Interested in building a career caring for animals and understanding the science that keeps them alive and thriving? Our Master of Veterinary Biomedical Sciences (VBMS) program is for you!
At Lincoln Memorial University, we have strategically designed our VBMS program to provide an advanced level of academic learning in the life sciences through graduate coursework, professional training and research. Our curriculum provides you with the opportunity to take high-level program courses alongside first-year Doctor of Veterinary Medicine (DVM) students at the Richard A. Gillespie College of Veterinary Medicine. Our other advanced courses will provide you with the opportunity to build an established foundation in the sciences, strengthening your familiarity with intricate biological concepts as you work towards a career as a veterinarian or in other areas of animal care.
The majority of our students in the VBMS program seek to pursue veterinary school but have run into a variety of obstacles, be it societal, educational or personal that prevent them from reaching their goal. If you are seeking a doctoral degree but haven't had a traditional path throughout your higher education experience, we're here to help. At LMU, we strive to improve the lives of our students and communities across the Appalachia region by providing you with the benefits you need to succeed.
By providing a solid foundation in the life sciences and assisting you in the development of your professional skills, the VBMS program helps you strengthen your application to veterinary school. This program does NOT guarantee access into any other professional program, at LMU or elsewhere.
The VBMS program is a full-time, in-person graduate program and requires 30 credit hours to complete. If you maintain an average credit load of 15 hours per semester and achieve satisfactory academic progress, you can complete your degree and get started on your veterinary career within just two semesters.
Admission Requirements
Browse the list below to ensure that you meet the requirements for admission into the VBMS degree program! As an applicant, you must have:
- Earned a bachelor's degree from an institution holding regional accreditation or equivalent verification regarding international degrees.
- Maintained a cumulative grade point average (GPA) that, when combined with the 30 credit hours of the VBMS program, will result in at least a 2.8 cumulative GPA (the minimum permitted for admission to LMU-CVM's DVM program).
- Successfully completed the posted prerequisite coursework* with a GPA of at least 2.0 in each subject.
While grade point average (GPA) minimums are recommended for you to achieve a successful academic outcome, they are not the sole determining factor of your academic potential. The VBMS admissions committee will review your application holistically and will ultimately take into consideration any evidence of an improving trajectory in science coursework performance if your GPA is lower than recommended. If you are interested in attending professional schools, we encourage you to consider how the VBMS program's 30 credit hours will impact your overall cumulative GPA.
*You may still apply with unfinished prerequisite coursework, but it is required that official transcripts are submitted to the CVM Graduate Programs office once coursework is completed.
How to Apply
For admission into the Spring semester of our VBMS program, your application must be submitted between July 23 and October 16th. Our admissions committee will review all applications completed and verified within that window in late October with follow-up interviews held in early November. We will notify you of our decision in mid-November. To apply for the Fall semester, your application must be submitted between October 17th and March 29. Our admissions committee will review all applications completed and verified within that window in early April with follow-up interviews held in early to mid-April. We will notify you of our decision between late April and early May.
Required Application Materials
- Complete PostbacCAS Application
- Official transcripts for all institutions attended
- Two (2) letters of recommendation*
- One (1) personal statement professionally articulating a response to the prompt: "How will the VBMS program help you in achieving your career goals?"
- Application fee (PostbacCAS fee + LMU application fee)
- Full CV
*Your letters should be requested from your instructors (natural science instructor recommended), a veterinarian familiar with your experiences in the field of veterinary medicine, or a health professions advisory committee.
VBMS Admission Process
Complete the PostbacCAS Application
- Your application materials must all be uploaded and submitted through PostbacCAS including reference letters.
Initial Review
- Following your submission, you will receive a confirmation from the LMU-CVM Office of Graduate Programs that all of the necessary elements of your application have been received and reviewed. Once your application is confirmed to be completed and verified, it will be forwarded to and evaluated by the VBMS Admissions Committee.
Committee Review
- Your application will then be reviewed by the VBMS Admissions Committee to determine if you meet the needed admission criteria. If you meet the necessary criteria, you will be invited to a committee interview.
Interview
- Once you have passed the initial review, you will be invited to a 10-15 minute interview either on Zoom or over the phone to speak with two faculty or staff members on the VBMS Admissions Committee.
Post-Interview Decision
- After your interview and receipt of additional requested information, the Admissions Committee will make a recommendation to the LMU-CVM Dean on your behalf. We will notify you in writing following the Dean's decision.
If you receive an "Accept" decision, you must still provide any further documentation requested by the CVM Graduate Programs and/or LMU.
Program Outcomes
At Lincoln Memorial University, the goal of our VBMS program is to provide you with high-level academic substance in life science through graduate coursework, professional training, and research with a mission to equip you with the tools needed for your choice of:
- Veterinary medicine programs
- Advanced biomedical training or
- Entry into the biomedical field
Upon completion of the VBMS degree program, you will be ready to take matters into your own hands and explore an area of the primary literature of the life sciences, analyze and critique published research reports and communicate about life sciences in formal oral and written modalities.
You will be granted an interview with the LMU-CVM if you are able to:
- Maintain a cumulative graduate grade point average (GPA) of at least 3.0 over at least fifteen (15) credit hours in the VBMS program
- Complete your Veterinary Medical College Application Service (VMCAS) application
- Apply to LMU-CVM.
This does not guarantee your admission into the program.
If you earn a grade of "B" or better in LMU-CVM professional courses, you will not have to repeat the course during your first year at LMU-CVM, once accepted. Ultimately, this allows you to enter the LMU-CVM with up to 10 earned credits. During your first year in the CVM, you may apply to be considered as a Veterinary Teaching Assistant and Tutor.
Contact Us
Want to learn more about our master's degree in veterinary biomedical science? Reach out to us at any time and we will get back to you as soon as possible.
Kathleen Thomas, MA
Director of Graduate Programs
LMU-CVM
Email: CVMGradPrograms@LMUnet.edu
Melissa Loy, LVMT, LVT
Department Recruiter and Success Coordinator
LMU-CVM
Email: CVMGradPrograms@LMUnet.edu