PREPARING FUTURE VETERINARIANS FOR THE JOURNEY AHEAD

Pre-veterinary students should be prepared for the magnitude, possibilities, and rigors of veterinary school programs and career options. This certificate aims to support pre-veterinary students by equipping them with the tools needed to prepare their most competitive veterinary school application and to contribute to the ever-changing veterinary medical community.

Program Requirements

Must be a current UK student, have a GPA of 3.0 or higher, and have earned at least 30-credit hours at the time of application. To complete the Pre-veterinary Medicine certificate, students must complete a minimum of 14 credit hours. All certificate students must take PVM 201, PVM/ASC 209, PVM 390, and PVM 490, one elective course from the Professional Preparation category, and one elective course from the Specialty Area Exploration category.

PVM 201 Foundations in Veterinary Medicine
This course provides students with an overview of the veterinary medical profession, including veterinary applications and timelines, variations in veterinary school formats and costs, and an introduction to the extent of career options in veterinary medicine. Students will investigate the importance of non-medical attributes such as professionalism, teamwork, and communication in various aspects of veterinary medical careers. The course will also address concerns that affect the profession, including student debt, compassion fatigue, mental health, and more. (3 credits) Prereq: None

PVM/ASC 209 Veterinary Medical Terminology
This course will cover veterinary medical terminology including word roots, prefixes, suffixes, and animal-specific terminology involving companion animals, food animals, and others. Veterinary case studies will allow students to apply these fundamentals in practical situations. Appropriate for pre-veterinary focused students or any students interested in animal health and care. (3 credits) Prereq: None

PVM 390 Pre-veterinary Medicine Experiential Learning
The purpose of this course is to document one or more pre-veterinary field-based learning experience(s) in an area of veterinary medicine for completion of Pre-veterinary Medicine Undergraduate Certificate requirements. Students must complete 100 contact hours under the supervision of a veterinarian and submit related assignments to fulfill requirements for this course. (0 credits) Prereq: PVM 201 with a C or better

PVM 490 Pre-veterinary Medicine Capstone
This course provides students with an opportunity to explore and investigate challenges within the ever-changing field of veterinary medicine. Students will integrate, reflect on, and utilize what they have learned during their multi-disciplinary certificate study and major coursework to develop investigative strategies, identify collaboration potentials, and foster creative solutions. (3 credits) Prereq: PVM 201 and PVM/ASC 209 (both with a C or better)

Approved Electives

  • ACC 200 Introduction to Accounting for Decision-Makers
  • AEC 302 Agricultural Management Principles
  • AEC 324 Agricultural Law
  • AEC 325 Equine Law
  • B&E 201 Introduction to Business
  • CLD 230 Intrapersonal Leadership
  • COM 281 Communication in Small Groups
  • COM 311 Taking Control of Your Health: Patient-Provider Communication
  • COM 314 The Dark Side of Interpersonal Communication
  • COM 372 Communicating Health on Social Media
  • FIN 250 Personal Investing and Financial Planning
  • HDF/FFC 251 Personal and Family Finance
  • MGT 301 Introduction to Managing Organizations
  • ABT/ENT 460 Introduction to Molecular Genetics
  • ASC 310 Equine Anatomy
  • ASC 364 Reproductive Physiology of Farm Animals
  • CPH 201 Introduction to Public Health
  • CPH 241 Health and Society: A Global Perspective
  • CPH 310 Disease Detectives: Epidemiology in Action
  • ENT 220 Plague, Pests and Pestilence: History and Global Perspective
  • ENT 340 Livestock Entomology
  • ENT/BIO/CPH 561 Insects Affecting Human & Animal Health
  • EQM 305 Equine Industry Issues
  • EQM 351 Equine Health and Disease
  • FOR 510 Herpetology
  • MI 482 Introduction to Virology
  • MI/BIO 360 Bacterial Genetics
Dr. Abbey Biddle of Commonwealth Veterinary Clinic hosted a group of students as part of the UK Martin-Gatton College of Agriculture Pre-Veterinary Science Day.

Admission Instructions

Current University of Kentucky Students
Submit a request through myUK to add the undergraduate certificate in Pre-Veterinary Medicine as an “additional major.”

Once your request has been processed, you will receive a confirmation email.

Living Learning Program

The Living Learning Program (LLP) supports student success by placing students with similar interests into smaller communities in particular residence halls.

Academic Enrichment

Our college believes in learning by doing. Our students are required to complete at least one type of experiential or hands-on learning opportunity, such as undergraduate research, an internship or an education abroad experience.

Scholarships

Thanks to generous alumni, donors and community partners, we have one of the largest scholarship programs at UK. Only one application is required for our college’s scholarships, but there are hundreds of potential awards.

Student Services

We’re here to help you grow personally, academically and professionally.

Ready to turn your passion into a career?

Explore endless opportunities at the University of Kentucky and take the first step toward your future.

Director of Undergraduate Certificate
Amber McNamara, DVM

Visit Campus 

More Information