles
- Public Health Veterinary
- Diseases of the Infectious and Metabolic Systems
- Veterinary Medicine/Surgery I
- Pathology in Clinical Practice
- Anesthesia
- Clinical Veterinary Medicine IV
Year 3
- Medical Genetics in Animals
- Clinical Reproduction
- Veterinary Surgery/Medicine II
- Ethical Issues in Veterinary Medicine
- Introduction to Veterinary Clinical Medicine V
- Exercises in Clinical Medicine
Quarter 2
- Veterinary Medicine/Surgery III
- Dermatology
- Animal Behavior in Clinical Practice
- Exercises in Clinical Medicine
- Exotic and Emerging Diseases
- Introduction to Veterinary Clinical Medicine V
Electives
Spring
Quarter 3
- Electives for the Large Animal Block – New Bolton Center
Quarter 4
- Electives for the Small Animal Block
Year 4
- Rotations in the Clinic
Other Educational Opportunities (Externships and Internships)
Internships for Students
Like other veterinary medicine colleges, the University of Pennsylvania School of Veterinary Medicine offers internship programs. In addition, the Penn Vet, Working Dog Institute, is a nationwide detection dog research and training center. They teach students to locate catastrophe victims, identify explosives and drugs, apprehend criminals, and carry out search and rescue missions.
They even train some dogs to identify medical conditions such as cancer and infection. The Penn Vet Working Dog Center contributes to national security and medical research. These dogs save lives daily!
The Penn Vet Working Dog Center is pleased to offer internships to college students seeking academic credit following their institution’s policies. Please keep in mind that this internship is unpaid.
The institute provides Internships in canine training, behavioral science, psychology, law enforcement, biomedical research, database management, and non-profit management, among other fields. Each of these fields places a strong emphasis on research.
The internship program is for students who have a strong interest in working dogs and want to gain practical experience while assisting the Penn Vet Working Dog Center in achieving its mission of developing a detection dog breeding and training program.
Pennovation Works (South Bank Campus), 3401 Grays Ferry Avenue, Building 6179, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19146, is home to the Penn Vet Working Dog Center.
The student is responsible for their housing and transportation.
The School offers internships both throughout the school year and during the summer.
Expect the following:
- Interaction with working dogs in training daily.
- Possibility to gain knowledge about dog training and scientific research.
- When trainers and veterinary experts are accessible, they can provide daily guidance.
- Assist in the upkeep of dogs’ health and the training environment.
- Some internship programs may necessitate a high level of activity.
Externships for Veterinary Students
Veterinary students rotate through externships Monday through Friday. Therefore, students should expect to spend 8 to 10 hours per day at the center.
They will cover working dog medicine in its entirety, including diet, behavior, training, dental, sports medicine, conditioning, disaster response, reproduction, emergency first aid, preventative medicine, and genetics.
This externship includes both a research and a practical component. Applicants in their clinical year can apply for a two- to four-week rotation at the Center. They also accept summer interns. There is no provision for housing and no stipend.
What Else Do They Offer Other than Education?
Veterinary Hospitals of Penn Vet
Most colleges of veterinary medicine have hospitals, and the University of Pennsylvania is not an exception. Penn Vet has two campuses, each with its teaching hospital.
The Ryan Veterinary Hospital for Companion Animals is located on the University of Pennsylvania’s Philadelphia campus. The hospital sees more than 34,600 patients each year, including dogs, cats, rare mammals, and exotic animals such as birds, reptiles, and amphibians.
Kennett Square, Pennsylvania, is home to the New Bolton Center’s Hospital for Large Animals. The Field Services have gone out on more than 5,500 farm service calls, treating some 18,700 patients at local farms. New Bolton Center is one of the nation’s leading large-animal hospitals, treating more than 6,200 patients annually, 85 percent of whom are horses.
Departments/Centers/Institutes
Academic Departments at Penn Vet
Penn Vet’s dedicated and distinguished faculty members bring a diverse range of academic backgrounds and unique perspectives to their research and teaching. Four staff departments conduct research at all levels, from basic molecular and cellular biology to translational research, clinical trials, and human-animal interaction.
