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Doctor of Veterinary Medicine

Admissions

The Lincoln Memorial University-Richard A. Gillespie College of Veterinary Medicine DVM program is committed to the education of confident, competent, career-ready veterinarians. We are dedicated to serving the needs of rural communities throughout the United States, especially the southern Appalachian region. It is our firm belief that our graduates will be lifelong learners, committed to a “One Health” philosophy for humans, animals, and the environment, and will become leaders in their communities and in the veterinary medical profession.

At the LMU-CVM, students will receive the knowledge, caseload, skill set, and hands-on experience necessary to ensure their success upon graduation. Students matriculating into the program will undergo a rigorous, demanding, and rewarding veterinary medical education in a state-of-the-art facility, guided by faculty who are national leaders in the profession. All students participate in distributed clinical education and training through a network of community practice partners, public and corporate organizations, and federal and state agencies. Graduates of the LMU-CVM program benefit from focused, real-world, community-based clinical education and are career-ready from day one following graduation.

In an effort to assist with the national shortage of veterinarians, the LMU-CVM accepts two cohorts of students annually. The first cohort begins in January (spring), and the second cohort begins in August (fall). Interviews for both classes begin in late summer and conclude by the end of the fall semester, immediately prior to the starting year. Applicants to both cohorts will utilize the VMCAS and can indicate their preferred semester.

DVM Application Process

In order to gain admission to Lincoln Memorial University's Richard A. Gillespie College of Veterinary Medicine, prospective applicants must demonstrate a comprehensive knowledge base of professional, personal, and academic development in pursuit of an education and career in the field of veterinary medicine.

The Richard A. Gillespie College of Veterinary Medicine completes a holistic review of all applicants to its DVM program. In addition to academic performance, applicants are evaluated on their previous veterinary experience, experience with animals, research experience, personal characteristics, leadership and extracurricular experience, essays, letters of recommendation, and interview. Lincoln Memorial University is committed to serving the Appalachian region. Extra consideration is given to applicants from Appalachia Regional Commission defined counties. Applicants are also given additional consideration if they are from rural communities, are first generation college students, or have completed a graduate program.  

 

Spring Cohort Application Timeline

All applicants may be considered for either cohort. Submission of application according to the below timeline allows early interviews and decisions for the spring cohort.

  • January 22: First three quadrants of 2025-2026 VMCAS application open.
  • May 8: Colleges available for applicants to select and submit applications in VMCAS
  • June 30: VMCAS Application, LMU-CVM Supplemental Application, and CASPer submission deadline for applicants that prefer to begin studies in January. Applicants who have not submitted all information by this date may still be eligible for entry into the spring semester. Please note that failure to meet this deadline will result in acceptance offers/decisions that are later in the fall resulting in less time to prepare for classes to begin in January.
  • July-October: Interviews conducted.
  • August: Acceptance offers will begin to be extended. These offers will continue until the class is filled.
  • December 31: Official fall transcripts submission deadline. All transcripts must be sent directly from the applicant’s learning institution to LMU-CVM.

Applicants should ensure all required documents (eLOR, transcripts, etc) are submitted by the LMU June 30th deadline. Applicants who have not submitted all information by this date may still be eligible for entry into the spring semester. Please note that failure to meet this deadline will result in acceptance offers/decisions that are later in the fall resulting in less time to prepare for classes to begin in January.

 

Fall Cohort Application Timeline

  • January 22: First three quadrants of 2025-2026 VMCAS application opens.
  • May 8: Colleges available for applicants to select and submit applications in VMCAS.
  • August 15: Recommended VMCAS submission deadline.
  • September 15 @11:59PM EST: VMCAS Application and LMU-CVM Supplemental Application submission deadline.
  • September 16: Deadline for completing Casper assessment.
  • Mid-September to January: Interviews conducted.
  • December-April: Acceptance offers are extended. Acceptances offers will continue until all slots for the incoming class have filled.
  • January 31: Official fall transcripts submission deadline.
  • April 18: AAVMC decision deadline.

