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VMCAS Essay Examples

VMCAS essay examples are a great place to start when you're preparing to apply to veterinary school. After researching vet school rankings and looking into the best vet schools in your chosen area, you’ve finally decided on the schools you would like to apply to. One of the items you’ll need to include in your VMCAS application is a personal essay. We’re here to show you how to highlight your personal story and provide you with some VMCAS essay examples to make the process easier.

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Article Contents 10 min read

Personal essay example 1.

I grew up in a family with no pets. An experimental goldfish or two, but there is no family dog I can look back on fondly. My parents were both immigrants who left their homes young and understandably focused on providing for their kids and ensuring we did well in school.

But like a lot of young kids, I developed a love and fascination for horses. My parents thought it was a phase, but when my requests for horseback riding lessons continued year after year, they finally relented and took me to a local farm for lessons. I remember my first connection with the pony. I felt like it could understand, hear, and accept me, without being able to say a word. That’s when I started to understand the relationship that people have with the animals in their lives, and I wanted nothing more than to experience it again.

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Several years later, I jumped at the opportunity to help out at the riding camp during the summer break. I didn’t realize until then how different it is to participate in the care of the animals, instead of just passively riding them. Every chore was to make sure the horses were comfortable, healthy, and happy. I felt like they relied on me, and they, in turn, provided peace and enjoyment to the people around them.

Since then, I’ve volunteered at the Second Chances Animal Sanctuary for several years, developing and applying the knowledge I’ve gained from my biology and zoology classes. My proudest moments were when we were able to help a family’s beloved pony walk again after a leg fracture that might have otherwise resulted in euthanasia. Being able to give the family hope when they thought there was nothing we could do was amazing, and giving the animal a chance at a full life was incredibly fulfilling.

I developed a special interest in animal orthopedics while completing an internship at the Main Street Animal Hospital. What I want more than anything is to be a vet who works within the field of orthopedics for large animals, developing therapies and treatment programs to help regain mobility. These animals are often essential to rural businesses or farms and should get the care a partner deserves. The sense of responsibility I feel toward them and their quality of life continues to drive me to pursue the skills and knowledge I need to care for them as a practitioner of veterinary medicine.

My parents didn’t believe in going to conventional places when it came to vacations. They wanted to see places that were unusual and immerse themselves in everything the locals did while they were there.

This meant that my brother and I were regularly exposed to places that were very culturally different from ours, but also climates that were totally new to us. As I got older, what struck me wasn’t always the exotic animals and plants, but the relationship a lot of people had with wildlife, and how it was different from what I experienced at home. At home in the urban setting where I lived, “wildlife” was what got into your garbage if you didn’t secure the lid properly. It was what dug through your flower pots at night. But in a lot of countries I visited, wildlife was an inseparable part of everyday life, and vital to the local economies. The animals there were valued as pollinators, decomposers, and yes, food. It made me curious about how people could value and experience wildlife back in the city where I lived.

At the beginning of high school, a friend and I decided to volunteer at the city’s wildlife center. As untrained volunteers we would mostly be cleaning cages and measuring feed for the animals, but I had never been so excited. The vets and vet technicians were so dedicated and resourceful. They relied on local donations, and the center survived on a shoestring budget, but they made it work. To them, even the common sparrows deserved kindness and care. Witnessing that level of empathy from vets and vet techs is humbling and inspiring.

Since that experience, I’ve taken as many opportunities as possible to work with wildlife organizations as possible. I volunteered at a summer program that was specifically created to help and preserve local turtle species, treating and tracking injured animals to ensure their survival. I’ve also participated in local songbird data collection, aiding in gathering information about migration patterns and population decline.

What I want is to be one of those veterinarians who cares for animals that don’t have anyone to care for them, or are treated like nuisances. Dogs and cats are loved and cared for, but so many city-dwelling animals are displaced or trapped or impacted negatively by humans. Working at a wildlife organization has taught me to be creative and resourceful, making the most out of the materials and equipment we had. I want to show people that even the plainest city wildlife deserves respect and help when they need it.

The VMCAS essay is one of the application components required by the Veterinary Medical College Application Service when you use their process to apply to vet schools. This essay is intended to provide admissions committees with “a clear picture of who you are and, most importantly, why you want to pursue a career in veterinary medicine.” While they may have your credentials on paper through your vet school resume , they might not have a good idea of what your personality is like, or what your goals are. Even your veterinary school letters of recommendation only represent who you are through someone else’s eyes, not your own.

Different from your vet school letter of intent , which must make a clear connection between your background, training, areas of interest, and the objectives and mission of your chosen veterinary school program, the VMCAS essay is more personal. It’s your chance to show the admissions committee why you love veterinary medicine and why you think you will make a good veterinarian.

Requirements

The VMCAS essay or vet school personal statement can be a maximum of 3,000 characters (including spaces). This comes out to about one page of writing. It’s important to make sure your essay falls within the character count and contains all the listed requirements .

Note that the application site doesn’t have spell-check, and you can’t edit your work once you’ve submitted it. Making sure your punctuation and spelling is correct is the most basic way to show you’ve paid attention to the details in your essay. If you aren’t sure about a word or grammar choice, look it up so you know you’ve used it properly.

For help writing your essay, you could consider medical school personal statement editing services, which can easily be modified by an advisor to suit veterinary school requirements. Engaging an expert, such as those at BeMo Academic Consulting, is well worth it to improve your application documents and stand out from the crowd.

Is the VMCAS Essay Important?

The personal essay might not seem as formal or intensive as other parts of your application, but it’s still very important and can help or hurt your chances of being accepted into a program. A great essay showcases your personality traits, your sense of responsibility, as well as your motivations for going into veterinary medicine. A middling essay may be acceptable but fail to separate you from the pack, while a poor essay can show a want of attention to detail. One of the easiest ways to figure out what should be in yours is to look up VMCAS essay examples and see what you should aim for.

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What Should I Include in My Essay?

You may immediately think of a hundred things you want to tell the admissions committee, from your first pet hamster to your experience as an intern at the city zoo. However, keep in mind that you only have about 500 words, and you need to make them count. Here are some ideas of what you’ll want to include in your VMCAS essay.

• Career goals. Where do you ultimately want to be, and what is your dream job? Don’t just list a title – explain what appeals to you about it, or why you want this specific position over any others.
• What you want to contribute. You don’t need to make up a grand, world-altering contribution here, unless that is what you sincerely want to do. Your goal can be to simply bring joy and comfort to families by taking care of their pets. It can also be to make significant advancements to the field of veterinary science. Make sure you’re authentic.
• Characteristics that make you a good vet. Yes, you need good marks to get into vet school, but the admissions committee also wants to know that you have the right personality traits. For example, you may be a very motivated self-learner. This is a great attribute to have, but you need to highlight how being an excellent self-learner would help you in vet school and ultimately, as a vet.
• Always give examples. Remember that the committee doesn’t know you, so they will be wary of applicants who make claims without backing them up. It’s important to give examples so that the committee can see how you’ve used your skills and individual attributes in real-life situations: “show, don’t tell.” If you write that you’re an empathetic and caring person, write about a time when you demonstrated that empathy. This shows that you aren’t just listing what you think they want to hear.
• Set yourself apart. Any special experiences, personal revelations, or big life events that affected your desire to be in veterinary medicine are worth noting. You have a limited amount of space, so stick to the most important ones. These unique experiences are what will help the admissions committee remember you and set you apart from the crowd.

With only 500 or so words to make your case, what you don’t include can be just as vital as what you do include. The admissions committee likely doesn’t want an entire essay on your childhood pet, so be careful about getting stuck on one aspect. In fact, the VMCAS guide explains that while many applicants “have had meaningful experiences with animals or veterinarians as children … these should only be mentioned briefly.”

Here are some other things you’ll want to make sure you avoid when writing your VMCAS essay.

• Information they already have. At this point, the admissions committee already knows about your academic achievements. They may be familiar with the jobs you’ve had, based on your letter of intent or high school resume . They may have a list of any vet school extracurriculars in which you participated. In your essay, don’t repeat what they already know. Instead, tell them something they don’t have on paper, expand on one or two of those experiences, or explain how an event impacted your motivation to go into veterinary medicine.
• Vague, generalized information. Telling them that “you’ve always liked animals” is nice, but vague, and likely a trait that many applicants share. Make it more specific: What is it that draws you to animals? When, exactly, did you start taking a special interest in animals?
• Jargon, unless it’s necessary. The admissions committee is unfortunately not going to be impressed if you throw terms around or use 5-syllable words in every sentence. You aren’t a vet yet, and one of the more embarrassing things you can do is attempt to use a term and use it wrong. Stick with language that is used in everyday conversation.
• Make unnecessary explanations. The members of the admissions committee don’t need you to explain the process of getting into vet school or how medical procedures work. Explain something if it is very specific to you, like the type of club you were in at school, or an event that occurred in your year of study. Giving an example is a better way of showing the committee what you mean, instead of getting bogged down in explanations.
• Irrelevant things. If the event isn’t relevant to why you want to be a vet or what you are looking for in a school/program, you probably don’t need to write it here. Take note of the various parts of the application process that would allow you to go into more detail. For example, should you be invited to answer vet school interview questions , you will have such an opportunity. The “tell me about yourself” vet school interview question would be the perfect moment to discuss your personal background further. It’s a good idea to go back and examine each piece of information you’ve provided in your essay and make sure it ties into the main topic: why you want to have a career in veterinary medicine.

Language and Tone

Ideally, the tone in which you write your VMCAS essay is similar to the way you would talk with someone in person. Keep your word choice conversational. Writing in a way that is overly formal doesn’t give the admissions committee members a clear sense of your own voice, and doesn’t humanize you. You’re writing your story, so it helps to read the essay aloud and see if it sounds like an accurate representation of yourself. Having a friend or family member read it can also be beneficial.

Admission to vet school is challenging, as shown by veterinary school acceptance rates ; some schools are more difficult to get into than others. Applying is a long process with a lot of pieces to consider. Your VMCAS essay is perhaps one of the least restrictive parts, where you’re given the freedom to tell the admissions committee why you’re there and what you want to do. Being authentic and specific is your best approach to being accepted into the school of your choice.

It won’t make as much of an impact as your grades or your resume, but it can make you more memorable and more likeable to the committee members. An average essay likely won’t hurt you too much, but a bad one can.

The American Association of Veterinary Medical Colleges is a good place to start. There you’ll find all the pieces you’ll need to submit for the application as well as contacts if you need more help. You can also have a look at our list of the best vet schools, along with tips for getting in.

A letter of intent shows how serious you are about your application and emphasizes what sort of experience and education you have related to veterinary medicine. The personal essay is more about your personality, motivation, and goals.

