Ontario Veterinary College, University of Guelph, 50 Stone Road, Guelph, ON, Canada, N1G 2W1
519.824.4120 x54401
©1998-2012 Ontario Veterinary College, University of Guelph
Background Information Form (BIF) - on University of Guelph Admissions site.
Canadian citizens, including dual citizens, or individuals who have Permanent Resident status in Canada of at least one year's duration, are eligible to apply as Canadian students if they satisfy the Ontario residency requirement by the application deadline date. A ‘resident’ in this context is interpreted to mean someone who has resided in Ontario for 12 months, exclusive of time spent in post-secondary institutions.
Canadians living abroad need to check whether or not they still meet the residency requirement as elementary or high school years may count as fulfillment of the Ontario residency requirement.
The applicants veterinary experience is considered in the non-academic section of admissions via the Background Information Form and interview.
Veterinary Experience may be voluntary or paid, but must be done with a supervising veterinarian in placements such as a: clinical practice, research laboratory, animal shelter, animal rehabilitation facility, public health setting or any other related veterinary industry where a veterinarian is employed. Though there is no required number of hours needed for application, it is strongly advised that applicants get as many hours as possible. The diversity (small animal, equine, food production, exotics, etc.), level of responsibility and duration of the experience will also be considered when reviewing the veterinary experience of the applicant.
A list of veterinary/animal volunteer opportunities can be found on our website.
The applicants animal experience is also considered in the non-academic section of admissions.
Animal experience includes working with livestock, breeding/showing various species, working in a pet store, equestrian activities and any other animal related hobby/experience where a veterinarian is not always present, or does not supervise you. Animal experience does not include pet ownership.
A list of veterinary/animal volunteer opportunities can be found on our website.
Three confidential referee assessments comprised of an evaluative form (which is part of the on-line Background Information Form) and a letter are required for each DVM applicant. The referees have to be qualified to give an unbiased, informed and critical assessment of the applicant. Two of the three referees that applicants select must be veterinarians with whom he or she has obtained veterinary and/or animal experience with. There is a strong preference for veterinarians from different clinics.
Graduate Students will require an additional letter of reference, for a total of four referee assessments. Two letters of reference from veterinarians should assess the applicant's skills and knowledge of veterinary medicine and the other two letters of reference should be from persons familiar with the applicant's performance as a graduate student.
For the Canadian undergraduate cohort, the top 200 ranked applicants will be invited to the University of Guelph for an interview. Selection for an interview will be based on academic performance. For the Canadian graduate cohort interviews will be in later May and/or early June, and consist of the traditional interview format.
What to Expect on Interview Day
The interviews for undergraduate Canadian applicants to the Doctor of Veterinary Medicine program follow the Multiple Mini Interview (MMI) format. Graduate cohort applicants will be interviewed individually in the traditional format.
The MMI is modeled after the Objective Standardized Clinical Examination (OSCE) and was developed by the Michael G. DeGroote School of Medicine at McMaster University as the interview tool for admissions to their undergraduate MD program. The MMI consists of a series of short, timed, structured interview stations that draws multiple samples of a candidate’s ability to think on their feet, communicate opinions and ideas, critically appraise information and demonstrate advanced thought/knowledge of the issues facing the profession. A number of papers have now been published illustrating the reliability and validity of the MMI.
The MMI is a series of eight short-structured interview stations through which candidates rotate. At each station candidates are presented with a scenario to which they must react and explain their interpretation of the scenario to assessors who then mark the student based on a scoring rubric. Each of the scenarios has been constructed to assess Ethical Behaviour, Empathy, Judgement, Critical and Creative Thinking, or Personal Management Skills. All stations will assess Communications skills.
Applicants will move between interview stations in a circuit. Each station lasts eight minutes and there is a two minute break between each one. At each station, a scenario will be posted for the applicant to review and prepare to discuss during the 2 minute break. The applicant will then move into the interview station and will have eight minutes to discuss the scenario with the interviewer(s).
The non-academic skills assessed by the MMI reflect the educational goals and objectives of OVC as well as the skills identified by the veterinary profession in Ontario as being necessary for a successful career.
Interview Dates
Applicants will be notified of their interview date and time via e-mail. We ask that those individuals invited for an interview complete the MMI Consent Form and bring it with them for their interview.
Year of Entry to DVM Program |
Interview Dates for Canadian Applicants |
Interview Date for Non-Canadian Applicants |
September 2012 |
May 28 - June 1, 2012 |
November 2011 - May 2012 |
September 2013 |
May 2013 |
November 2012 - May 2013 |