All candidates considered for admission to Lincoln Memorial University-College of Veterinary Medicine must meet the following requirements.
At least 46 semester or 62 quarter units from a regionally accredited college or university.
*If a student intends to practice in the state of New York, they require at least 60 semester units. Minimum overall 2.8 GPA, or higher in all coursework as calculated by VMCAS.
GRE scores are not required and will not be considered. Instead, LMU-CVM requires the Casper Assessment.
In order to fulfill the prerequisite the coursework must meet the following criteria:
In Progress or Planned Courses: Prerequisite courses can be "in progress" or "planned" at the time you submit your application, however official transcripts reflecting successful completion of those prerequisites must be submitted to LMU by the published deadlines.
Advanced Placement (AP) credits: AP credits will be accepted for pre-requisite courses if they appear on an official college transcript with the subject and number of credits received and are equivalent to the appropriate college-level coursework. A generic listing of "AP credit" or "transfer credit" without the specific subject and number of credits will not be accepted.
| LMU-CVM Prerequisite | Semester Units | Quarter Units | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| Biology | 8 | 12 | General biology series; Lecture & lab |
| Genetics | 3 | 4 | Lecture; Animal Breeding/Reproduction courses must be approved on a case-by-case basis* |
| Biochemistry | 3 | 4 | Lecture |
| Advanced Science Electives | 8 | 12 | Lecture Courses must be 300 level or higherExamples may include Anatomy, Cell Biology, Immunology, Microbiology, Molecular Biology, Physiology, or Virology, depending on your school's course numbering. |
| Organic Chemistry | 6 | 9 | 2-course sequential series of lecture & lab |
| General Chemistry | 6 | 9 | 2-course sequential series of lecture & lab |
| Physics | 3 | 4 | Lecture (Algebra or calculus based acceptable) |
| Anatomy and/or Physiology | 3 | 4 | Lecture and Lab |
| English | 3 | 4 | |
| Social Sciences | 3 | 4 | Potential courses include but are not limited to: Anthropology, Economics, Geography, Philosophy, Political Science or Sociology. Also included: Ethics, Critical Thinking, Cultural Diversity, Social Responsibility, One Health, & Human-Animal Bond |
| Minimum | 46 | 66 |
*To verify if an Animal Breeding/Reproduction course satisfies the Genetics prerequisite, send an email with the course description to VeterinaryAdmissions@LMUnet.edu.
Applicants must complete the LMU-CVM Supplemental Application using LMU's online application site.
All applicants applying to the LMU-CVM are required to complete the Casper exam facilitated by Altus Assessments.
Casper is a 100-120 minute online, open-response situational judgment test. This online assessment measures different competencies and attributes that we believe are important for successful students and graduates of our program. The Casper exam will complement the other tools that we use for applicant review and evaluation. In implementing Casper, we are trying to further enhance fairness and objectivity in our selection process.
Please note that Snapshot and Duet ARE NOT required by the LMU-CVM.
For all applicants who desire to begin classes in January with the Silver cohort, the Casper Assessment should be completed by June 30, 2024.
The technical standards and essential functions established by the faculty require that all candidates possess the physical, cognitive, and behavioral abilities necessary to complete all required aspects of the curriculum and are, therefore, requirements for admission, promotion, and graduation. Although these technical standards and essential functions serve to delineate the necessary minimum physical and mental abilities of all candidates, they are not intended to deter any candidate for whom reasonable accommodation will allow completion of the D.V.M. curriculum. LMU-CVM does not discriminate on the basis of disability and will make reasonable academic accommodations to facilitate enrollment and participation of qualified individuals with disabilities so long as those accommodations do not 1) fundamentally alter the educational program, 2) pose a direct threat to the student, patients, or others, or 3) otherwise create an undue hardship on the LMU-CVM.
All candidates for admission will be considered without regard to their disability status. All candidates receiving a letter of acceptance to LMU-CVM will receive a copy of the Technical Standards & Essential Functions policy. Admission to LMU-CVM is conditioned upon a candidate's ability to perform the essential functions with or without accommodation and meet the technical standards. Candidates are required to acknowledge their understanding of the Technical Standards & Essential Functions policy and certify their ability to perform the essential functions with or without reasonable accommodation to meet the LMU-CVM technical standards. The Acknowledgement and Certification Form must be returned with the Acceptance of Admissions form and deposit.
Candidates must be able to meet the following technical standards and perform all of the following essential functions with or without accommodation:
OBSERVATIONAL SKILLS STANDARDCandidates must be able to observe and participate actively in lectures, laboratories, and demonstrations, in the pre-clinical and clinical curriculum. In the clinical skills courses and during the clinical year, candidates must be able to assess, monitor, and treat patients based on observation both close at hand and at a distance.
