A Doctor of Veterinary Medicine, more commonly known as a Vet or Veterinarian, is a professional who practices medicine and surgery on animals. They are licensed and credentialed to diagnose, make a prognosis, provide or prescribe medication, perform surgery, go into research, and much more. Veterinarians typically practice in or start their own private practice, but there are also career opportunities in public practice, industry, community health, food resource management, wildlife preservation, space exploration, drug discovery, and homeland security for example. To be an applicant to Purdue University's Doctor of Veterinary Medicine Program, an individual has to complete two to three years of undergraduate coursework first. However, even to be considered for the program, the applicant must maintain an undergraduate GPA of 3.00 or higher. The applicant must document experience in some of the following areas working with a veterinarian, have experience with animals, or experience in research. Additionally, the admissions committee is looking for applicants who have exhibited strong leadership and communication skills. Admission to Purdue University's College of Veterinary Medicine is based on a holistic review of all applicants meaning that academic performance as well as all other aspects of the applicant's experiences, skills, and attributes are considered. The DVM Program is four-year program with a minimum of 18 credits each semester; this four years does not include the pre-veterinary course requirements.
Veterinary Technology Program
The profession of Veterinary Technology has been in existence since the early 1970s. In many aspects, a veterinary technician is comparable to a nurse in human medicine. In addition to the nursing of veterinary patients, the veterinary technician also performs other duties such as anesthesia, dental cleanings, phlebotomy, medication administration, and surgical nursing. A veterinary technician is also educated in performing various diagnostic tests such as radiographs, CBC, serology tests, heartworm tests, and parasite tests. Career opportunities can be found in veterinary clinics, veterinary teaching hospitals, academic institutions, research laboratories, animal shelters, veterinary sales & marketing, pharmaceuticals, public health, government, zoos, wildlife rehabilitation centers, and practice management. The Veterinary Technology degree is not a pre-veterinary course of study because the curriculum is specific to veterinary nursing. Students do not take the required pre-requisite courses for a Doctor of Veterinary Medicine program. In order to be eligible to practice as a veterinary technician, in most states, the student must graduate from a program that is accredited by the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA. The AAS degree is embedded within the BSVN degree. Students are eligible to take the VTNE during their senior year at Purdue. The majority of the Purdue on-campus students earn both their AAS and BSVN degrees. Upon completion of education process, veterinary technicians/technologists may pursue specialty certification. There are several specialties in different areas of veterinary technology. These can be viewed by visiting the website for the National Association of Veterinary Technicians in America
The Hospital
The Purdue University College of Veterinary Medicine has both a small and large animal hospitals. In the small animal hospital, there are about fifteen different specialists on staff ranging from anesthesiology to exotic animal medicine. The hospital provides both regular client care and emergency care. Like the small animal hospital, the large animal hospital has several different specialists on staff as well; about eleven different types of specialists. In addition to the on site care, the large animal hospital has field services for horses, cows, and pigs. This hospital caters to both regular clients and emergency patients. Normal operating hours are Monday thru Friday 8am to 5pm, but there are services available 24 hours a day for emergency situations.
Research
Research in the Purdue University College of Veterinary Medicine benefits animal and human health and is focused on five signature research areas:
Infectious Diseases and Immunology – This research focuses on improved methods to detect infectious organisms, development of new antibiotics and better vaccines.
Cancer – The goals of this research are to develop new approaches to treatment and prevention of cancer in both animals and humans.
Orthopedics and Musculoskeletal Biology – In this program, researchers are uncovering mechanisms of bone growth and cartilage repair and improved surgical procedures.
Animal Welfare and Human-Animal Bond – This research area aims to provide science-based answers to problems in animal welfare and to study the mental and physical health benefits of human-animal interactions”.
Purdue University's College of Veterinary of Veterinary Medicine also conducts Clinical Trials research through its Center for Translational Research. Trials include patient-based research, epidemiological studies, and outcomes and health management research.
Alumni of Purdue Veterinary Medicine
As of 2019, Purdue Veterinary Medicine has awarded 5,326 DVM, AS/AAS, BS, MS, and PhD degrees:
Doctorate of Veterinary Medicine: 3,565
AS & AAS of Veterinary Technology: 749
BS of Veterinary Technology: 369
MS: 396
PhD: 373
Purdue Veterinary Alumni Association
The Purdue Veterinary Alumni Association is an affiliate of the Purdue Alumni Association for graduates of the College of Veterinary Medicine. Alumni in the association have access to communications and events through their membership. The association is administered by a board of directors. PVAA is important for continuing traditions by supporting student activities throughout their time in the college. Some activities include awarding grants to student organizations, supporting milestones in student careers such as the stethoscope dinner and white coat ceremony, and presenting awards to outstanding students through their sponsorship of the Graduation Gala.
Location
The College of Veterinary Medicine occupies over a dozen structures in the southeast corner of Purdue's main campus. Major buildings include the Veterinary Teaching Hospital and Lynn Hall of Veterinary Medicine.
History
In 1877, a Department of Veterinary Science was established within Purdue's School of Agriculture. The Department was reorganized as the School of Veterinary Science and Medicine in 1959. The school's name was changed to the School of Veterinary Medicine in 1974 and then again to its present name, the College of Veterinary Medicine, in 2012.
Rankings
In 2019, the U.S. News & World Report ranks Purdue University College of Veterinary Medicine graduate program at No. 13 in the United States. The top 15 College of Veterinary Medicine graduate programs include:
