Years 1-4

What’s life like for a veterinary student?

In a word – tough – just like anything worth doing. Completing the four years required to receive a DVM takes dedication and significant effort.

At Iowa State, veterinary medicine faculty members make the subjects exciting, from the first year courses that focus on the basic sciences through classes later in the course of study that focus on clinical medicine.

And your journey will not be done alone. From caring and helpful faculty to tutoring services to pairing first year students with second year “mentors” to learning accommodations, the College of Veterinary Medicine does its best to help students succeed. That’s because the college wants Iowa State veterinarians to go out, be successful and make an impact on the world just like those that proceeded them at Iowa State have done.

Year 1

• Students paired with a second year “mentoring” student
• Basic science courses

Year 2

• Coursework focuses on more specific veterinary medicine subjects
• Surgery training begins

Year 3

• Instruction begins on small and large animal instruction
• Surgery lab courses

Year 4

• Clinical rotations in the Hixson-Lied Small Animal Hospital and the Large Animal Hospital
• Rotations are held and required in the summer, fall and spring semesters
• Students choose between 4 options
  • Small Animal
  • Food Animal
  • Mixed Animal
  • Equine
• Preceptorships/Externships