Biomedical Sciences
Penn Vet’s Department of Biomedical Sciences is one of the world’s best basic biomedical research departments.
The faculty conducts cutting-edge research into disease mechanisms that will lead to better prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of veterinary and human patients—their work integrates with other basic, translational, and clinical research efforts.
This happens at the School of Veterinary Medicine, Perelman School of Medicine, the Institute for Translational Medicine and Therapeutics (ITMAT), the Institute for Regenerative Medicine (IRM), and the Institute for Neuroscience.
Focused Research Areas
- Cancer Biology/Oncology
- Regenerative Medicine/Stem Cell Biology
- Neuroscience/Neurobehavioral Sciences
- Aging-related diseases
- Diseases of Degeneration
- Fibrotic and Inflammatory Diseases
- Obesity and Diseases Associated with a High-Fat Diet
Clinical Studies-New Bolton Center
This Department’s efforts at Penn Vet include a significant amount of teaching future veterinarians. Students rotate through the Hospital for Large Animals, the Swine Teaching & Research Center, and the Marshak Dairy at New Bolton Center. As a result, there is much experience in diagnosing, controlling, and treating infectious and non-infectious animal diseases.
Sections include:
- Service in the field
- Imaging
- Ophthalmology and Large Animal Medicine
- Population Medicine
- Reproduction
- Surgery
Clinical Sciences and Advanced Medicine
Penn Vet’s three-part mission is to educate veterinarians and the public about animal health, provide public service by treating sick pets and other small animals, and develop new approaches to improve companion animal health through research. The Department of Clinical Sciences & Advanced Medicine plays a critical role in this mission.
Sections include:
- Cardiology
- Allergy and Dermatology
- Intensive and Emergency Care
- Epidemiology
- Internal Medicine
- Neurology and Neurosurgery
- Oncology
- Ophthalmology
- Pediatrics, Reproduction, and Genetics
- Education in Primary Care
- Radiology
- Surgery
- Veterinary Nursing
- Pathology
The School’s Department of Pathobiology is dedicated to pathology, infectious illnesses, and immunology research to better understand the disease and its impact on humans and animals.
Its location is on both the Philadelphia and New Bolton Center campuses. It has an excellent reputation for scientific research, but it also provides vital clinical services to the School and the State.
Furthermore, by giving the most fantastic training to veterinary students, residents, graduate students, and post-doctoral fellows, the Department is assisting in developing the next generation of veterinary medicine and essential research leaders.
Veterinary Medicine Salary
In 2020, veterinarians earned a median salary of $99,250. That year, the top 25 percent earned $126,260, while the bottom 25 percent earned $79,430.
Things to do in Pennsylvania
AAA Buggy Rides Inc.
AAA (Amish All Around) Buggy Rides has been driven by a desire for guests to experience the calm and wholesomeness of the Amish lifestyle while touring the stunning and mystical Lancaster County farms. It has been providing horse and buggy trips in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, for over 20 years. There are three different buggy rides to pick from.
Country Buggy Ride (35-minute ride): This lovely four-mile backcountry ride takes you through Amish farms, up a hill, valley, and past an Amish schoolhouse, all with breathtaking views.
Covered Bridge Ride (55-minute ride): This buggy ride takes you through a natural covered bridge on a backroad. The buggy journey on beautiful, quiet Amish lanes is over five kilometers long.
Amish Farm Tour (65-minute trip): This is a buggy ride where you can get out, and the driver will take you inside the barn where an Amish family milks the cows together. As you tour and experience the workings of an Amish farm, you may even get the opportunity to meet the Amish children.
American Military Edged Weaponry Museum
This is a museum with one of the most extensive collections of US military knives and artifacts used by American servicemen. Pikes, swords, sabers, fencing bayonets, bowie, knuckle, and trench knives are among the knives on display.
A rocket, grease gun, flare gun, BAR, and Thompson machine gun are also displayed. In addition, there are military memorabilia and items from the Spanish-American War, WWI, WWII, Korean War, Viet Nam, Desert Storm, and recruiting and Savings Bond posters.
