DVM Program

Degree Requirements

A breakdown of the credit hours, clinical rotations, licensure exam, and capstone milestones required to graduate.

Degree Requirements

What It Takes to Earn the DVM

To earn the Doctor of Veterinary Medicine degree from UMES SVM, students must satisfactorily complete all required and elective coursework across the nine-semester curriculum, all required and elective clinical rotations of the clinical year, and all associated capstone and licensure-preparation requirements described below.

Requirement	Detail
Total Credit Hours	165.5 required credit hours, combining pre-clinical coursework and clinical year rotations
Pre-Clinical Curriculum	120.5 required credit hours across Semesters 1–6 (Years 1–2)
Clinical Curriculum	45 credit hours across Semesters 7, 8, and 9 (Year 3), delivered as thirteen 4-week rotation blocks
Required Core Clinical Rotations	Six required rotations (24 credit hours / 24 weeks): Small Animal Community Practice, Large Animal Ambulatory/Equine Practice, Shelter Medicine, Diagnostic Medicine (Pathology/Necropsy), Small Animal General Clinical Practice, and Small Animal Specialty/Referral Practice
Elective & Externship Rotations	20 credit hours / 20 weeks of student-selected elective clinical rotations, including up to two student-proposed externships
NAVLE	Students must sit for the North American Veterinary Licensing Examination during the dedicated 3-week testing window in the clinical year; passing NAVLE is required for licensure
Programmatic Review (Capstone)	A required 1-credit, 2-week capstone course at the close of the clinical year, including graduating-senior surveys and a professional transition seminar
Grading Standard	All required and elective coursework and clinical rotations must be completed with passing grades in accordance with UMES SVM academic policy
Program Length	3 years, 9 semesters — Summer, Fall, and Spring terms each year, beginning Summer of Year 1 and concluding Spring of Year 3