Advisor: Dr. Vickie McDonald
Office: LSC 021
Phone: 450-5924
Email: vickiem@uca.edu
Major and Concentration
Most pre-veterinary students are biology majors, with a concentration in pre-veterinary medicine, although some are also chemistry majors. Undergraduates in the pre-veterinary field can aspire to be veterinarians or veterinary technicians. The pre-veterinary advisor will try to help students develop an academic plan which will meet the requirements at the specific veterinary school(s) the student will apply to.
The Pre-Vet Learning Outcomes for UCA’s pre-Vet curriculum will allow you to plan and understand the academic path needed to be a successful applicant to a veterinary medicine program. In general, it answers the common student question of “WHY” these classes and experiences are needed.
Veterinary Schools
In recent history, most UCA students attend veterinary school at Louisiana State University, followed by Oklahoma State University and Tuskegee because they guarantee in-state fees. LSU has a guaranteed admission for 9 Arkansas residents per year, which accounts for ~ 11% of each academic class entering the LSU veterinary school. Of the Arkansas students who apply for admission to LSU, about 25% are admitted. In Fall 2026, things will likely change as two Arkansas veterinary programs (Arkansas State Univ and Lyon College) will open to Arkansas residents for admission.
For more information about course prerequisites read the Association of American Veterinary Medical College document. Learn more about Veterinary Opportunities.
Admission and Entrance Exam
Approximately 3-4 UCA students are admitted to a veterinary school per year.
To be competitive for admission it is recommended that students have at least a GPA of 3.5 to 3.7.
Each veterinary school has specific undergraduate pre-requisites for admission. Some course-by-course equivalent between UCA and neighboring veterinary schools are Louisiana State University & Mississippi State University
Each school has their own entrance exam requirement. Most will require students to take the General GRE, and sometimes the Subject GRE. Contact the school you plan to apply to for specific information on entrance exam requirement.
The entering Fall 2025 statistics (GPA, GRE, etc) for those admitted students to all the veterinary schools in the US can be found here.
Pre-Veterinary Club
UCA has an active pre-veterinary/humane society club which is an asset for students. Contact Dr. Vickie McDonald (vickiem@uca.edu) for more information.
Addition information about specific veterinary school requirements click on the links below.