Adults pay $5, and children under twelve pay $2.50. From May through November, the museum is open Monday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Bird-in-Hand Stage
Are you looking for a live theater in Lancaster, Pennsylvania? The Bird-in-Hand Stage makes it easy to enjoy healthy, high-quality live entertainment, whether visiting or living in Lancaster County. Treat yourself and your friends and family to an unforgettable experience with our on-site food, low rates, and flexible performance times.
Enjoy the live stage shows to take a break from your daily routine. They will elevate and thoroughly entertain you as you laugh, hold your breath, gasp, and tap your toes!
Since 2011, the Bird-in-Hand Stage has delighted audiences with Broadway-style musicals from Amish Country. As a result, it has swiftly established itself as one of Lancaster County’s must-see live performance destinations.
Meals, entertainment, and lodging are all in one place. When everything is in one place, it’s a lot easier. We can accommodate your group, whether singles or couples, friends or family, a bus group or your club or organization, with tiered seating for 175 people and accessible floor seating. Discounts for groups of 20 or more are available.
It’s never been easier to catch fun, live entertainment in Lancaster County. You’re only a foot away from the famed Bird-in-Hand Family Restaurant & Smorgasbord, next door to the Bird-in-Hand Family Inn, and minutes away from the Village Inn & Suites.
There are also other lodging establishments where you can watch a show on the Bird-in-Hand Stage. So many people in Lancaster County refer to us as a convenient group and family attraction. Inquire about cheap theatrical tickets that include lunch.
Carlisle Sports Emporium
The Carlisle Sports Emporium, Central Pennsylvania’s year-round indoor and outdoor interactive entertainment complex, is the place to go for entertainment in central Pennsylvania. Although people know it as “The Place to Play,” It is the ideal place to visit for people of all ages and on every occasion.
Indoor and outdoor go-kart tracks, two 18-hole Castle and Western themed miniature golf courses, a BRAND NEW 7,500 square feet (696.7 square meters), two-tier LED LASERTRON laser tag arena, 4-player HOLGATE Virtual Reality, batting cages, a roller-skating rink, Victory Lane Café, and the largest arcade in South Central PA with an indoor rock-climbing wall.
These are just a few of the interactive and fun entertainment options. Carlisle Sports Emporium is the best venue for parties, track rentals, and group outings, with many fun activities and amusements.
Landis Valley Village and Farm Museum
Landis Valley Village & Farm Museum is a living history museum that depicts Pennsylvania German life from 1740 to 1940. It is part of the Pennsylvania State Museum system. Once a real rural crossroads community, Landis Valley now boasts more than 40 historic structures spread across 100 picturesque acres.
Skilled artisans display traditional crafts and open-hearth cooking, while costumed guides discuss Pennsylvania German traditions and folklore. During special events and for groups, horse-drawn wagon rides are also available.
The museum also includes the Heirloom Seed Project, real farmsteads, historic animal breeds, and a Landis Valley Museum Store that sells the work of on-site artists and other area artists.
KayakLanCo
Lancaster County’s mobile outfitter for private self-guided kayak trips is kayakLanCo. With seven Lancaster County routes ranging from lake to river, we have something for everyone of any age or comfort level.
Clients value high-quality equipment, personalized service, and local knowledge. You’re in charge of the experience! Without worrying about the logistics, you may improve your understanding and confidence in the water.
Magic and Wonder Theater
Brett has astounded and inspired audiences worldwide with his sleight of hand and optical illusions, and he continues to tour across the country. Awarded Best Magic & Variety Show in 2021 and currently #2 on TripAdvisor‘s list of Top Things to Do in Lancaster County, Brett has astounded and inspired audiences worldwide with his sleight of hand and optical illusions. In addition, he continues to tour across the country.
The Final Say
Penn Vet has a unique perspective on veterinary medicine. In addition to providing sophisticated medical treatments for animals of all sizes and types, veterinarians believe they play an essential role in ensuring public health and food safety locally and globally. For example, they recognize and control foreign and newly emerging diseases of livestock and poultry.
We believe that as veterinarians, we not only practice medicine and do groundbreaking research to progress the field of medicine, but we also train the next generation to do so.