Are You Interested in a Career in Veterinary Medicine?
The Advanced Veterinary Academy at the University of Missouri College of Veterinary Medicine is a summer program for high school students interested in studying veterinary medicine. Through a series of lectures, labs and related activities, the three-day academy presents participants with a peek at the life of a veterinary student.
Program Criteria
- High school junior or senior.
- Minimum age of 16 or entering into junior year of high school. Maximum age of 19 or entering freshman year of college.
- Must have spent, or be currently spending, time job shadowing a veterinarian. *
- Complete a 500 to 1,000-word essay addressing knowledge of the veterinary medicine profession, career goals and objectives related to the profession and how the academy can further those goals.
- Submit two letters of recommendation: one from a non-family member (e.g., pastor, teacher) and one from a veterinarian.
- Maintain a minimum 2.7 GPA.
*Name, address and phone number of the veterinary practice along with the veterinarian(s) are to be submitted for verification purposes.
Program Cost
- $300 per student.
The Academy program will simulate being a veterinary student in both the classroom as well as on clinical rotation.
- Admissions Session, ACT, GRE and Interview Prep:
Learn proper interview etiquette, dress, body language, eye contact and demeanor. Test-taking tips for the ACT and GRE. - Anatomy: Explore biomedical science through the broad expanse of anatomy. This session includes a brief instructional lecture followed by an animal dissection.
- Career Exploration: Learn about jobs in government agencies, academia and industry.
- Clinical Pathology: Is it cancer, diabetes, genetic or otherwise? Learn what is going on inside the body by what is found in blood and tissue.
- Comparative Medicine: Learn about comparative diseases, viruses and ailments plaguing both animals and humans.
- Food Animal Medicine: Learn how integral veterinarians are to America’s safe beef production.
- Gross Pathology: Discover how forensics applies in animal medicine.
- Lecture: Participants will sit in on an actual lecture alongside first- or second-year veterinary students.
- Public Health: Understand and appreciate the important role veterinarians play in disease prevention, food inspection, disaster preparedness and epidemiology.
- Radiology: Review radiographs and learn how pertinent they are to an accurate, clinical diagnosis.
- Small Animal Medicine: Shadow students and clinicians on rounds.
- Surgery: Scrub in on a surgery alongside clinical students observing critical procedures and complex cases.
- Toxicology: Is chocolate bad for dogs? What plants are harmful, possibly fatal, if ingested?
Applications can be submitted online or mailed to:
Attention Douglas Tindall
College of Veterinary Medicine, Office of Academic Affairs,
1600 E. Rollins St., Columbia, MO 65211
Registration for 2024 is now closed.
Questions regarding the academy can be submitted to Student Recruitment Specialist Douglas Tindall: tindalld@missouri.edu.