4 Veterinary Schools In The Caribbean

If you are looking for options to study veterinary medicine, this blog post shares information on veterinary schools in the Caribbean that are currently operating. From this article, you can make a better-informed decision on where to get your veterinary degree.

If you are an animal lover, then you may want to consider becoming a veterinarian. Aside from being around cute lovable animals, you get to care and nurture for these animals while earning a high income annually. You will see different cases every day, as well as working with various animal species which can make your work as a veterinarian engaging and interesting.

Veterinary medicine is a branch of medicine that deals with the prevention, control, diagnosis, and treatment of diseases affecting all kinds of wild and domestic animals. A professional that carries out these duties is a veterinarian or a veterinary doctor.

To become a veterinarian, you will first complete 4 years of undergraduate study in science or a related program at an accredited university or college and earn your bachelor’s degree. You may want to consider attending a pre-vet school, just like pre-med school, for your undergraduate degree before you go on to vet school. Going to a pre-vet school prepares you better for vet school and increases your chances of getting accepted into a Doctor of Veterinary Medicine program.

When you complete the undergraduate degree, then you can advance to a veterinary school takes 4 years to complete. Thus, the total years it takes to become a Doctor of Veterinary Medicine (DMV) is 8 years. Just in case you feel like you should test the waters before going into the field, you can decide to take a few online veterinary courses for free.

There are many great veterinary schools around the world, so it is pretty easy to find but it can be hard to find one that suits your need. This can be based on academic quality, your budget, available financial funding, location, and other factors. Thus, when seeking for a veterinary program it is best that you seek for many options till you find the best fit for you. There are veterinary schools in Texas and veterinary colleges in Europe that teach in English as options for you to consider.

There are also veterinary schools in the Caribbean that you can also add to your options then gradually pick out the ones that suit you best and begin applying to them. Just like in our previous veterinary-related articles, this blog post has shared relevant information on the veterinary schools in the Caribbean and why you should consider applying to them.

veterinary schools in the caribbean

Veterinary Schools In The Caribbean

There are only four accredited colleges in the Caribbean offering veterinary programs. Although they are few there are reasons why you may want to consider them. First of all, Caribbean veterinary schools offer rolling admission, this means that they have more than one incoming class every year. It can be up to three incoming classes in the fall, winter, and spring.

The benefit of rolling admission is that you have the opportunity to apply three different times for the vet program in one year rather than just once a year, it also means there are more available spots in the DVM program.

Secondly, veterinary schools in the Caribbean are cheaper in cost, offer financial aid options like scholarships and grants, and the entry requirements are not so tough compared to US and Canadian vet schools. Thirdly, you get to study in the Caribbean, a beautiful and surreal place that just looks out to an endless blue in the distance.

Looking at these reasons could make you consider studying a veterinary program in the Caribbean. Below are the veterinary schools in the Caribbean listed and discussed in no particular order:

  • Ross University School of Veterinary Medicine
  • St. Nicholas University School of Veterinary Medicine
  • St. Matthew’s University
  • St. George’s University School of Veterinary Medicine

1.     Ross University School of Veterinary Medicine

Ross University School of Veterinary Medicine is an accredited higher institution of learning in Basseterre, Saint Kitts and Nevis established in 1982. You can pursue a Doctor of Veterinary Medicine degree or an MSc. Or Ph.D. in Public Health, Global Animal Health, and Conservation Medicine. There are over 500 animals living on the campus and it takes 3.25 years to complete the DVM program.

The program is accredited by AVMA and has three intakes in January, May, and September every year. Students in the DVM program gain experiential practical hands-on skills by working alongside professors and distinguished researchers to make them career-ready when they leave the school walls.

Requirements for the DVM program include a minimum CGPA of 3.2, completing 48 credits of undergraduate coursework, a minimum grade of C in all prerequisite coursework, English proficiency, over 150 hours of work experience, and GRE scores.

2.     St. Nicholas University School of Veterinary Medicine

This veterinary school is located in Canefield, Dominica, and is one of the veterinary schools in the Caribbean that you may want to consider adding to your list. The language of instruction is English, thus, every incoming student into the School of Veterinary Medicine at St. Nicholas University must be proficient in the English language.

The school offers a 4 and 5-year DVM program, you can go for the one that suits you best. Selection into the program is based on your undergraduate CGPA, specific score in prerequisite course work, personal essay, two recommendation letters, research activities, interview, extracurricular activities, and overall academic record. All applicants must be at least 18 years old. The cost for the 4-year DVM program is $99,500.

3.     St. Matthew’s University

This is a private for-profit med school located in Grand Cayman, Cayman Islands in the Caribbean. The university has a School of Veterinary Medicine that has perks such as a maximum of 20 students in each class, scholarships of up to $50,000, and accelerated 3 years.

Doctor of Veterinary Medicine at St. Matthew’s University School of Veterinary Medicine is accredited by the American Association of Veterinary Medical Colleges.

4.     St. George’s University School of Veterinary Medicine

St. George’s University is a private medical school located in Grenada, West Indies offering degrees in medicine, veterinary medicine, public health, nursing, business, arts, and health sciences. You can pursue a reputable and accredited veterinary program here are St. George’s University through its School of Veterinary Medicine.

The school is not just accredited by the American Veterinary Medical Association Council on Education in the US and Canada but is also accredited by the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons in the UK. Thus, when you graduate from the DVM program, you can get your licensure and be eligible to work in the USA, Canada, or the UK. The program takes 4 years to complete and has a student-to-faculty ratio of 10:1.

The DVM program also has other innovative tracks that you can pursue which are dual programs that combine DVM with the Master of Public Health, DVM with the Master of Science, DVM with MBA, and Ph.D. in Veterinary Science.

These are the veterinary Caribbean schools, it is important that you conduct further research on each school to ensure that it meets your academic and career goals.

Recommendations