Essential functions required to meet this technical standard include, but are not limited to:
· Observe gross anatomic and pathological specimens.
· Perform diagnostic microscopy.
· Observe changes in physical appearance in patients as part of clinical examination.
· Recognize alteration in patients’ condition based on body language.
· Obtain vital physical information from a patient through auscultation, palpation, olfactory differentiation, manipulation.
· Use of vision, somatic sensation, and hearing, including distinguishing the origin of sound from multiple patients in an area or observing signs of distress or aggression.
COMMUNICATION SKILLS STANDARDCandidates must be able to speak understandably and to hear sufficiently in order to obtain and disseminate information from and to clients, colleagues, and veterinary medical professionals.
Essential functions required to meet this technical standard include, but are not limited to:
· Ability to communicate effectively, efficiently, and sensitively either naturally or through an assistive device utilizing verbal, non-verbal, and written communication.
· Ability to communicate during surgical procedures in loud environments while participants are wearing surgical masks. The primary language of instruction will be English.
MOTOR SKILLS STANDARDCandidates must possess sufficient physical strength and coordination to perform daily veterinary functions. In addition, candidates must be able to demonstrate large/gross motor skills needed to perform various daily functions.
Essential functions required to meet this technical standard include, but are not limited to:
· Fine motor tasks, such as diagnostic microscopy, surgical and anatomical instrument handling, palpation of pulses, tendons, bones, and lesions, and patient restraint
· Gross motor tasks, such as movement from danger when handling a patient in variable settings to include confined areas or outdoor pastures; standing for a minimum for two (2) hours, and safe restraint of patients ranging from less than 1-kg to more than 800-kg.
· Physical ability to routinely lift objects and/or animals weighing up to 10-kg to a height of 1 meter.
· Physical ability to occasionally lift objects and/or animals weighing 20-kg to a height of 1 meter.
· Physical ability to carry objects and/or animals weighing 20-kg for a distance of at least 2 meters.
INTELLECTUAL-CONCEPTUAL, INTEGRATIVE AND QUANTITATIVE ABILITIES STANDARDProblem solving is a critical skill required of veterinary medical professionals. Candidates must be able to comprehend three dimensional relationships and understand the spatial relationships of structures. Essential functions required to meet this technical standard include, but are not limited to:
· Independently and accurately calculate algebraic equations in a timely manner,
· Reason, analyze, and synthesize information and significant findings from a history, physical examination, or lab data obtained from patients, clients and colleagues in order to provide a reasoned diagnosis.
· Recall and retain information in settings where reference materials are unavailable
BEHAVIORAL AND SOCIAL ATTRIBUTES STANDARDCandidates must possess emotional health and maturity needed for full utilization of intellectual abilities and good judgment as it relates to patient diagnosis and care.
Essential functions required to meet this technical standard include, but are not limited to:
· Develop relationships which are mature, sensitive, and effective through interactions with clients, colleagues, and veterinary medical professionals.
· Tolerate strenuous workloads under physically and/or mentally stressful conditions and adapt to changing environments and situations.
· Function in the above manner for continuous periods of time longer than eight (8) hours.
· Manage a high case load with multitasking.
· Make timely decisions during emergency situations.
· Maintain collegial behavior in all official academic, extracurricular, and social functions of the LMU-CVM.
· Contribute to a positive work and study atmosphere by reinforcing and promoting a non-threatening cultural environment.
Candidates who may need accommodations to perform essential functions and meet the technical standards are responsible for contacting the Lincoln Memorial University Office of Accessible Education Services (423.869.6587) to request accommodations. The Office of Accessible Education Services and LMU-CVM will engage in an interactive process with the candidate to identify reasonable accommodations that may allow the candidate to complete all required aspects of the curriculum in accordance with LMU’s Accessible Education Services Accommodations Policy and Procedure.
Candidates who are unable to perform an essential function with or without accommodation or are unable to meet a technical standard as determined by LMU-CVM will have their admission rescinded or will be administratively withdrawn from the D.V.M. program. Candidates will be notified in writing of the rescission of admission or administrative withdrawal.
6965 Cumberland Gap Parkway,The Lincoln Memorial University - Richard A. Gillespie College of Veterinary Medicine (LMU-CVM) Doctor of Veterinary Medicine program is accredited by the American Veterinary Medical Association Council on Education (AVMA COE) .
The Lincoln Memorial University - Richard A. Gillespie College of Veterinary Medicine (LMU-CVM) Veterinary Medical Technology degree programs are accredited by the American Veterinary Medical Association Committee on Veterinary Technician Education and Activities (CVTEA) .
Lincoln Memorial University is certified to operate in Virginia by the State Council of Higher Education for Virginia (SCHEV).