You don’t need to list everything you’ve ever done that is related to the field. That is already outlined in other parts of the application. Highlight the personal impact certain experiences have had on you – be specific about how they made you feel, how they changed your perspective, and how they moved you in the direction of veterinary studies. 

Admissions committee members aren’t expecting fine literature when you submit your personal essay. They know that not all candidates are natural writers. What they’re interested in is your ability to express yourself in a short piece of writing. Don’t worry about using fancy terms – write in a way that sounds natural and authentic to you. 

The committee will want to know about your experiences if they’re specific to you and have impacted you in a tangible way. You don’t have to tell them about every interaction you’ve had with animals, just the ones that were special to you.

Use the language you would use in a normal conversation in your essay. Very few people speak in a formal tone, and it can end up sounding stilted and unnatural. Be expressive but stick to the requirements. 

There is no editing once your VMCAS essay has been submitted. However, if there is a serious mistake in the essay, you can contact the admissions committee and forward them a corrected copy as soon as possible. 

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Vet school personal statement: how to write + examples.

Reviewed by:

Jonathan Preminger

Former Admissions Committee Member, Hofstra-Northwell School of Medicine

Reviewed: 4/26/24

Writing your personal statement for vet school is no easy feat, but we’ve got you covered! Follow along for expert tips and successful examples of vet school personal statements.

When it comes to your vet school application, one of the main requirements is your personal statement, which can hold a lot of weight. This essay is your first opportunity to demonstrate your personality and why you would be an excellent candidate beyond your grades. 

For some, an excellent personal statement can even help make up for low grades or test scores, so it’s important to get it right.

Luckily, we’ve compiled our best tips and successful vet school personal statement examples to help you through the process. We’ll review tips from our experts on how to write a stand-out essay, examine each of our essay samples, and explain what made them successful. 

If you’re currently applying for vet school and are looking for assistance on any part of the application process, don’t hesitate to reach out to one of our experienced admissions advisors at any time. We know how hard it is to get into vet school ; we can help!

Let’s get started!

Get The Ultimate Guide on Writing an Unforgettable Personal Statement

How to Write a Personal Statement for Vet School

Here are some of our top tips when writing a personal statement for vet school.

Write Now, Edit Later

In most writing scenarios, getting started is the hardest part. The best way to relieve that stress is to start writing and keep going. It doesn’t have to be perfect; it can be longer or shorter than the word count initially. The purpose of this method is to pull out all the information and review it later on.

Try writing out your entire story, front to back, of how you grew up and developed an interest in vet school . Make sure to include two to three relevant work experiences. 

Once you have nothing left to say, look at what you’ve written and highlight the best, most relevant parts. Then, you can begin editing backward and pull out your best ideas. 

Consider Your Unique Perspective

Your story, no matter what it is, has value. Vet schools are competitive, and your admissions committee will see hundreds of applications. Finding a way to frame your unique perspective in your personal statement can help to create a memorable essay that will leave a lasting impression on readers. 

Consider your hometown, culture, family, passions, etc. Some students compare their passion for learning a challenging skill like playing the piano to the commitment and dedication required for vet school. 

There are no wrong answers here, as long as you can connect what makes you unique to your work experiences and why you would be an excellent vet school candidate. 

Revise, Revise, Revise!

It may sound obvious, but there has never been a more important time to revise an essay repeatedly. Remember, vet school is competitive. Something as small as a spelling or grammatical error could make the difference between getting in or not. 

Run your work by your teachers, family, and friends for revisions - not rewrites! Every word should sound like something you would authentically say. It would help if you had others help you edit, but ensure the paper still sounds like you. 

Vet School Personal Statement Examples

Here are three excellent examples of vet school personal statements. Below you’ll find veterinary school personal statement samples and our explanations of why the essay was successful. 

1. Example From the Veterinary School at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign

“Living with my single mother, a nurse who often works over 60 hours a week to support my family, has taught me the value of hard work. From her, I have learned to be passionate and meticulous in all the work that I do. She instilled in me the need to constantly stay busy and involved.  I thrive in an environment that challenges me and requires quick thinking. Due to the influence of my mother, I have developed a strong perseverance and sense of determination. My parents’ divorce kept me in a changing environment growing up–I had to adapt to a variety of living situations with little finances to support us.  From this, I acquired the skills of being thrifty and knowing how to make sacrifices. The characteristics I have developed through my home environment growing up made me into an ideal candidate for vet school and a future veterinarian – a person who is passionate and dedicated to their work, but who also can cope with a fast-paced environment and problematic situations.  For the past seven years, I have applied these qualities to volunteering and caring for animals, developing my interest in veterinary medicine further. When I was thirteen, I volunteered at Birmingham Zoo in Alabama.  A large part of my role there included guest education about the animals on exhibit, usually using artifacts such as animal hides and skulls to explain various topics.  I worked mainly in the lorikeet exhibit, where I stayed in the exhibit with the birds while guests walked through. My jobs were to watch over the interactions between the birds and the guests, as well as to educate the guests about the birds.  From working there, I realized that I really liked getting to educate people about animals, a large portion of the job of a veterinarian. The most influential experience I’ve had on my decision to become a veterinarian was working at Elk Grove Pet Clinic.  I have been a kennel attendant there since 2007, where my job is to take care of all the in-house pets, care for the boarding animals, assist in appointments, give medications, and help with the cleaning of the clinic.  I have observed numerous surgeries, including routine spay and neuter surgeries, but also more unusual surgeries such as a 6 pound tumor removal from a dog and a surgery on the clinic’s ferret to remove tumors from his pancreas.  I have handled and cared for not only cats and dogs, but also macaws, cockatoos, snakes, ferrets, chinchillas, and tortoises.  Through working there, I had the opportunity to observe the duties of a private practice vet and see how they normally handle appointments, surgeries, and client communication in difficult situations. I have observed the doctor discussing with clients care options and the possibility of euthanasia, as well as assisted in euthanasia.  I have also assisted during emergencies, such as immediate care for a dog hit by a car. Through working at Elk Grove Pet Clinic, I have seen the responsibilities of a vet in caring for an animal in appointments and emergencies, as well as the importance of educating and discussing options with the pet owners.  I spent my junior year of college interning at the Champaign County Humane Society. I did an Animal Care Internship in the fall and a Medical/Lab Internship in the spring. The Medical/Lab Internship reaffirmed my decision of wanting to go to veterinary school.  While interning, I was able to gain experience performing physical exams, drawing blood, giving treatments and medications, restraining animals, microchipping animals, trimming nails, and learning what signs to look for in a sick animal.  I learned how to make and read an ear cytology slide, as well as how to tell if an animal has a bacterial ear infection or ear mites. The animals that I worked with were mainly cats and dogs, but also included guinea pigs, rabbits, ferrets, hamsters, chinchillas, and bearded dragons.  I was able to compare the duties of a shelter veterinarian and a private practice veterinarian, which varied due to the financial constraints of a shelter and the fact that the animals in the shelter do not have owners for the veterinarian to consult with.  Through my internships, I learned how much I enjoy doing physical exams, finding out what is wrong with an animal, and learning how to treat it. As a veterinarian, I would be able to apply all of these experiences by working in a science that is continually advancing, while contributing to the field through research and public education.  The skills that I have developed and the knowledge I have gained through working with animals have strengthened my interest in veterinary medicine.  Overall, my experiences with animals, my profound passion for science, and the characteristics I have developed through my home environment have shaped me into an excellent candidate for veterinary school.” 

Why this essay works:

In this example, the student begins by connecting their passion for vet school to her childhood experiences. The applicant then lists their valuable experience to demonstrate continued investment in their chosen career path.

They conclude by summarizing their writing - mentioning their passions for animals, science, and experience, all as reasons to accept them into the program. 

This essay is strong overall; however, it lacks a bit of reading flow. While it’s good to remind the admissions committee of your achievements and how they helped you grow, keep in mind that they’ve already seen these accomplishments on your CV. 

Your personal statement should be focused on telling your story rather than simply listing your achievements. Still, this student wrote a successful essay. 

2. Example from the University College Dublin’s Veterinary Medicine Program (Graduate)  

“From an early age, it was clear to me that my career path would involve working with animals in a clinical context, as I have always had a passion for science, animal health, and welfare.  My first exposure to the veterinary clinical environment was through a high school program, which provided me with the insight into how rewarding and fulfilling it was to be able to use scientific knowledge in order to diagnose, treat, prevent and ideally cure diseases.  This has led me to study Biochemistry for my undergraduate degree, as I wanted to have a solid basis for a comprehensive understanding of the metabolism and function of animals in health and disease. During my postgraduate studies, I had conducted a one-year research project working with Trypanosoma brucei, the causative agents for African Trypanosomiasis, an infectious disease of wild and domestic animals and humans of sub-Saharan Africa.  As African Trypanosomiasis is a zoonotic disease, this research experience had introduced me to the ‘One Health’ transdisciplinary approach and increased my awareness of the intricate relationship between human and animal health.  I have developed a strong appreciation on the importance of both veterinarians and human health professionals working together in order to detect, prevent and control disease outbreaks, as well as the key role that veterinarians play in the bigger picture of society. My latest internship at a companion animal veterinary clinic has taught me the importance of high-quality animal care and optimal health maintenance by providing routine treatments and the appropriate vaccinations.  I thoroughly enjoyed working in a veterinary clinical setting, from communicating with the clients to determine the animal’s medical history, aiding during the clinical examinations, using the various laboratory equipment for diagnostics, to the hands-on component of the job such as dental cleaning and assisting during surgical procedures. I want to become a veterinarian because I am dedicated to improving public health goals and outcomes by assessing, investigating and managing animal health and zoonotic disease risks.  I will enjoy collaborating with other veterinarians and various health professionals, such as epidemiologists and pathologists, to understand and identify new and emerging diseases and control them, reducing the time they circulate in the animal population.  Working as a public health veterinarian would also involve protecting the welfare of animals by ensuring that the standards of animal-keeping are met.  This would ensure that the animals, especially livestock, would be healthy, and diseases that could have repercussions on human health will be reduced as much as possible.  In this regard, I would also like to foster better collaboration with human health professionals so that future interdisciplinary public health issues can be tackled more efficiently. I believe that my educational background and experience have prepared me well for a veterinary medicine program and I would be honoured to be able to attend the University College Dublin’s Veterinary Medicine (Graduate Entry) program to pursue my career as a veterinarian.”

This applicant displays a passion for veterinary medicine through their unique initiatives and career experiences. Something unique that this student focuses on in their personal statement is how they intend to improve the world of veterinary medicine. 

This is an excellent perspective to present in your personal statement! Consider the specific shortcomings you’ve noticed in veterinary medicine and how you intend to improve upon those areas. It’s not essential if you don’t have any ideas, but it looks great on an application. 

