Admissions Requirements For Doctor Of Veterinary Medicine

Detailed information about the DVM admissions process can be found by clicking here

Minimum Academic Requirements for Admission

  • At least 46 semester or 66 quarter units from a regionally accredited college or university. (If a student intends to practice in the state of New York, they require at least 60 semester units.)
  • Minimum overall 3.0 GPA (on 4.0 scale) or higher in all coursework as calculated by VMCAS. Students not meeting these criteria, with a GPA of <3.0, who have demonstrated a commitment to academic excellence in the last 2 years of study or most recent 60 semester hours may be considered on a case-by-case basis.

Pre-Requisite Coursework for Admission

To fulfill the prerequisite, the coursework must meet the following criteria:

  • Courses must be completed at a regionally accredited college or university
  • Courses must be completed with a grade of a “C-” or higher. Final grades for all prerequisite courses must be verified by LMU-OPCVM.
  • Courses for all science prerequisites must have been completed within the last 10 years of application. Science prerequisites include: Biology, Genetics, Biochemistry, Advanced Science Electives, Organic Chemistry, General Chemistry, Physics and Anatomy or Physiology.

In Progress or Planned Courses

Prerequisites courses can be “in progress” or “planned” at the time of application submission; however, official transcripts reflecting successful completion of those prerequisites must be submitted to LMU by the published deadlines.

Advanced Placement (AP) Credits

AP credits will be accepted for prerequisite courses if they appear on an official college transcript with the subject and number of credits received and are equivalent to the appropriate college-level coursework. A generic listing of “AP credit” or “transfer credit” without the specific subject and number of credits will not be accepted.

Minimum Academic Requirements For Admission
LMU-OPCVM PrerequisiteSemester UnitsQuarter UnitsNotes
Biology812General biology series; lecture & lab
Genetics34Lecture. Animal Breeding or Reproduction courses must be approved on a case-by-case basis.
Biochemistry34Lecture
Anatomy or Physiology34Lecture or Lecture & Lab. Anatomy, Physiology, or Anatomy& Physiology courses.
Advanced Science Electives812Lecture. Courses must be 300 level or higher. Examples may include Anatomy, Cell Biology, Immunology, Microbiology, Molecular Biology, Physiology or Virology, depending on the school’s course numbering.
Organic Chemistry69Lecture & Lab
General Chemistry69Lecture & Lab
Physics34Lecture (Algebra or calculus-based acceptable)
English34 
Social Sciences34Potential courses include, but are not limited to: Anthropology, Economics, Geography, Philosophy, Political Science or Sociology. Also included: Ethics, Critical Thinking, Cultural Diversity, Social Responsibility, One Health, & Human-Animal Bond.
Minimum4666 

Graduate Record Exam (GRE)

Applicants are not required to take the GRE.

Veterinary Experience

Applicants must demonstrate experience and knowledge of the veterinary profession. There is not a minimum number of hours applicants must complete. However, time spent actively participating in the profession is beneficial.