Veterinary Pre-Reqs Requirements Questions

[jkim3]

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I was wondering if anyone knew in order to get into veterinary school, if calculus is mandatory and also if physics with calculus would strengthen your transcript looks compared to taking regular physics. I've had my eyes set on CA veterinary schools, Western in particular, and both UC Davis and Western's requirements only show up to statistics. So if anyone has the answers to these questions I would greatly appreciate it. Thanks a lot and take care.

 

[HopefulAg]

Well I don't know about Calculus (I had to take it anyways for my undergrad degree) but I wouldn't think the physics with calculus part would make any difference unless it's required specifically.

Physics isn't exactly a big part of veterinary medicine. I think the only physics required is making sure the IV bag is high enough to over come the pressure of the fluid inside the line/body it's going into.

 

[stick91]

Calculus is not mandatory for all vet schools. You seem to have already found out that Davis and Western don't require it, at least not now. Vet schools tend to change their admission requirements from time to time so it is important to stay current on any changes. There are some schools that require calc, some require stats, and some require both.

As far as physics w/calculus, I think that the grade you earn in physics is more important than exactly what sort of physics class it is. If you happen to looooooove calculus and think you'd do better in that physics class then take that one, otherwise take the other one. For me physics was hard enough without having to add calculus to the mix.

 

[wi girl]

Physics isn't exactly a big part of veterinary medicine. I think the only physics required is making sure the IV bag is high enough to over come the pressure of the fluid inside the line/body it's going into.

The basics of cardiovascular physiology are all physics: flow, pressure, fluid mechanics stuff.

As one cardiologist who was helping us with our EKG lab said: "I was a vet student who had hated physics and ended up in a specialty where all the theory is based on it. Don't know how that happened .... "

 

[ImaJerseyGirl]

.

 

[No Imagination]

Do any vet colleges specifically require calculus? This is the first I've ever heard of this. I was under the impression, that all the vet schools in the VMCAS program consolidated their requirements so they are all basically the same.

I've never seen calculus listed, but perhaps A&M and Pen (and the other non-VMCAS holdouts do).

On a side note, Cal. based physics was SO much easier then non-cal. physics.

EDIT: Yeah, google search revealed that Penn and Western do require it...

 

[Moonpaw]

Do any vet colleges specifically require calculus? This is the first I've ever heard of this. I was under the impression, that all the vet schools in the VMCAS program consolidated their requirements so they are all basically the same.

Get over that impression. PLEASE go check the prerequisites at schools you think you might evenly be remotely interested, because while many of the science basics are similar, they are not the same, and some schools are more picky than others. If they're consolidated their requirements, it's something that happened very recently.

 

[EqSci]

Do any vet colleges specifically require calculus? This is the first I've ever heard of this. I was under the impression, that all the vet schools in the VMCAS program consolidated their requirements so they are all basically the same.

I agree with Moonpaw, each school is different, and if you don't have what they want it WILL prevent you from being accepted.

 

[No Imagination]

Yeah moon, your right. I checked, and apparently there is some talk of formally consolidating their requirements, but not yet. I did check the calc. requirements, and only found 2 schools that require it (searched 18 schools before got tired). But I did notice some other odd balls, like Vert. Anatomy, Husbandry, Nutrition...

 

[HopefulAg]

A&M requires Calculus or Statistics.

They also require Nutrition (which makes sense to me) and Genetics.

Link if anyone's interested further.

 

[rexosaurus]

Physics isn't exactly a big part of veterinary medicine. I think the only physics required is making sure the IV bag is high enough to over come the pressure of the fluid inside the line/body it's going into.

I agree with Wi Girl, Physics is a big part of veterinary school. Just because you don't have to calculate the terminal velocity of a cat falling off a building doesn't mean you don't need the concepts. I said this in another thread, but all the cardio stuff is physics based as well as the pulmonary circuit. And you need to know the physics of the machines used for diagnostic imaging, such as xray, ct, mri, ultrasound... all that fun stuff.