3. Example from the University of Scranton  

“Ever since I can remember I have always had a passion for animals. Their beauty and ability to comfort me are only outmatched by their honesty, loyalty and faithfulness. My path to realizing that my true calling lies in veterinary medicine began when I took a life biology course in high school.  In this course I realized my intrigue with animals went far beyond their cute and cuddly parts. I was interested in how they worked from the inside and realized that I should be their doctor. Ever since that first high school class I have focused my educational path in pursuit of becoming a veterinarian.  I have volunteered at animal shelters, worked in clinics, shadowed veterinarians and participated in basic science research. Now that I stand at the doorstep of college graduation I cannot imagine my life if I do not attend veterinary school.  I shadowed my veterinarian Dr. Henry Nebzydoski and was amazed by his precision, immense knowledge and skill. I learned that in medicine many things can go wrong in a situation, but there are also many ways to solve problems.  I loved being able to meet clients whose love for their pets was apparent. That love between an animal and its owner drew me further into the love of veterinary medicine. This shared compassion and love for animals helped me relate to clients.  Volunteering at local shelters, I gained more perspective on a career as a veterinarian. I learned how to care for abused and homeless animals and to let go of the animals I had grown to love when it was in their best interest. While shadowing Dr. Michelle Falzone, I observed that each veterinary practice was different.  Doctors bring their own personality to make each experience unique; it is never just a routine doctor's visit. I believe that I, too, will bring individuality to the field of veterinary medicine that will benefit my clients. I obtained a job at an emergency animal hospital where the number of patients and the variety of problems presented was vastly different from daytime practices.  Veterinarians have to work under time constraints and I learned about the hard choices a family often makes. At first, I thought the patient-doctor bond was absent in these cases, but the doctors make sure the connection is still present by spending time talking to clients and personally calling them to disclose test results.  I learn a great deal everyday at the emergency clinic, such as filling medications, diagnosing symptoms and caring for patients and animals in difficult situations. Seeing many prognoses, I learned that there is hope for even the worst one and that a doctor's optimism is important.  Most importantly this experience taught me the value of communication skills in veterinary medicine. I have to explain procedures and calm down many patients in order to be able to understand the problems involved with their pets. I will never forget the first time I watched a pet euthanized.  Distraught, I thought for a time I would refuse to perform euthanasia in my practice. As I took in more of the doctor-patient interactions, I realized this would not be fair. The bond between a veterinarian and a pet owner becomes very important and is needed throughout the animal's life.  The doctor, who has been there throughout the good and difficult times, needs to be there for the owner and the pet when the only choice left is to end the suffering of the animal. For more than a year I have been interning at The Commonwealth Medical College.  I am conducting a research study with Dr. John Arnott on the expression of connective tissue growth factor in osteoblasts. This experience provided me with new insights into the importance of the basic sciences and I have developed great respect for their study and place in clinical medicine.  More than anything scientific research has taught me humility and that success requires tenacity. This experience has helped me grow as an individual and to find that I am capable of doing things I never dreamed.  With my help, we are one step closer to figuring out the steps in the cellular pathway to bone growth and thus are closer to potentially identifying molecules that will enhance bone growth. Veterinary medicine is a love of the science used to care and treat animals.  This coincides with the compassion for and communication with pet owners. As these animals are unable to communicate as a human might, veterinarians become dependent on the owner's ability to detect and describe problems. This challenge continues to fascinate me and I look forward to devoting my life to the field of veterinary science.  Becoming a veterinarian began as a dream many years ago for me, and is now close to a reality. My dream has always been a simple one - to pursue a love I have harbored since a youth, carrying it from a fascination and love of animals, to creating a successful veterinary practice. I am ready for the next step to fulfill this dream.”

Why this essay works:  

This essay is the most successful example we’ve shown due to its readability. Notice how the applicant includes descriptive language when they mention their previous experiences. 

They present their personal statement as a cohesive, flowing story from when they first became interested in veterinary medicine to now. It’s simple, compelling, honest, and - perhaps most importantly - easy to read. 

These examples of personal statements for vet school should guide you in the right direction when creating yours.

FAQs: Personal Statement for Vet School

Here are our answers to some of the most frequently asked questions about personal statements for vet school.

1. What Should A Vet School Personal Statement Include?

Your vet school personal statement should describe how your passion for veterinary medicine began, and two to three experiences you’ve had that demonstrate how you’ve improved upon that passion. It should flow nicely, be easy to read, and conclude by reinstating your passion for the profession and how you intend to improve the field. 

2. How Long Is A Personal Statement For Vet School?

Personal statements for vet school are typically one page or 3,000 words long. However, schools will often give you specific parameters for your essay. Pay close attention to the prompts given to you throughout your application process. 

3. How Do You End a Vet School Personal Statement?

There are several ways to end a vet school personal statement successfully. You should always reinstate your passion for veterinary medicine and end on a high note. Suppose you have a specific way you intend to improve veterinary medicine. In that case, the end of your personal statement is an excellent place to state your intentions. 

4. What Makes a Good Personal Statement for Vet School?

A good veterinary medicine personal statement must include your passion for the field, showcases unique experiences and qualities, exhibits a strong connection to animals, and utilizes effective storytelling and structure. 

It must also exhibit strong and concise writing and attention to detail. It should authentically convey your motivation and leave a lasting impression on the admissions committee.

5. How Important Are Personal Statements for Veterinary Schools?

A personal statement for veterinary school is extremely important. It provides applicants a platform to showcase their individuality, express their motivation, and demonstrate their suitability for the veterinary profession. 

Personal statements offer insights into applicants' personal and professional qualities that may not be apparent from other application components. 

Final Thoughts

Your vet school personal statement should be thoughtful, heartfelt, and informative. You should ensure that your story is easy to read by using descriptive language and lining up the highlights of your work experience in order. 

Consider your unique perspective. Remember, these programs are competitive. Putting your unique twist on your essay will help you stand out from the pack and remain in the minds of the admissions committee. 

Good luck! 

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Journey for Teams

Journey for Teams is a shared experience of learning, discovery, and growth for veterinary professionals looking to bring the principles of diversity, equity, and inclusion more fully into their own lives and into the veterinary profession.

Creating socially conscious educational and work environments—as well as removing barriers to equity and inclusion—are imperatives for veterinary professionals. Veterinarians take an oath to promote public health, and we work in an increasingly diverse world. Veterinarians, team members, and students must be equipped with the knowledge and skills to meet the needs of all clients and create welcoming environments for all co-workers.

Education plays a pivotal role in the pursuit for more diverse and inclusive workplaces. AVMA is committed to providing tools that empower veterinary professionals to advance their education on these issues. From podcasts and CE webinars, to veterinary certificate programs and book lists, these resources may help all veterinary professionals become better allies in support of equitable treatment for all.

Commission  promotes diversity, equity, and inclusion

AVMA and the American Association of Veterinary Medical Colleges (AAVMC) have joined forces to drive change with the formation of a commission that leads a coordinated and comprehensive effort to enhance diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) in the profession by establishing actionable goals with defined timeframes.

Diversity and inclusion webinars

These AVMA Axon webinars explore a variety of issues related to diversity, intersectionality, and equitable treatment. They offer CE credit and are offered by the AVMA to all veterinary professionals free of charge.

Combating racism in veterinary medicine

In this popular virtual session from the 2021 Veterinary Leadership Conference, learn about common issues experienced by minority veterinarians throughout the history of the profession and discover tools to address and combat race-related problems.

Diversity, marginalization and intersectionality

Diversity, marginalization and intersectionality are at the forefront of many important conversations happening in society and the veterinary profession. Learn what intersectionality means, how it relates to the veterinary profession, and what scholarly literature says about diversity and intersectionality. You’ll learn new ways to reduce discrimination in your work environment and community.

Unconscious bias: How it affects us and our teams

Unconscious bias affects everyone. We all have it—because it’s a function of brain efficiency, coupled with personal values and lived experience. Explore the science of bias, and learn how it shows up in our personal and group decision-making, and how it can unintentionally limit opportunities and exclude talented team members.

Making a change: From comfort zone to brave space

Making a commitment to diversity and inclusion requires levels of engagement that may be discomforting. Breaking through our comfort zones can be one of the biggest barriers to advancing change in our environments. Discover activities that can help you move from your personal comfort zone to a brave space, allowing you to advance diversity and inclusion initiatives in your workplace.

More webinars on diversity, inclusion and wellbeing

Diversity and inclusion podcasts

Diversity and inclusion in veterinary medicine  , (my veterinary life).

“If a profession limits itself to only including a certain group of people, then the problem with that is you get a limited number of ideas and perspectives and values. And over time, you know, you’ve kind of doomed yourself to becoming stagnant and halting your own growth.” Those wise words are from Sean Gadson, a third-year veterinary student at UC Davis, who reached out to the My Veterinary Life podcast team to discuss diversity and inclusion in the veterinary profession. Gadson has great insights and shares how prejudice and judgments by others have shaped his own life.

Focusing on Pride Month  

MVL hosts are joined by Pride Veterinary Medical Community (Pride VMC) members Dr. Dane Whitaker and Dr. Abby McElroy. Hear their experiences as part of both the LBGTQ+ and veterinary community. They cover everything from pronouns and why they are important to the history of PrideVMC and what Pride Month celebrations will look like in 2020.

Visibility and Pride Month from a student perspective  

Alex Dhom, a third-year veterinary student at University of Georgia, shares his personal experiences and the importance of visibility in the LBGTQ+ community. Topics range from mentorship to joining national organizations to the importance of community.

National Association for Black Veterinarians

(aavmc diversitymatters).

Leaders from the National Association for Black Veterinarians talk about their role in promoting diversity and inclusion in the veterinary profession. Drs. Renita Marshall and Raphael Malbrue discuss how the organization came to be, its goals, future activities, and overall efforts to improve representation within veterinary medicine.

From bystander to ally

Dr. Latonia Craig from Purdue University's College of Veterinary Medicine discusses strategies for moving from being a bystander in witnessing acts of discrimination to being an ally.

Discrimination in veterinary medicine

Sociologist Adilia James, Ph.D., discusses her research on discrimination in the veterinary profession, qualitatively explores the experiences of those in under-represented groups, and sheds light on the realities of veterinarians of color.

Recommended follow up reading:

Racism without Racists: Color-Blind Racism and the Persistence of Racial Inequality in America

Preventing workplace harassment

Harassment is unwelcome conduct and can create a hostile or offensive work environment, or result in an adverse employment decision such as the victim being fired, demoted, or not promoted. Sexual harassment is a common form of harassment and includes unwelcome sexual advances, requests for sexual favors, and other verbal or physical conduct of a sexual nature. Every member of the veterinary profession can play a role in putting an end to unacceptable workplace behavior.

