Doctor of Veterinary Medicine

About this programme

The Western College of Veterinary Medicine (WCVM) serves as the premier centre of veterinary education, research and clinical expertise for all of Western Canada. The following website is applicable to western Canadians and individuals from the Canadian territories who meet the WCVM residency guidelines . Through the Interprovincial Agreement (IPA), the western Canadian provinces (B.C., Saskatchewan and Manitoba) provide funding for a minimum of 88 first-year seats — including designated seats for Indigenous and agriculture-focused applicants . Veterinary medicine focuses on animal health and the study of diseases that affect all animal species. Veterinarians receive comprehensive training in all basic and clinical sciences with relation to a variety of species, including food‑producing animals, horses, companion animals, exotic pets and wildlife. This program prepares you to meet the needs of animal health care in Western Canada and beyond. Our curriculum allows you to pursue personal interest areas including small, large or exotic animal care, surgery, medical imaging, anesthesiology, pathology, wildlife medicine, or animal-human health-related issues — just to name a few. The veterinary curriculum is very diverse. You will learn about how the healthy body works, how it is disrupted and how to diagnose and treat various ailments. You will also learn about how animals are managed and how to keep them healthy. You will gain hands-on experience with animals through formal laboratory exercises, elective courses and fourth-year rotations. You will also receive instructio