 

Veterinary Medical College Application Service (VMCAS)

The LMU-CVM utilizes VMCAS for the DVM application process.

Applicants are responsible for monitoring their VMCAS application status. Incomplete and unverified applications will not be considered for admission.

Visit the VMCAS website for additional cycle dates and details.

 

Requirements to Apply

All candidates considered for admission to Lincoln Memorial University-College of Veterinary Medicine must meet the following requirements.

 

Minimum Academic 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.

*Students not meeting this criteria, with a GPA of < 2.8, who have demonstrated a commitment to academic excellence in the last 2 years of study (most recent 40 semester hours) may be considered on a case by case basis.

GRE scores are not required and will not be considered. Instead, LMU-CVM requires the Casper Assessment.

 

Pre-Requisite Coursework

In order to fulfill the prerequisite the coursework must meet the following criteria:

  • Courses must be completed at a regionally accredited college or university
  • Courses must be completed with a grade of a "C-" or higher. Final grades for all prerequisite courses must be verified by LMU-CVM.
  • Courses for all science prerequisites must have been completed within the last 10 years of application. Science prerequisites include: Biology, Genetics, Biochemistry, Advanced Science Electives, Organic Chemistry, General Chemistry, Physics, and Anatomy and/or Physiology

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.

 

Prerequisites required to apply to the DVM program at LMU-CVM.
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 3 5 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, Social Responsibility, One Health, & Human-Animal Bond
Minimum 43 62

*To verify if an Animal Breeding/Reproduction course satisfies the Genetics prerequisite, send an email with the course description to VeterinaryAdmissions@LMUnet.edu.

**Starting 2027, 3 credits of Anatomy and 3 credits of Physiology will be required.

 

LMU Supplemental Application

Applicants must complete the LMU-CVM Supplemental Application using LMU's online application site.

 

CASPer

All applicants applying to the LMU-CVM are required to complete the CASPer exam facilitated by Altus Assessments.

CASPer is a 65-85 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.

Learn more about CASPer and testing dates

Please note that Snapshot and Duet ARE NOT required by the LMU-CVM.

 

Other Materials

Transcripts

Official transcripts for all courses completed through summer must be submitted directly to VMCAS. If you need additional information, read more about the VMCAS transcript verification process. Coursework completed after the September 16 deadline must be reported via official transcript submission to the LMU-CVM by the dates noted above.

Updated official electronic transcripts can be sent to CVMTranscripts@LMUnet.edu.

Official updated transcripts can be physically mailed to the following address:

LMU-CVM Office of Admissions
6965 Cumberland Gap Parkway
Harrogate, TN 37752

 

Letters of Recommendation

Applicants to the LMU-CVM are required to submit three letters of recommendation through VMCAS. A letter must be submitted from each of the three parties noted below:

  • 1 letter from a college professor
  • 1 letter from a veterinarian
  • 1 letter from a previous or current employer/supervisor

Letters of recommendation must be completed by individuals other than family members and articulately attest to an applicant’s capacities. Specific details on the (electronic letters of recommendation) process can be found on the VMCAS website. Letters of recommendation must be submitted through your VMCAS application. Letters sent directly to LMU-CVM will be not accepted.

Applicant Review Process

Curious to know what happens with your application after it has been submitted? The process below describes how applicants are reviewed and considered for admission into Lincoln Memorial University-Richard A. Gillespie College of Veterinary Medicine.

Applicants are encouraged to familiarize themselves with the licensing requirements that are applicable to the states or commonwealths in which they may opt to practice veterinary medicine. The requirements for Tennessee and Virginia can be browsed using the following links:

Tennessee Board of Veterinary Medical Examiners

Virginia Board of Veterinary Medicine

State boards information

Technical Standards & Essential Functions

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.

Click here to view the LMU-CVM Technical Standards & Essential Functions

Request More Information

For general inquiries, contact: VeterinaryAdmissions@LMUnet.edu