Sexual harassment prevention resources

Certificate programs

Brave space.

Turn your workplace into a safe, healthy, inclusive environment where individual differences aren’t just tolerated, but recognized and valued. The Brave Space Certificate Program is a self-paced, interactive course that helps veterinary professionals gain a deeper understanding of those around us—from team members to clients, patients, and the communities we serve. Give your workplace the information and tools necessary to ensure your team and clients feel included, welcome to express themselves, and valued.

Get started

Workplace Wellbeing

Workplace wellbeing means different things to different people and is key to individual and organizational health. Increasing inclusiveness by advancing multicultural competency is a critical component for creating a welcoming environment for all workers. The Workplace Wellbeing Certificate Program empowers all team members to make a difference by developing the knowledge and skills to create a culture of wellbeing in the veterinary workplace.

AVMA policy on diversity and inclusion

The AVMA is committed to diversity and inclusion in all aspects of the profession of veterinary medicine so that we can best serve the animals, the public, and our members. Our goal is to mirror the growing diversity of the communities we serve and to promote an understanding of their varied needs. To this end, we are committed to actively promoting and maintaining diversity and inclusion in our membership, leadership, and organization, and educating our members regarding the value of diversity and inclusion. This commitment embraces the value of the many areas of the veterinary profession, and the value of our members' and their clients' varied backgrounds, including but not limited to race; ethnicity; physical and mental abilities; gender; sexual orientation; gender identity or expression; parental, marital, or pregnancy status; religious or political beliefs; military or veteran status; and geographic, socioeconomic, and educational backgrounds.

Cultural competence and cultural humility in veterinary medicine

For veterinary professionals to practice effectively, both cultural humility and cultural competence are important in today’s climate. Learn what these terms mean and how to achieve them.

Why diversity is good for business

Research shows diversity and inclusion make your veterinary practice more competitive as a business. Learn why, and get ideas to increase your practice’s diversity.

Anti-racism reading list

This list of books can help expand your understanding of the people and world around you, which can help you reduce bias and promote a more just society.

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Embracing Diversity in Veterinary Medicine

September 1, 2011 | 

Issue: September/October 2011

Kelly Soldavin

Kelly Soldavin is the senior editor at Taylor & Francis Group. She is the former editorial director of Today’s Veterinary Practice.

Dr. Morse with one of his patients – a royal bengal tiger cub

“I am convinced, though, that I must do what I can to enable as many qualified minority students as possible to enter veterinary schools in order to ameliorate the woeful inadequacies of racial and ethnic diversity that exist in the profession” – Dr. Evan Morse

You began advocating for equality while you were in high school – can you describe your experiences as a student activist?

I grew up in Richmond, Virginia, the cradle of the Confederacy. My father was a barber and my mother was a domestic worker.

I was inspired by hometown figures, such as Arthur Ashe, a schoolmate, and Spottswood Robinson, the civil rights lawyer for Brown versus Board of Education . During my high school years I participated in lunch counter sit-in demonstrations and department store picketing. I also spearheaded the integration of the state science and mathematics academic conferences.

Subsequently, when I studied veterinary medicine at Tuskegee Institute, I participated in voter registration drives, political activism on campus, and the historic civil rights march from Selma to Montgomery, Alabama (March 21-25, 1965).

Why did you decide to attend Tuskegee Institute and pursue a career in veterinary medicine?

My early formative years were powerfully influenced by animals – I spent more time with all types of animals in my community and on my grandmother’s farm than with friends or with other activities.

His rapport with animals as a child inspired Dr. Morse to become a veterinarian; this love of animals is never-ending.

In my own way, I sensed that animals not only had feelings similar to ours, but the ones that were more evolutionarily developed (mammals) had forms of self-awareness. As a teenager, many of the animals I spent time with clearly showed feelings and a sense of self that entranced me. These intrinsic qualities made me decide to devote my professional career to the care of animals.

When it came to deciding where to pursue my education, Tuskegee Institute was hardly a matter of choice. Of the 19 veterinary colleges in the U.S. in the early 60s, Tuskegee’s School of Veterinary Medicine, for all practical purposes, was the only one that offered an African American student a reasonable chance of admission.

How were you able to integrate your career as a veterinarian with your pursuit for diversity within the profession?

I came to Cleveland, Ohio, in 1968 to practice veterinary medicine. In the 43 years that followed, I was constantly struck by the fact that of the 3300 veterinarians in the state of Ohio, fewer than 10 were African American. I felt compelled to expend as much energy as I could on promoting diversity and inclusion within the veterinary profession and community.

During my first years in practice, I became staff veterinarian for one of the major Cleveland television affiliates and then filled the same role at another station a few years later. Both of these positions entailed weekly live television appearances. I also performed veterinary services for the Cleveland Aquarium, Sea World, Cleveland Museum of Natural History, and many local police departments.

On the professional level, I became president of the Cleveland Academy of Veterinary Medicine and served as chairman of the Diversity Committee of the Ohio Veterinary Medical Association, receiving the Distinguished Service Award for “promoting diversity and inclusion in the veterinary profession.” In 2004, I chaired the Iverson Bell Veterinary Diversity Symposium. Sensing a need to combine more scholarship with my practical experience in the profession, I completed a master’s degree with a specialization in diversity management from Cleveland State University in 2008.

I was appointed to the Task Force on Diversity of the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) and have been an impetus behind the diversity symposiums held at every AVMA Convention since 2005, chairing and presenting at all seven. This year I was honored to receive the AVMA President’s Award for “four decades of tireless efforts to promote diversity and inclusion in the veterinary profession.”

I am deeply grateful for the recognition bestowed upon me by the leadership and colleagues in my profession.

Have there been other passions you’ve pursued during your career as a veterinarian?

My nonprofessional passions are fly fishing and jazz music. I served as president of the Cleveland Trout Club and the Northeast Ohio Jazz Society. Both of these activities have enabled me to develop long-lasting friendships with people that have provided a wonderful contrast with my professional involvement with and devotion to nonhuman creatures. A great deal of my emotional fulfillment in life has been based on interacting with my fly-fishing partners and great jazz artists who I’ve presented to Cleveland audiences.

How do you define “diversity” and what it encompasses with regard to veterinary medicine?

The United States is undergoing a profound and deep-rooted metamorphosis in its population and culture. This transformation is the greatest economic and cultural shift this country ever has known and diversity is the nexus of this change.

One of the major difficulties in discussions surrounding diversity is its very definition. At its core, diversity means embracing differences among people with respect to age, class, ethnicity, gender, health, physical and mental ability, race, sexual orientation, religion, physical size, education level, job level and function, personality traits, and other human differences.

Three high school students who volunteer with Dr. Morse every Saturday; they all plan to be veterinarians: (left to right) Fallon Greer, Ariel Brent, Dr. Morse, and Naomi Hill

Yet there is also the paradox of diversity:

• We are each unique and like no one else
• We are each like some people and unlike other people
• We are each like all other people.

Diversity in the veterinary profession means recognition of differences in the mainstream realities in which the profession functions. An estimated 63% of U.S. households own a pet, and practically all Americans depend on animals for food. It is reasonable to believe that minority groups should be represented in the veterinary profession in a fair and dignified manner.

Consider the representation of African Americans in the motion picture industry as a parallel example. Before the 1960s, African Americans were presented as stereotypical and subservient on the silver screen, such as the roles performed by actress Butterfly McQueen as Prissy in Gone With the Wind and an unnamed character in Mildred Pierce. After the artistic abilities of minority groups began to be recognized by the industry, American audiences saw the greatness of such actors as Sidney Poitier, Dorothy Dandridge, Denzel Washington, Halle Berry, and others in distinguished roles.

Similarly, in the veterinary profession, recognition of the need for greater minority representation will lead to the recruitment of larger numbers of outstanding minority candidates who will make their mark on the profession. The responsibility for promoting diversity in the veterinary profession rests on the shoulders of all members of society.

What is embodied in the present striking lack of diversity in the veterinary profession is clearly stated in the very first sentence of my master’s thesis, Minority Student Perceptions of the Veterinary Profession ( ohiolink.edu/etd/view.cgi?acc_num=csu1232135567 ): “Veterinary medicine is the least racially and ethnically diverse profession in the United States today.”

What is the most exciting change you’ve seen in veterinary medicine during your career?

The most exciting development in the veterinary field has been the coming of age of veterinary medicine, both in terms of enhanced technology as well as in terms of the growing recognition of the importance of the relationship between humans and animals.

A major thrust behind this latter development was the increased awareness of veterinary medicine cultivated by James Alfred Wright (pen name, James Herriot) in his marvelous books about veterinary practice in the English countryside ( All Creatures Great and Small, All Things Bright and Beautiful, All Things Wise and Wonderful, and The Lord God Made Them All ).

Today, in the eyes of all, veterinary medicine is viewed as a medical profession on par with human medical practice. The entire transformation can be summed up in the phrase, “The valorization of veterinary medicine.”

What do you feel is the most important issue(s) facing the veterinary profession?

Despite the well-meaning efforts of leading educators and practitioners, we must face the dismal statistic that over 90% of veterinarians in the United States are white. Instead of pointing fingers, we must recognize that society as a whole has failed to swell the ranks of veterinarians with minority graduates.

My master’s thesis (see above) explores this issue in depth and offers many suggestions for addressing the inequity. The two most important factors I found when it came to a minority student deciding to pursue a career in veterinary medicine were:

1. Acquaintance with a practicing veterinarian 2. Availability to shadow or intern with a veterinarian

If veterinary professionals/practices are interested in supporting and increasing awareness about diversity in veterinary medicine, how do they go about doing so?

Although there is much discussion about how a diversified workforce can lead to enhanced innovation and creativity, few practices or companies/organizations achieve this reality. They often address this lack of accomplishment by focusing their efforts on “solutions,” such as conducting diversity training programs and recruiting a diverse workforce (both exemplary initial measures).

However, the real solution is to implement diversity into the overall business strategy of a practice, company or organization. The key is not to look at diversity as an inconvenience, but instead position it as a valuable resource waiting to be tapped.

Dr. Morse and his family; daughters Halle and Natalie and wife Randi

Creating an organizational work culture that is inclusive, higher performing, and sustainable can be a formidable task. It requires:

• Changes to policies, practices, and programs that shape people’s behavior within the veterinary practice or company/organization
• New methods for defining and measuring success
• New ways of thinking about and working with people, individually and collectively, inside and outside the practice or company/organization.

In short, it requires a total system change and embracing diversity as an asset.

What educational opportunities pertaining to diversity are available in veterinary medicine?

