Pre-Veterinary Medicine

Facilities
The Department of Animal Science features fully-equipped laboratories and classrooms, a 10,000 sq. foot show barn and the Pauline Whitaker Animal Science Center.  The Center is a multi-purpose facility used for teaching, research and public service.  It includes an animal preparation and holding barn and a 25,000 sq. ft. arena.

Admissions and Requirements for Veterinary School
Act 1259 of the Arkansas Assembly authorized funds for education in veterinary medicine. The State Board of Higher Education is the designated agent for the State of Arkansas and the Student Loan Authority is authorized to administer the program. Terms and conditions prescribed by the Student Loan Authority are as follows: for each year of practice in Arkansas one year's loan and accrued interest will be converted to a scholarship grant. Loans will over only out-of-state tuition and the student will pay his or her own fees and expenses.


Contracts have been negotiated with the Board of Control for Southern Regional Education for education in veterinary medicine at Louisiana State University (LSU) and at Tuskegee University. Arrangements have also been made with the University of Missouri and Mississippi State. Under the provisions of the legislation only citizens of Arkansas are eligible. They must enroll in and complete the pre-veterinary medicine curriculum to satisfy the admission requirements of the colleges of veterinary medicine.

The pre-veterinary medicine program at the University of Arkansas is administered in the Departments of Animal or Poultry Science of the Dale Bumpers College of Agricultural Food and Life Sciences. There are faculty on staff in these departments who help counsel and advise the students regarding their pre-veterinary medicine program. There are also staff veterinarians who provide some insight into the practice of veterinary medicine and are knowledgeable about many of the problems encountered in establishing a practice upon graduation. Some of these veterinarians have been in private practice; others have been involved in research full-time since graduation from veterinary medicine and graduate school. Because there is a wide cross-section of experience among these faculty, students find their counsel valuable in planning their future in veterinary medicine.

While it is possible to complete requirements for admission to some colleges of veterinary medicine in two years, most students take three years or more to complete the requirements and some complete B.S. degrees before being admitted. Students who carefully plan their work may complete a B.S. degree by transferring hours completed in the first two years in an accredited college of veterinary medicine back to the University of Arkansas, provided they complete certain degree requirements at the University prior to entering a school or college of veterinary medicine. These students must complete 102 or 103 hours of a 132-hour program of prescribed courses. This will require three years and one or two 6-week summer terms for most students. Students should indicate early to their adviser that they wish to be in a degree program.

The Dale Bumpers College of Agricultural, Food and Life Sciences is always ready to assist students in fulfilling their Pre-veterinary medicine requirements whether they desire to complete them in a two-year span or over three or four years. The supporting departments at the University, including chemistry, English, and those in the biological sciences, all offer quality courses which give the student an excellent background for the pursuit of a degree in veterinary medicine.

To earn the professional degree, a student must complete the pre-veterinary medicine requirements and the four-year prescribed curriculum in one of the colleges of veterinary medicine.