Pre-Veterinary Program

Are you the type of person who finds yourself slowing down outside pet store windows to catch a glimpse of the puppies or kittens? Maybe you have an annual pass for your local zoo, find yourself watching endless funny cat videos on YouTube, and have go-to pet stories you laugh about over family dinners.

In a nutshell, you love animals. Ever consider a career that puts that love into practice? George Fox offers the science and mathematics courses required by veterinary schools. You will most likely major in biology, but you may choose any academic major we offer as long as you take certain specific courses required of your veterinary school of choice.

The best part is, you will have an academic advisor to help plot your course. Consult with him or her early to develop a sound plan, maintain excellent grades (3.5 GPA or above), and perform well on national admissions tests (the GRE and VAT, usually taken in the spring of your junior year). You will then be positioned to embark on your next adventure – veterinary school!

Beyond that, you’ll have a plethora of choices. You may work in clinical settings in a specific field, such as companion animal or “pet” medicine, livestock medicine, equine medicine (e.g. sport, race track, show, rodeo), laboratory animal medicine, reptile medicine, or ratite medicine. Or, you may specialize in veterinary disciplines such as surgery, dermatology or internal medicine, after post-graduate training and certification.

students studying in the biology lab

What Will I Study?

Your course of study will vary depending on your major, but you must take certain courses to meet veterinary school requirements.

  • Your course load will include classes in biology (general biology, genetics, advanced physiology), chemistry (general chemistry, organic chemistry, biochemistry), physics (general physics) and mathematics (statistical procedures).
  • We offer undergraduate research and clinical job shadowing opportunities, and many of our students engage in research both at the university and at Oregon Health & Science University.
  • You should also focus on learning as much as you can about medicine, ethics, etc., from physicians, local hospitals, and other health professionals. Shadowing a veterinarian can be helpful in determining whether you would really like to have a career in the profession.
  • Veterinary schools have competitive admissions processes, so you should choose electives that will demonstrate your knowledge and dedication to learning. Select your major based on what you enjoy and where you will thrive academically. However, most pre-veterinary students major in biology.
View Biology Major Courses
Jalane Jara

Jalane Jara

I remember entering as a freshman biology major having no idea what I was getting myself into, but quickly finding myself pushed beyond my self-imposed limits to what I could learn, yet at the same time supported each step of the way by professors who cared to know my name and story.