Program Overview

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Doctor of Veterinary Medicine Program

The Doctor of Veterinary Medicine (DVM) program at NC State University is a four-year academic professional program that consists of two phases of education: a preclinical three-year phase and a clinical phase in the fourth year of training. The program is designed to provide students with a gradual progression from basic science presentation to clinical application of veterinary science.

Program Structure

The program is structured into four years, with the first three years focusing on preclinical education and the fourth year focusing on clinical training. The program includes a combination of core and elective courses, as well as clinical rotations and selective courses.

First Year

The first year of the program includes the following courses:

• VET 910: DVM Professional Year One Seminar 1 (1 hour)
• VET 911: Animal Health and Disease 1 (4.5 hours)
• VET 912: Becoming a Professional 1 (2 hours)
• VET 913: Exams and Interventions 1 (2 hours)
• VET 914: Form and Function 1 (9 hours)
• VET 915: Integrated Applications 1 (1.5 hours)
• Total hours: 20

In the spring semester, students take the following courses:

• VET 920: DVM Professional Year One Seminar 2 (1 hour)
• VET 921: Animal Health and Disease 2 (6 hours)
• VET 922: Becoming a Professional 2 (1.5 hours)
• VET 923: Exams and Interventions 2 (2 hours)
• VET 924: Form and Function 2 (7.5 hours)
• VET 925: Integrated Applications 2 (1 hour)
• Total hours: 19
• Total hours for the year: 39

Second Year

The second year of the program includes the following courses:

• VET 931: Animal Health and Disease 3 (8.5 hours)
• VET 932: Becoming a Professional 3 (2 hours)
• VET 933: Exams and Interventions 3 (6 hours)
• VET 934: Form and Function 3 (4.5 hours)
• VET 935: Integrated Applications 3 (1 hour)
• Total hours: 22

In the spring semester, students take the following courses:

• VET 941: Animal Health and Disease 4 (9.5 hours)
• VET 942: Becoming a Professional 4 (3 hours)
• VET 943: Exams and Interventions 4 (4 hours)
• VET 944: Form and Function 4 (1 hour)
• VET 945: Integrated Applications 4 (1 hour)
• Total hours: 18.5
• Total hours for the year: 40.5

Third Year

The third year of the program includes a four-week preceptorship field experience, followed by advanced application of medical skills and knowledge with complex cases across multiple species and contexts. Students take the following courses:

• VET 950: DVM Preceptorship (3 hours)
• VET 951: Animal Health and Disease 5 (8 hours)
• VET 952: Becoming a Professional 5 (2 hours)
• VET 953: Exams and Interventions 5 (7 hours)
• VET 955: Integrated Applications 5 (1 hour)
• Total hours: 21

In the spring semester, students take the following courses:

• VET 961: Animal Health and Disease 6 (10 hours)
• VET 962: Becoming a Professional 6 (2 hours)
• VET 963: Exams and Interventions 6 (4.5 hours)
• VET 964: Form and Function 6 (1.5 hours)
• VET 965: Integrated Applications 6 (1 hour)
• VMP 992: SP Top in PHP (2 hours)
• Total hours: 21
• Total hours for the year: 42

Fourth Year

The fourth year of the program consists of 49 credits, including 46 credits of clinical rotations and three credits in Clinical Conference. Students must complete a combination of core and elective rotations, determined by their declared species priority area, with two vacation blocks. Clinical Conference presentations are required of each student.

Clinical Rotations

The following clinical rotations are available:

• VMC 996: Advanced Exotic Animal Medicine (2 hours)
• VMC 959: Primate Medicine (2-4 hours)
• VMC 958: Prosimian Medicine (2 hours)
• VMP 975: Advanced Topics in Veterinary Anatomic Pathology (1-6 hours)
• VMB 977: Clinical Anesthesia Rotation (2 hours)
• VMC 998: Basic Wildlife Rehabilitation Medicine (2 hours)
• VMC 972: Clinical Small Animal Veterinary Cardiology (2 hours)
• VMB 978: Clinical Behavior & Nutrition (2 hours)
• VMC 995: Clinical Conference (1 hour)
• VMP 978: Clinical Pathology and Laboratory Medicine (2 hours)
• VMB 962: Clinician Scientist Research Experience (1-10 hours)
• VMC 983: Dermatology (2 hours)
• VMP 979: Epidemiology (2 hours)
• VMC 966: Equine Emergency and Critical Care (2 hours)
• VMC 978: Equine Lameness and Imaging (2 hours)
• VMC 979: Equine Medicine (2 hours)
• VMC 968: Equine Orthopedic Surgery and Lameness (2 hours)
• VMC 949: Equine Primary Care (4 hours)
• VMC 993: Equine Special Topics (2 hours)
• VMC 975: Equine General Surgery (2 hours)
• VMC 988: Exotic Animal Medicine (2 hours)
• VMC 946: Extramural Business Management Experience (2 hours)
• VMC 955: Extramural Experiences in Lab An Med (2 hours)
• VMP 994: Extramural Experience in Pathology (1-4 hours)
• VMC 994: Small Animal 4th Year Externship (1-6 hours)
• VMC 963: Extramural Experience in Zoological Medicine (2 hours)
• VMP 971: Food Animal Diagnostics for Disease Diagnosis, Control, and Population Surveillance (2 hours)
• VMP 976: Food Animal Pharmacology (2 hours)
• VMP 977: Necropsy (2 hours)
• VMP 974: Food Supply Veterinary Medicine (2 hours)
• VMC 939: Small Animal Primary Care (2 hours)
• VMC 981: Lab Animal Medicine (2 hours)
• VMC 974: Equine Dentistry and Podiatry (2 hours)
• VMC 986: Adv Com An Int Med (2 hours)
• VMC 971: Comp Animal Med II (4 hours)
• VMC 954: Companion Animal Medicine for Food Animal Students (2 hours)
• VMC 984: Intro Clin Neuro (2 hours)
• VMC 980: Vet Medical Oncology (2 hours)
• VMC 982: Ophthalmology (2 hours)
• VMP 982: Poultry Health Management I (2 hours)
• VMP 983: Poultry Health Management II (2 hours)
• VMC 948: Clinical Rotation in Veterinary Radiation Oncology (2 hours)
• VMB 976: Radiology Rotation (2 hours)
• VMC 997: Raptor Medicine and Rehabilitation (2 hours)
• VMC 930: Rehabilitation and Mobility Clinical Rotation (2 hours)
• VMP 970: Ruminant Primary Care (2 hours)
• VMP 972: Advanced Ruminant Medicine Topics (2 hours)
• VMP 987: Ruminant Topics (2 hours)
• VMC 950: Sea Turtle Medicine and Rehabilitation (2 hours)
• VMC 960: Small Animal Emergency Service (2 hours)
• VMC 973: Small Animal Surgery (2 hours)
• VMP 973: Special Topics in Epidemiology (2 hours)
• VMC 941: Special Topics in Theriogenology (2 hours)
• VMP 984: Swine Health Management I (2 hours)
• VMP 985: Swine Medicine & Production II (2 hours)
• VMC 940: Clinical Theriogenology (2 hours)
• VMB 976: Radiology Rotation (Ultrasound) (2 hours)
• VMC 976: Veterinary Critical Care (2 hours)
• VMP 999: Extramural in Vet International Programs (2 hours)
• VMC 989: Zoological Medicine (4 hours)
• VMC 947: Practice Management (2 hours)
• VMP 990: Extramural Experiences - Large Animal (2 hours)