Generally speaking, until recently, educational opportunities addressing diversity in the veterinary profession (with the notable exception of the Iverson Bell Symposium, a biennial event hosted by the Association of American Veterinary Medical Colleges) ranged somewhere between inchoate and desultory. This situation stood in stark contrast to the remarkably varied and sophisticated opportunities available in the human medical and dental professions.

Recently, educational opportunities pertaining to diversity are part of the sessions/symposiums offered at veterinary conventions/conferences (notably the AVMA Annual Convention) and the curriculum of some colleges of veterinary medicine. The AVMA must be commended for the institutionalization of the Annual Diversity Symposium, and for providing ongoing leadership in the cause of equality and inclusion.

Due to the hard work and courage of some remarkable leaders in the veterinary profession, I feel that the momentum for this transition is now in place. But the system as a whole is similar to the proverbial aircraft carrier that cannot change direction as easily as a small speedboat. However, solid progress is being made.

Tell us about the most memorable moment of your career?

In 2001, I was invited to appear in the Public Broadcasting System (PBS) television series, Nature, entitled “Dogs: The Early Years,” filmed in New York City. Addressing a national audience on the subject of veterinary medicine provided me with one of the most thrilling moments of my life. For an African American veterinarian, the first person in any generation of my family to attend college, this was the pinnacle of my professional achievement.

You can read a brief biography of Dr. Morse at avma.org/awards/bios/morse_evan.asp .

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Diversity and Inclusion Education

Prologue - welcome to your diverse community of learners.

Beginning the first day of veterinary school, entering students participate in the week-long introductory course we refer to as “Prologue.” During Prologue, the diversity and inclusion messages are taught to engage students in the richness of our diversity and to set the tone for the inclusive and welcoming environment we strive for. Promoting of conversation and dialogue has part of these early days of veterinary school and a demonstration of the School’s commitment to diversity and inclusion.

Principles of Community

Principles of community 2016.

On the very first day, students are welcomed to the school’s diverse community of learners and hear about our commitment to supporting an environment that supports diversity and inclusion. During a 90 minute educational session, students hear from the School's Chief Diversity Officer; the Associate Chief Diversity Officer in the Office for Diversity, Equity and Inclusion ; and a student representative from VOICE who introduce the Principles of Community and discuss how they are applied to the program in both academics and student programs.

Students further engage with with the Principles of Community through a one-hour e-learning course called "Living the Principles of Community," which is designed to promote inclusiveness and respect in the work and learning environments at UC Davis.

Implicit Bias Training

Beginning in 2020, Prologue now includes introductory implicit bias and cultural humility training. Prologue Mentors provided a brief presentation to introduce the concept of implicit bias, and students were asked to do a couple of the implicit bias association tests through Project Implicit in preparation. Students were also introduced to the prominence of implicit bias in clinical settings.

SOLUTIONS FOR THE PROFESSION COMPETITION

We’re here to help students get ahead.

The VIN Foundation’s Solutions for the Profession initiative is an international veterinary student scholarship in which currently enrolled veterinary students write a compelling essay based on an innovative solution to a current topic/issue in the veterinary profession. After three rounds of anonymous judging, the winners receive cash prizes to help with tuition and educational expenses.

The annual Solutions for the Profession Competition opens every Fall. We encourage you to sign up for updates to stay informed on the latest scholarship announcements. 

The VIN Foundation’s 8th Annual (2024) Solutions for the Profession Competition is now OPEN.

The vin foundation’s 8th annual (2024) solutions for the profession competition opens for submissions on wednesday, november 15, 2023., 8th annual competition (2024):, the vin foundation’s 8th annual (2024) solutions for the profession competition has closed. please check back for updates, or sign up above to be notified of updates via email..

The 8th annual (2024) VIN Foundation Solutions for the Profession Competition was open to all students (domestic & international) currently enrolled in veterinary school.

Three entrants won scholarships to help support tuition and education related expenses:

First place: $5,000 Second place: $3,000 Third place: $1,500

Telemedicine

There are current efforts to expand the use of telemedicine and alter the criteria for establishing a veterinarian-client-patient relationship (VCPR).

Entrants must answer the following two questions in their essay:

• What are the pros and cons for veterinarians, clients and patients that will result from these efforts?
• If you were able to dictate the outcome of this issue, what would you propose as the best framework to maximize the benefits and minimize the risks to veterinarians, clients and patients?
• First place was awarded to Febbry Setiawan (University of Pretoria 2025) for the essay titled, Paws and Pixels: The Digital Leap in Veterinarian-Client-Patient Relationships.
• Second place was awarded to Jake Kline (VA-MD Regional College of Veterinary Medicine 2024) for the essay titled, Telemedicine, The Future Integration in Veterinary Medicine?
• Third place was awarded to Alaire Comyn (Iowa State University 2027) for the essay titled, Telemedicine: An Opportunity to Educate the Public.

FIRST PLACE:

• First place was awarded to Danielle Keerbs (Cornell College of Veterinary Medicine 2026) for the essay titled, Obsolescence vs Adaptability: An Analysis of the Veterinary Clinical Education Paradigm .

SECOND PLACE:

• Second place was awarded to Morgan Weed (UC Davis School of Veterinary Medicine 2026) for the essay titled, Trend or Tried and True – The Distributive and Teaching Hospital Models in Veterinary Schools.

THIRD PLACE:

• Third place was awarded to Dionne Rasquinha (UC Davis School of Veterinary Medicine 2025) for the essay titled, The Future of Veterinary Medicine is in Our Teaching Hospitals .

The 8th annual (2024) VIN Foundation Solutions for the Profession Competition is open to all students (domestic & international) currently enrolled in veterinary school.

Three entrants will win scholarships to help support tuition and education related expenses:

WORD LIMIT:

1,000 words (not including references or titles) This is a strict parameter and all essay submissions higher than 1,000 (not including references or titles) will be automatically dismissed.

All essays must be submitted in English .

All essays must be submitted in Microsoft Word format .

Judging is based on how well student essay submission describes their assessment of the topic, along with the originality and practicality of the suggestion(s) and/or solution(s) offered.

The judging takes place in three rounds. Each essay is anonymized and read by at least three evaluators in each round. The panel for round one is composed of the VIN Foundation Solutions for the Profession Committee made up of both veterinarians and related professional readers. The second round will be judged by veterinarians with insight into the relevant issues discussed in the essays. The third round will be judged by leaders in the veterinary profession

Competition is now closed for submissions.

Winners announced: Wednesday, May 15, 2024 (updated date)

ESSAY SUBMISSION:

Essays must be submitted online. Only one entry per student.

Please check back on Wednesday, November 15, 2023 when the scholarship opens to submit an essay.

Please share the VIN Foundation Solutions for the Profession Competition with your friends and networks. 

• Phone: 888.616.6506

PLEASE CHECK BACK FOR WINNERS ANNOUNCED FRIDAY, APRIL 21, 2023. ALL ENTRANTS WILL RECEIVE ANNOUNCEMENT EMAIL.

The 7th annual (2023) VIN Foundation Solutions for the Profession Competition was open to all students (domestic & international) currently enrolled in veterinary school.

Three winners earned scholarships to help support tuition and education related expenses (winnings were increased this year thanks to donations!) :

Veterinary Teaching Hospitals Until 2010, only a few veterinary schools operated a distributed clinical education model, having students receive their clinical training at other schools or private practices. In the last decade, several new schools have adopted this model, with students having the majority of their clinical education at private practices.

Please answer both of the following questions in your essay submission: 1. Explain why this has been a positive, negative or inconsequential change for the profession? 2. Do you think this trend should be continued or should veterinary schools be required to operate a teaching hospital to train students?

Judging was  based on how well student essay submission described their assessment of the topic, along with the originality and practicality of the suggestion(s) and/or solution(s) offered.

The judging takes place in three rounds. Each essay is anonymized and read by at least three evaluators in each round. The panel for round one is composed of the VIN Foundation Solutions for the Profession Committee made up of both veterinarians and related professional readers. The second round is judged by veterinarians with insight into the relevant issues discussed in the essays. The third round is judged by leaders in the veterinary profession

Competition closed: Friday, January 20, 2023 11:59pm PT

Winners announced: Friday, April 21, 2023

PREVIOUS YEARS WINNERS:

7th annual competition (2023):.

Veterinary Teaching Hospitals:

Until 2010, only a few veterinary schools operated a distributed clinical education model, having students receive their clinical training at other schools or private practices. In the last decade, several new schools have adopted this model, with students having the majority of their clinical education at private practices.

Entrants were asked to answer both of the following questions in their essay submission: 1. Explain why this has been a positive, negative or inconsequential change for the profession? 2. Do you think this trend should be continued or should veterinary schools be required to operate a teaching hospital to train students?

6th Annual Competition (2022):

Staff shortages:

Many businesses have been experiencing a shortage of workers. Although COVID has exacerbated the situation, veterinary practices have had great difficulty finding both doctors and support staff since well before the pandemic started. The following 3 question needed to be addressed in the essay submissions:

• What do you believe are the main causes of this staffing shortage in veterinary practices?
• How will this affect you?
• What actions can be taken to improve the situation?
• First place was awarded to Ian Doody (Virginia-Maryland Regional College of Veterinary Medicine 2022) for the essay titled,  Labor Shortages in Veterinary Medicine .
• Second place was awarded to Elyse Politica (University of Florida College of Veterinary Medicine 2025) for the essay titled,  Extinguishing the Fire Before Burnout Takes Over .
• Third place was awarded to Elizabeth Handberg(University of Florida College of Veterinary Medicine 2025) for the essay titled,  From the Ground Up: A Focus on Veterinary Technicians .

NOTABLE MENTIONS:

• Olivier Weber (Utrecht University, faculty of Veterinary Medicine 2025) for the essay titled,  Let Students Work Against Veterinary Employee Shortages .
• Katherine Keane(University of Pennsylvania School of Veterinary Medicine 2023) for the essay titled,  The COVID Silver Lining .

5th Annual Competition (2021):

• First place was awarded to Ashley Wang (University of Pennsylvania School of Veterinary Medicine 2023) for the essay titled, Beyond Checking Off Boxes: Realizing Transformational Change in Diversity Work .
• Second place was awarded to Natalya Redmond (University of Bristol 2024) for the essay titled, Breaking the Cycle .
• Third place was awarded to Hannah Lee (University of Queensland 2021) for the essay titled, Putting the vet in diversity: A proposal for diversifying the veterinary profession .

