If your love of animals extends to supporting their health and wellness as a medical professional, Augustana will set you on the road to becoming a veterinarian.
Augustana’s program in pre-veterinary medicine prepares students for admission to, and achievement in, veterinary school. Working closely with your advisor (a professor in your field), your path will include coursework in small classes and hands-on experience in area veterinary clinics during the academic year.
Most students major in biology, fulfilling the pre-veterinary medicine program with a challenging science curriculum including biology, chemistry and physics, plus advanced courses in subjects such as histology, immunology, neuroanatomy and biochemistry.
While vet school is a challenge, you’ll discover that Augustana’s liberal arts education prepared you extremely well. Along with an exceptional science background, you’ll have the less-tangible skills you’ll reach for consistently as you think creatively to solve new problems.
What you'll learn
Disciplinary knowledge
Gain a deep understanding of your subject and how it connects to other subjects.
Critical thinking and information literacy
Judge and construct arguments, raise questions and define problems. Make a conclusion based on evidence.
Quantitative literacy
Interpret, represent and summarize information. Use math and statistics to solve problems.
Collaborative leadership
Make decisions and act for the good of the community as a group.
Communication competence
Read and listen carefully. Express ideas (writing or speaking) suited to the audience.
Distinctions
• Augustana is one of only three colleges with an early-acceptance agreement with the University of Illinois College of Veterinary Medicine. This is also a 3-4 program, which means students can enter the vet school after the third year at Augustana. After the first year of veterinary school, they graduate with the B.A. from Augustana, then finish the remaining three years of vet school (seven years total).
• Augustana classes are small; the largest biology classes seldom enroll more than 40 — and even these classes break into small sections for labs, creating more personalized interaction. Professors teach both the class lectures and labs, for continuity and connection between theory and practice.
• "Among the high-tech laboratories in Augustana’s newly expanded Hanson Hall of Science are individual labs for anatomy, physiology, cell biology, genetics and human cadaver dissection.
• For clinical experience, the Quad-Cities area has everything from the veterinary clinic down the street to large-animal clinics serving the nearby agricultural community. Many students also gain international experience in veterinary-focused study abroad programs. Each student’s $2,000 through Augie Choice can support that experience.
Recent grads
Bryce Dibadj '17 is working at VCA Animal Hospitals in Mesa, Ariz.
Sophie Ochs '17 is a veterinarian at Duke Animal Hospital in Chicago.
Claire Kepner ’17 is finishing her D.V.M. at Colorado State University.
Chaney Tambling ’14 is a veterinarian at Fitzpatrick Equine Field Service in Kankakee, Ill.
Hannah Hart '13 is a veterinarian at USDA-FSIS in the Milwaukee, Wis., area.
“By working closely with my advisors, I was able to intern in South Africa and local vet clinics, and participate in a study away in Holden Village in Washington state.”Read More
“My peak experience was my Texas Medical Center internship at Baylor College of Medicine. This was the final push that made me apply to dual (D.V.M./Ph.D.) programs.”Read More
“I was first attracted to Augie by the 3:4 program with the University of Illinois College of Veterinary Medicine, which turned out to be a great opportunity.”Read More