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Professional Program in Veterinary Medicine

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  • Location IconBrookings Main Campus

Preparing future veterinarians to serve in critical roles across the spectrum of animal health, environmental health, and public health.

SDSU, in partnership with the University of Minnesota (U of MN), is offering a collaborative professional program in veterinary medicine leading to a Doctor of Veterinary Medicine (DVM) degree. Students must first complete all their pre-veterinary requirements and then can apply to the new professional program. Students in the professional program will complete the first two years of their veterinary medical education at South Dakota State and the final two years at University of Minnesota College of Veterinary Medicine on the St. Paul campus. The formal application process for the class of 20 students opens in January each year and formally closes mid-to late-September. For more information visit the Association of American Veterinary Medical Colleges, Veterinary Medical College Application Service (VMCAS).”

Is it for you?

This program will be a good fit if you:

  • Have a passion for helping people and animals.
  • Respect animals and you are interested in keeping them healthy.
  • Are an analytical thinker and like the challenge of solving difficult problems .
  • Have a compelling interest in science, biology, chemistry, math, and physics, as well as the many livestock industries.

Career Opportunities

  • Private practice (mixed animal, food animal, companion animal, etc.) either general practice or as a veterinary specialist with advanced training and experience in a specialty field, such as ophthalmology, orthopedics, aquatic animal medicine.
  • Corporate veterinary medicine, for example, with corporations that provide veterinary care, test human drugs for safety, or produce animal-related products.
  • The federal government employs veterinarians through the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), National Institutes of Health (NIH), Centers for Disease Control (CDC), and Food and Drug Administration (FDA) working on biosecurity, public health.
  • Research, in either a university, corporate or government setting.
  • Public health, particularly with governmental agencies such as the United States Public Health Service, which works to control the transmission of infectious diseases from animals to humans (zoonoses).
  • There are many other opportunities available working for local, state, or municipal governments, nonprofit corporations and in areas that require a background in comparative biology and medicine.