4th Annual Competition (2020):

• First place was awarded to Ilene Ellis (North Carolina State College of Veterinary Medicine 2023) for the essay titled, Retiring James Herriot; A proposal for modern veterinary education .
• Second place was awarded to Ava Abuchaei (University of California Davis School of Veterinary Medicine 2021) for the essay titled, From Student to Doctor: Evaluating my Veterinary Education .
• Third place tie was awarded to Allison Hale (Washington State University College of Veterinary Medicine 2020) for the essay titled, A Perfect Education .
• Runner up was acknowledged to Imani Williams (Tuskegee University School of Veterinary Medicine 2022) for the essay titled, The Great Divide; Is the veterinary school education you are receiving effective, efficient, and relevant to your career goals?
• Runner up was acknowledged to Amanda Chase (University of Georgia College of Veterinary Medicine 2021) for the essay titled, Is My Veterinary Education Up to Me?

3rd Annual Competition (2019):

• First place was awarded to Joanne Yi for her big fish little fish perspective on corporations versus the independent practices. Joanne is a second year student at the University of Calgary Veterinary Medicine.
• Second place went to Joseph Marchell for his financial viewpoint on the impact of consolidation on the profession. Joseph is set to graduate this year from Washington State University, College of Veterinary Medicine.
• Annie Showers won third place with her in-depth approach to polling hundreds of practicing veterinarians for their responses on the pros and cons of corporate ownership. Annie is a second year student at Ohio State University, College of Veterinary Medicine.

2nd Annual Competition (2018):

• First place was awarded to Paige Livingston , for her essay on ways to improve student debt education. Paige is entering her fourth year as a student at the University of California at Davis, School of Veterinary Medicine.
• Second place went to Cheyenne Cannarozzo for her innovative suggestion to add resilience to the core competency requirements for veterinary students. Cheyenne is entering her third year at the Cornell University, College of Veterinary Medicine.
• Linnea Thraen won third place with her essay highlighting the need for improved business management education in veterinary school. Linnea has just graduated the University of Minnesota, School of Veterinary Medicine.

1st Annual Competition (2017):

• First place was awarded to Hanum Wensil-Strow for her thought-provoking essay on the veterinary student debt situation. Hanum is in her fourth year has a student at the University of Pennsylvania School of Veterinary Medicine. She is interested in large animal medicine and wildlife conservation.
• Second place went to Shannon Finn for her innovative approach to the mental health issues challenging colleagues in the veterinary profession. Shannon is in her fourth and final year at the Ontario Veterinary College in Guelph, Canada. She is hoping to go into rural food animal practice upon graduation, but also has interests in public health and regulatory medicine.
• Alexandra Ripperger won third place for her inventive approach to gender inequality. Alexandra is in her fourth year as a veterinary student at the University of Minnesota. She enjoys working with small animals, and small ruminants/camelids.

TERMS & CONDITIONS:

© 2005 – 2024 VIN Foundation. All rights reserved.

Application Review (45%)

This review covers applicant’s essays, recommendations, extracurricular/community service activities, animal, veterinary, research, and work experience, personal development, diversity, and any special circumstances. Each of these items is considered and contributes to the overall impression of the applicant. 

Applicants are reviewed by Iowa State University employees who have been trained to closely adhere to the evaluation rubric created by the Admissions Committee.  The reliability of reviews is ensured through rater training and statistical quality control.

VMCAS Essay

VMCAS requires a statement of purpose which asks students to explain their wish to pursue a career in veterinary medicine.

Recommendations

Three electronic letters of evaluation are required. Up to six electronic letters of evaluation will be accepted. All applicants are  strongly encouraged to have at least four letters of recommendation in case one of their evaluators is unable to meet the evaluation deadline. Persons chosen to submit letters of recommendation should know the applicant well and be able to speak to their personal characteristics and attributes. Do not choose an evaluator solely on the basis of their job or position. It is preferred that the evaluators write comments or upload a letter in addition to completing the electronic form. Suggested evaluators are veterinarians, advisors, professors and employers although others are also acceptable. Evaluations should support the applicant’s experiences and should confirm their commitment, maturity, work ethic, leadership skills and communication skills with examples. Applicants are strongly encouraged  to have a recommendation from at least one veterinarian.  Evaluators cannot be related to the applicant by blood or marriage.  Letters submitted by a family member will not be evaluated and will not count as one of the three required letters. 

The Admissions Committee may contact references directly if further information or clarification is needed.

Additional Application Essay

Additional Iowa State questions are included in the “Program Materials” section of VMCAS. However, the  Supplemental Application  is required as well. 

Extracurricular/Community Activities

Includes leadership roles, depth of involvement and accomplishments in university clubs, community organizations and varsity athletics.

Veterinary/Animal/Research Experience

Veterinary, animal and/or research experience may be voluntary or paid but must be completed under the supervision of a veterinarian or PhD scientist if it is research experience.

The applicant is expected to have at least 200 hours of quality experience (veterinary/animal/research) from which the applicant should be able to demonstrate knowledge and understanding of the veterinary profession. The diversity, level of responsibility, and breadth of the experience is considered. Diverse experiences are encouraged. This could include experiences with companion animal, equine, production animal, research, or zoological veterinary medicine. The goal of veterinary experience is to give the applicant a good understanding of the breadth and depth of the veterinary profession. Partial credit may be given for less than 200 hours of experience. Pet ownership and educational coursework is not considered under experience.

Personal Development

Personal development includes skills and activities outside of coursework and employment. Examples include study abroad, accomplishments and participation in community and civic organizations, achievements in varsity athletics or organized sports clubs, fluency in more than one language, achievement in dance, theater, music, art, photography and similar hobbies.

Welcoming Environment

The AVMA strives to educate its members regarding the value of diversity within businesses and workplaces, and its role in improving animal and human health and advancing the veterinary medical profession in an ever-changing world. As an AVMA accredited institution, Iowa State University shares this goal and seeks to contribute to an environment where all people are valued, appreciated, and respected. Factors influencing an applicant’s score in this category include experiences, activities and academic work that demonstrate an ability and desire to contribute to an environment consistent with these goals.   

Special circumstances

Special circumstances include factors which may have adversely affected the applicant’s academic record. These factors and how the applicant overcame them are considered.

NOTE:  The Admissions Committee recommends candidates to the Dean based on these established admission criteria. The Dean makes final decisions regarding letters of offer. All selection criteria and their weight in the evaluation are subject to change without notice upon Admissions Committee review. 

Updated 03/04/2024

6 Medical School Diversity Essay Examples (Ranked Best to Worst!)

Most medical school diversity essay prompts give little away when it comes to helping you with ideas on what to write. Without seeing examples? It’s incredibly difficult to know where to get started!

As a medical student with an undergrad in English, I thought I’d run my eye over some of the web’s popular medical school diversity essay examples.

Ranking these six examples from best to worst, I’ll give a critique of each along the way.

All with the hope of better helping you craft your own diversity essays with a bit more ease and expertise!

Ready to get started? Let’s go.

Want some quick writing tips first? Check out this article;  How To Write An Awesome Diversity Essay In Medical School (5 Quick Tips) .

I’ll be ranking each of these from, what I feel, is the worst to best.

Note : It’s not my intention to be disparaging (having any one of these examples is a huge plus), but rather entertaining. I hope it’ll be fun figuring out what I’d look for if I was part of a Med School Admissions Team!

Medical School Diversity Essay Examples

Make sure you click through the links on each of these essays. Not only does this help give credit to other people’s work, but you’ll also benefit from their own explanations and critique!

6. Diverse Backgrounds – Chronicles of a Medical Student

My father gave me two things when I was young: early exposure to diverse people and a strong desire to learn to work cross-culturally. But the most important thing he taught me was to be a life-long learner through interaction with people from diverse backgrounds. Our house was always a second home for international students studying at nearby universities. I can remember playing Jenga with Russian engineering students or seeing our kitchen taken over by Korean music students. During college, I continued to learn to relate to people from many backgrounds through an internship to Southeast Asia in 2006. I found that humility and a genuine desire to learn about someone’s culture opened doors to relationships that would have remained closed. If students fail to interact with people of different cultures, preferring to cluster where they are comfortable, the benefit of a diverse campus is lost. My cross-cultural experiences have prepared me to learn to embrace ethnic and cultural diversity. – Chronicles of a Medical Student

This is by no means a bad essay – and there’s a lot of personal relevance that shines through – it’s just that it misses the mark a little when it comes to drawing parallels between the past and the future.

Although the student shows they’ve had a range of experiences that’s brought them into contact with diverse peoples and cultures, it doesn’t really answer how this lends itself to medicine.

Personally, I find myself wanting to know more about how these experiences have shaped this person’s desire to become a doctor!

5. Connecting Through Cultures – BeMo

I am extremely fortunate to have a strong connection to my roots. Spending time in Italy throughout my life has allowed me to see how the ideology of this culture differs from that in the United States. The Italian society is often marred by the stereotype that they are lazy, or not willing to work. I believe that if one truly sees the society from an objective lens, they will see a society that derives their happiness less from material objects and more from love and companionship. Resultantly, there is a monumental emphasis placed on the health and well-being of others. There is always time for a family meal, a coffee with a friend, or an evening walk to clear one’s mind. Growing up my family always made sure everyone had enough to eat, and someone to talk to. I believe in this ideology and view the healthcare field as the opportunity to help others live a full, and fruitful life pursuing their own happiness. Throughout my life, healthcare professionals have consistently given my loved ones the ability to live autonomously and be present in my life. It is a service and a gift that they have given me and a gift I wish to spend my life giving others. My culture, upbringing, and life experiences have fostered my desire to purse medicine and my holistic approach to life. I will bring these elements of empathy and holistic care not only as a training physician, but as a fellow classmate who is there for others through the rigors of medical school.  – BeMo

There’s a lot to like about this essay, especially the way they talk about a different culture (Italy) and how it fuels that desire to become a physician.

Where I feel it could be lacking is in drawing upon specific experiences (extracurriculars) diverse enough to pair well with an application.

They perhaps waste the second paragraph a little by repeating a similar sentiment; “a desire to pursue medicine and a holistic approach to life.”

It’s maybe just a bit too unspecific and uncreative.

4. Sharing Passions – Shemassian Consulting

There are many things a girl could be self-conscious about growing up, such as facial hair, body odor, or weight gain. Growing up with a few extra pounds than my peers, I was usually chosen last for team sports and struggled to run a 10-minute mile during P.E. classes. As I started to despise school athletics, I turned towards other hobbies, such as cooking and Armenian dance, which helped me start anew with a healthier lifestyle. Since then, I have channeled my passions for nutrition and exercise into my volunteering activities, such as leading culinary workshops for low-income residents of Los Angeles, organizing community farmer’s markets, or conducting dance sessions with elderly patients. I appreciate not only being able to bring together a range of people, varying in age, socioeconomic status, and ethnicity, but also helping instill a sense of confidence and excitement that comes with making better lifestyle decisions. I have enjoyed encouraging kids in the inner city to combat similar issues of weight gain and low self-esteem through after-school gardening and physical activity lessons. Now, I hope to share my love for culinary nutrition and fitness with fellow medical students at UCLA. As students, we can become better physicians by passing on health and nutrition information to future patients, improving quality of life for ourselves and others. – Shemassian Consulting

This is an example of just how creative you can get when it comes to essay writing – especially when you might not consider yourself “typically diverse” too!

