Joey Mehlhorn

Qualities and Attributes of Successful Veterinary School Applicants

This study was conducted from the fall of 2014 until the fall of 2016 with the purpose of exploring the common traits found in successful applicants to veterinary school. The study sought to answer the research question, “What should a student who wishes to become a veterinarian focus on and engage in today to ensure they are on a pathway to success in this profession?” A survey was distributed to students in pre-veterinary classes at the University of Tennessee at Martin to gather data with the intention of determining common traits of certain variables. The categories in the survey were general information, career goals, expectations, and academic or personal skills. Once the surveys were returned, data was calculated in Microsoft Excel and compared with similar statistics in the veterinary field. Results showed that 84.5% of the students intend to apply to veterinary school. Additionally, 59.2% either grew up on a farm or have worked on a farm before and 64.1% had work experience at a veterinary clinic. When considering involvement in a youth leadership organization, 79.6% indicated that they were a part of at least one at some point prior to their completion of the survey. Eighty percent of veterinary schools indicate they place a stronger emphasis on experience over strictly academic performance. Therefore, future applicants should compare their qualities with what veterinary school committees look for in candidates to determine whether they are on a pathway toward success in this field of study.