The experiences of this applicant are ones that most of us, growing up in the West, are familiar with. Yet they expertly turn these “standard problems” into something personal that communicates to the reader why they got involved with volunteering and community projects in the first place (i.e. not just because med school admissions teams told them they had to!)

Even if the bottom line is a little generic; “passing on health and nutrition information to future patients”; it’s that honesty at the beginning that makes it seem like a genuine essay.

The way it addresses the school specifically is another nice touch.

3. Multiple Identities – Motivate MD

In Peace Corps training, we learned a metaphor for our service.  If our home, America, was a circle, our new community could be described as a square. We, as volunteers, were triangles. The point? We were part of each; not quite one, nor the other, but able to recognize both as valid ways of being. Most of us have multiple identities. I also bring practice of inhabiting the middle; the boat in a channel between islands. In one of my favorite novels, Ann Patchett’s Bel Canto, the story of international diplomats held hostage at a party, the translator plays a central role. It is he who must interpret and communicate; give voice to space between characters. As a Returned Peace Corps Volunteer, oldest child, and part of a mixed-race family, I’ve had many opportunities to translate; on behalf of my siblings (to my parents), my parents (to my siblings), Belizean villagers, & others in my health advocacy work. My “triangular” identity helps me approach problems differently. _______Medical School is a place for visionary thinking; a community of innovators. I want to be part of curiosity-driven inquiry; translating differences & supporting evidence based solutions to health problems. I see my role as one that can only be attempted through willingness to understand others. My greatest contribution to the medical school community at _________will be my ability to stand in two places, ears & heart open, facilitating dialogue & sharing my perspective from a place of collaborative appreciation. Growth cannot occur in a silo. It begins in learning from & with other people, recognizing the value of all identities. – Motivate MD

This is a really awesome example that’s formatted perfectly.

Compact, punchy, and making great use of metaphor, this does so many right things when it comes to putting together a strong diversity essay.

What I like most about it is the way it plays on the cultural background of the applicant to explain how they will contribute to the school’s community moving forward.

This is a really important thing to consider!

But what’s also neat is the way they link reading and literature to their own cross-cultural role. That’s a nice creative flourish.

2. Diversity Through Faith – University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine

In the sweating discomfort of the summertime heat, I walked through Philadelphia International Airport with several overweight bags, tired eyes, and a bad case of Shigella. Approaching Customs, I noticed the intensity and seriousness on the faces of the customs officers whose responsibility were to check passports and question passengers. As I moved closer to the front of the line, I noticed someone reading a foreign newspaper. The man was reading about the Middle Eastern conflict, a clash fueled by religious intolerance. What a sharp contrast to Ghana, I thought. I had just spent three weeks in Ghana. While there I worked, studied their religions, ate their food, traveled and contracted malaria. Despite all of Ghana’s economic hardships, the blending of Christianity, Islam, and traditional religion did not affect the health of the country. When I reached the front of the line, the customs officer glanced at my backpack and with authoritative curiosity asked me, “What are you studying?” I responded in a fatigued, yet polite voice, “Religious studies with a pre-med track.” Surprised, the officer replied rhetorically, “Science and religion, interesting, how does that work?” This was not the first time I had encountered the bewildered facial expression or this doubtful rhetorical question. I took a moment to think and process the question and answered, “With balance.” Throughout my young life I have made an effort to be well-rounded, improve in all facets of my personal life, and find a balance between my personal interests and my social responsibility. In my quest to understand where I fit into society, I used service to provide a link between science and my faith. Science and religion are fundamentally different; science is governed by the ability to provide evidence to prove the truth while religion’s truth is grounded on the concept of faith. Physicians are constantly balancing the reality of a person’s humanity and the illness in which they are caring for. The physicians I have found to be most memorable and effective were those who were equally as sensitive and perceptive of my spirits as they were of my symptoms. Therefore, my desire to become a physician has always been validated, not contradicted by my belief system. In serving, a person must sacrifice and give altruistically. When one serves they sacrifice their self for others benefit. Being a servant is characterized by leading by example and striving to be an advocate for equity. As a seventh grade math and science teacher in the Philadelphia public school system, everyday is about sacrifice and service. I sacrifice my time before, during and after-school; tutoring, mentoring and coaching my students. I serve with vigor and purpose so that my students can have opportunities that many students from similar backgrounds do not have. However, without a balance my effectiveness as a teacher is compromised. In February, I was hospitalized twice for a series of asthma attacks. Although I had been diagnosed with asthma, I had not had an attack since I was in middle school. Consequently, the physicians attributed my attacks to high stress, lack of sleep, and poor eating habits. It had become clear to me that my unrelenting drive to provide my students with a sound math and science education without properly balancing teaching and my personal life negatively impacted my ability to serve my students. I believe this experience taught me a lesson that will prove to be invaluable as a physician. Establishing an equilibrium between my service and my personal life as a physician will allow me to remain connected to the human experience; thus enabling me to serve my patients with more compassion and effectiveness. Throughout my travels and experiences I have seen the unfortunate consequences of not having equitable, quality health care both domestically and abroad. While many take having good health for granted, the financial, emotional, mental, and physical effects illnesses have on individuals and families can have a profound affect on them and the greater society. Illness marks a point in many people’s lives where they are most vulnerable, thus making a patient’s faith and health care providers vital to their healing process. My pursuit to blend the roles of science and religion formulate my firm belief that health care providers are caretakers of God’s children and have a responsibility to all of humanity. Nevertheless, I realize my effectiveness and success as a physician will be predicated mostly on my ability to harmonize my ambition with my purpose. Therefore, I will always answer bewildered looks with the assurance that my faith and my abilities will allow me to serve my patients and achieve what I have always strived for and firmly believe in, balance. – University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine

First things first, you’re incredibly unlikely to get the chance to write this much for a diversity essay.

Most of the prompts you’ll see from med schools are in the 500 words range. As evidenced in the following article…

Related : Medical School Diversity Essay Prompts (21 Examples)

What I love about this example here however is the narrative. This essay really paints a picture. And has an awesome hook in its opening about the writer experiencing shigellosis!

Other things it does excellently include discussing diverse experiences (teaching, preaching, illness, etc.) and showing a firm understanding of the roles doctors play across societies and cultures.

It shows real passion and drive, as well as someone struggling on a more personal level to make sense of their own journey.

I imagine this would stand out well from the crowd.

1. Exploring Narratives – Morgan (The Crimson)

I started writing in 8th grade when a friend showed me her poetry about self-discovery and finding a voice. I was captivated by the way she used language to bring her experiences to life. We began writing together in our free time, trying to better understand ourselves by putting a pen to paper and attempting to paint a picture with words. I felt my style shift over time as I grappled with challenges that seemed to defy language. My poems became unstructured narratives, where I would use stories of events happening around me to convey my thoughts and emotions. In one of my earliest pieces, I wrote about a local boy’s suicide to try to better understand my visceral response. I discussed my frustration with the teenage social hierarchy, reflecting upon my social interactions while exploring the harms of peer pressure. In college, as I continued to experiment with this narrative form, I discovered medical narratives. I have read everything from Manheimer’s Bellevue to Gawande’s Checklist and from Nuland’s observations about the way we die to Kalanithi’s struggle with his own decline. I even experimented with this approach recently, writing a piece about my grandfather’s emphysema. Writing allowed me to move beyond the content of our relationship and attempt to investigate the ways time and youth distort our memories of the ones we love. I have augmented these narrative excursions with a clinical bioethics internship. In working with an interdisciplinary team of ethics consultants, I have learned by doing by participating in care team meetings, synthesizing discussions and paths forward in patient charts, and contributing to an ongoing legislative debate addressing the challenges of end-of-life care. I have also seen the ways ineffective intra-team communication and inter-personal conflicts of beliefs can compromise patient care. By assessing these difficult situations from all relevant perspectives and working to integrate the knowledge I’ve gained from exploring narratives, I have begun to reflect upon the impact the humanities can have on medical care. In a world that has become increasingly data-driven, where patients can so easily devolve into lists of numbers and be forced into algorithmic boxes in search of an exact diagnosis, my synergistic narrative and bioethical backgrounds have taught me the importance of considering the many dimensions of the human condition. I am driven to become a physician who deeply considers a patient’s goal of care and goals of life. I want to learn to build and lead patient care teams that are oriented toward fulfilling these goals, creating an environment where family and clinician conflict can be addressed efficiently and respectfully. Above all, I look forward to using these approaches to keep the person beneath my patients in focus at each stage of my medical training, as I begin the task of translating complex basic science into excellent clinical care – Morgan, Harvard Med Matriculant; The Crimson

You can see why this student successfully made it into Harvard Med!

Again, they tell a story. They hook us in curiously with a statement that we want to know the answer to. And we continue reading while the greater narrative unfurls.

What this example does perfectly is interweaving the personal with the playful while showing a diversity of thought (writing about a local boy’s suicide etc) and a commitment to expanding her perspective.

Showing (not telling) how this pastime has enriched her staple extracurriculars (internships, research, clinical experience, etc.), it shows real thought as to the future of medicine and exactly where this future physician wants to take it.

The level of detail and specificity shows that she’s really thought about how she wants to develop her career based on her existing clinical experience.

This is the type of diversity essay I’d aspire to write!

Final Thoughts

Hopefully, in ranking these examples and discussing their finer points, you have some better ideas about how you might want to approach writing your own diversity essays.

While it’s impossible to really comment on the appropriateness of each example, namely because we don’t know the exact prompt, they still give plenty of food for thought.

Just remember to follow your own prompts where possible, and make sure to go over your school’s mission statements to help tailor your own essays.

I’m pretty confident you can write essays as effective as these!

Related Articles

• How To Conclude Your Medical School Personal Statement

Born and raised in the UK, Will went into medicine late (31) after a career in journalism. He’s into football (soccer), learned Spanish after 5 years in Spain, and has had his work published all over the web. Read more .

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Russia - Moscow State Academy of Veterinary Medicine and Biotechnology

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• 2 Introduction
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[[File:<!insert file name here>.jpg]] [[File:<!insert file name here>.jpg]]

Introduction

In the year 1919 initiated by prominent scientists and veterinary specialists and in accordance with the Governments decision two higher schools were set up in Moscow. They were Moscow higher zootechnical institute and Moscow veterinary institute. During the Second World War the Academy was evacuated in the town of Samarqand and continued training high skilled personnel for agriculture.

Afterwards the academy returned to Moscow and since 1955 as a result of abolition of the fur institute the faculties of veterinary and commodity experts were affiliated to it. In 1973 the Academy was named after academician K.I. Skryabin.

The great scientists V.M.Koropov, S.I.Afonsky, V.M.Danilevsky, A.D.Belov, V.P.Shishkov played a large role in the academy formation.

K.I.Skryabin was one of the first deans of the veterinary faculty. He was the very person to make an important contribution in the academy development as well as in the development of the veterinary education as a whole.

Doctor of biology, professor, academician of the Russian academy of agricultural science, major-general of medical service E.S. Voronin has headed the academy since 1998. Nowadays the academy is under the jurisdiction of the Department for scientific-technological politics and education of the Ministry of Agriculture of Russian Federation.

The highly qualified academic staff and attendant personnel like their work and the Academy; they inventively perfect educational practice and take active part in working out of relevant scientific challenges.

There are 40 departments in the Academy. 17 departments belong to the faculty of veterinary medicine. 258 scientists with Ph.D. degree and 87 scientists with D.Sc. degree work at the departments of the Academy. Four academicians of the Russian Academy of Agricultural Science and four corresponding members of the Russian Academy of Agricultural Science work at the Academy. The Academy has the faculty of advance training of the personnel. The faculty gives short term courses to rise up the level of professional skills for personnel of research institutes, diagnostic laboratories, and academic staff of the institutes in Russia, Commonwealth of Independent States, and other foreign countries.

Students are organized in groups of 18-22 people.

For laboratory classes the group is divided into two sub-groups of 9-11 students. Each group has a monitor who organizes cultural, sports, and social activities.

Students have the following kinds of classes: -Lectures delivered to present theoretical course. -Laboratory and practical classes. -Science and practice conferences. -Tests. -Tutorials. -Self studies including activities under lecturers supervision.

During the training period students study general professional subjects as well as humanitarian, social, economical, mathematical, natural science (the Latin language, informatics, foreign language, economics, etc.) allowing students to integrate into international community.

At the faculty of veterinary medicine developing of practical skills is considered of great importance for training highly qualified specialists. Students do practical work at training-and-experimental agricultural enterprises, veterinary clinics, laboratories, pharmacies, veterinary and sanitary inspection laboratories, meat and milk processing plants. The students do practical work under supervision of highly skilled specialists (lecturers, head veterinary doctors, heads of veterinary offices, etc). During the practical course students obtain practical skills nailing down theoretical knowledge.

The Academy has the central training building, anatomical, laboratory, and clinical buildings. In the central training building there are departments of philosophy, social-and-humanitarian science, informatics, mathematics, physics, biophysics, inorganic and analytical chemistry, animals feeding, zoohygiene.

In the anatomical building there are departments of anatomy and histology of animals, pathological physiology, pathological anatomy.

In the clinical building there are departments of veterinary surgery, internal noninfectious diseases, internal non-contagious diseases, parasitology and invasive diseases in animals, clinical diagnostics and diseases of young animals. In the laboratory building there are departments and laboratories of infectious circle as follows: epizootology, infectious diseases, microbiology, virusology and others. The departments are equipped with modern arrangements; all lecture halls have multimedia equipment.

Here is a sports centre in the Academy where students can play minifootball, table tennis, basketball, billiard, take up karate and weightlifting in the gym.

All nonresident and foreign students and post graduate students are provided with the hostel. There is a canteen in the hostel. Students are accommodated in furnished double rooms with separated lavatory and all the necessary arrangements for living and studies. Internet is available in each room.

The Academy has 12 unique museums as follows: anatomical, pathologoanatomical, zoological, fur animal breeding, the museum of academician K.I.Skryabin, and others.

School name

Moscow state academy of veterinary medicine and biotechnology named K.I. Skryabin

Established

Principal's name, total number of students, number of undergraduates, number of postgraduates, website address.

http://www.mgavm.ru

Contact details

Address: Akademika Skryabina street 23 City: Moscow, Russia Postal Code: 109472 Tel: +7(495)377-9332 Fax: +7(495)377-4939 E-mail: [email protected]

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PEOPLE Hosts Inaugural Badger Day to Welcome Incoming Freshman Class

On Saturday, April 20, the Precollege Enrichment Opportunity Program for Learning Excellence , also known as PEOPLE, hosted their inaugural Badger Day to welcome the incoming freshman class arriving in the fall.

The event welcomed 68 of the 95 admitted students from PEOPLE and Information Technology Academy (ITA) to honor their accomplishments of becoming a PEOPLE College Scholar at UW – Madison.

The PEOPLE’s Badger Day resembles a college singing day, embracing future Badgers and fostering a strong sense of dedication, pride, and belonging while also providing them with tools and resources for a successful transition into their academic careers.

“Our incoming PEOPLE Scholars have demonstrated their commitment to academic excellence and success throughout their high school years,” said PEOPLE Director Kia Hunter. “We are honored to welcome them as future Badger leaders, and we will continue to advance college access and success for students from historically underrepresented backgrounds to create a community of many perspectives here at UW–Madison.”

The UW – Madison’s PEOPLE program is housed within the Division of Diversity, Equity and Educational Achievement (DDEEA). Since 1999, the PEOPLE program has been preparing low income and potential first-generation high school students in Madison and Milwaukee to succeed at the Universities of Wisconsin institutions. PEOPLE provides essential preparation for students to focus their ability on building and mastering academic knowledge, building cognitive strategies and self-management skills, and to learn about college through experiential learning.

ITA is another precollege program that serves high school students from the Lac du Flambeau, Madison, and Oneida communities and surrounding areas. The program provides opportunities for students to reach their full potential through hands-on technology coursework, college preparatory academics, and personal wellness development that supports their successful competition of high school and matriculation into higher education. The primary goal of the ITA program is to prepare students to be competitive applicants for UW – Madison.

This year marks the 25 th anniversary of the PEOPLE program.

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Guest Essay

The West Doesn’t Understand How Much Russia Has Changed

By Alexander Gabuev

Mr. Gabuev, the director of the Carnegie Russia Eurasia Center, wrote from Berlin.

Vladimir Putin’s trip to Beijing this week, where he will meet with Xi Jinping and top Chinese officials, is another clear demonstration of the current closeness between Russia and China.

Yet many in the West still want to believe that their alliance is an aberration, driven by Mr. Putin’s emotional anti-Americanism and his toxic fixation on Ukraine. Once Mr. Putin and his dark obsessions are out of the picture, the thinking goes , Moscow will seek to rebuild ties with the West — not least because the bonds between Russia and China are shallow, while the country has centuries of economic and cultural dependence on Europe.

This wishful view, however appealing, overlooks the transformation of Russia’s economy and society. Never since the fall of the Soviet Union has Russia been so distant from Europe, and never in its entire history has it been so entwined with China. The truth is that after two years of war in Ukraine and painful Western sanctions, it’s not just Mr. Putin who needs China — Russia does, too.

China has emerged as Russia’s single most important partner, providing a lifeline not only for Mr. Putin’s war machine but also for the entire embattled economy. In 2023, Russia’s trade with China hit a record $240.1 billion, up by more than 60 percent from prewar levels, as China accounted for 30 percent of Russia’s exports and nearly 40 percent of its imports.

Before the war, Russia’s trade with the European Union was double that with China; now it’s less than half. The Chinese yuan, not the dollar or the euro, is now the main currency used for trade between the two countries, making it the most traded currency on the Moscow stock exchange and the go-to instrument for savings.

This economic dependence is filtering into everyday life. Chinese products are ubiquitous and over half of the million cars sold in Russia last year were made in China. Tellingly, the top six foreign car brands in Russia are now all Chinese, thanks to the exodus of once dominant Western companies. It’s a similar story in the smartphone market, where China’s Xiaomi and Tecno have eclipsed Apple and Samsung, and with home appliances and many other everyday items.

These shifts are tectonic. Even in czarist times, Russia shipped its commodities to Europe and relied on imports from the West of manufactured goods. Russia’s oligarchs, blacklisted by most Western countries, have had to adapt to the new reality. Last month, the businessman Vladimir Potanin, whose fortune is estimated at $23.7 billion, announced that his copper and nickel empire would reorient toward China, including by moving production facilities into the country. “If we’re more integrated into the Chinese economy,” he said, “we’ll be more protected.”

From the economy, education follows. Members of the Russian elite are scrambling to find Mandarin tutors for their kids, and some of my Russian contacts are thinking about sending their children to universities in Hong Kong or mainland China now that Western universities are much harder to reach. This development is more than anecdotal. Last year, as China opened up after the pandemic, 12,000 Russian students went to study there — nearly four times as many than to the United States.

This reorientation from West to East is also visible among the middle class, most notably in travel. There are now, for example, five flights a day connecting Moscow and Beijing in under eight hours, with a return ticket costing about $500. By contrast, getting to Berlin — one of many frequent European weekend destinations for middle-class Russians before the war — can now take an entire day and cost up to twice as much.

What’s more, European cities are being replaced as Russian tourist destinations by Dubai, Baku in Azerbaijan and Istanbul, while business trips are increasingly to China, Central Asia or the Gulf . Locked out of much of the West, which scrapped direct flights to Russia and significantly reduced the availability of visas for Russians, middle-class Russians are going elsewhere.

Intellectuals are turning toward China, too. Russian scientists are beginning to work with and for Chinese companies, especially in fields such as space exploration, artificial intelligence and biotech . Chinese cultural influence is also growing inside Russia. With Western writers like Stephen King and Neil Gaiman withdrawing the rights to publish their work in Russia, publishers are expanding their rosters of Chinese works. Supported by lavish grants for translators from the Chinese government, this effort is set to bring about a boom in Chinese books.

Chinese culture will not replace Western culture as Russians’ main reference point any time soon. But a profound change has taken place. From the other side of the Iron Curtain, Europe was seen as a beacon of human rights, prosperity and technological development, a space that many Soviet citizens aspired to be part of.

Now a growing number of educated Russians, on top of feeling bitterness toward Europe for its punitive sanctions, see China as a technologically advanced and economically superior power to which Russia is ever more connected. With no easy way back to normal ties with the West, that’s unlikely to change anytime soon.

In his dystopian novel “ Day of the Oprichnik ,” Vladimir Sorokin describes a deeply anti-Western Russia of 2028 that survives on Chinese technology while cosplaying the medieval brutality of Ivan the Terrible’s era. With every passing day, this unsettling and foresighted novel — published in 2006 as a warning to Russia about the direction of travel under Mr. Putin — reads more and more like the news.

Alexander Gabuev ( @AlexGabuev ) is the director of the Carnegie Russia Eurasia Center in Berlin.

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