Thinking about Attending St. George’s University for Veterinary Medicine?

St. George’s University is one of the Caribbean Island Veterinary Universities and it became accredited in 2011. You can view our full list of accredited Vet Schools here.

Choosing to attend college on a Caribbean island is a big deal because you will have to move far away but at the same time it can be a very rewarding experience. Living on a tropical island will allow you to learn about other cultures and really immerse yourself in your studies, since you won’t know anyone.

We also feature a comprehensive overview of the main Caribbean veterinary colleges.

According to the St. Georges vet school admission statistics, 88% of the 2019 incoming class were from the US. The St. Georges vet school admission statistics for 2019 also state that they had 1,594 graduates of the DVM program.

This St. Georges vet school review will help you decide if this is the right vet school for you!

*Note to reader: there might be affiliate links and if you buy Magoosh, or anything else through the links provided (at no extra cost to you) you will be helping to keep this site running.*

Check out this book: Veterinary Medical School Admission Requirements (VMSAR) to help you navigate all of the requirements for each college.

Name, veterinary school attended, and year that you started.

Rachel Endicott

St. George’s University

January 2015

Who are the animals that you currently share your life with?

Jeffrey- my three-legged pothound (an island dog for those unfamiliar)

Where did you attend undergrad and what was your major?

Dordt College- Sioux Center, IA

Major- Animal Science

At what age did you first apply to St Georges University vet school? 

24

How many schools/application cycles did you apply to before being accepted?

1 school,-St. George’s University, 1 cycle

How many schools invited you for an interview? 

1

Interviews are a big part of the St Georges vet school requirements. Do you remember any specifically challenging interview questions for St. George’s University?

I have a terrible memory for these kinds of things, but one question I do remember was on the topic of the moral issue of euthanizing a young, nearly healthy dog vs. euthanizing a cow/calf that had a fixable, but expensive injury.

St Georges Vet School Admission Statistics

What was your GPA (in undergraduate)?

3.4

GRE is one of the St Georges vet school requirements. What was your GRE score? 

Honestly, I have no idea, but it was right around the average for getting into vet school nationwide

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Did you attend grad school?

No

Did you apply for vet school after, or during your Bachelor’s education?

After

Extracurricular activities can help with the St Georges vet school admission statistics. How many extracurricular activities did you list on your application for St. George’s University?

Probably 4 or 5

We all know that having a variety of veterinary experience before applying can increase your St Georges Vet School Admission Statistics. Did you have exotic, large and small animal experience prior to applying to St. George’s University College of Veterinary Medicine?

I had almost exclusively large animal experience. (This may have helped in my favor with the St. Georges vet school admission statistics since most students have predominately small animal vet experience.)

Sometimes prior jobs can help with the St. Georges vet school admission statistics. What types of paying jobs did you have before going to St. George’s University? 

Bottle Calf Herdsman for 2 ½ years out of undergraduate for a Bovine reproduction company

When working as a cow veterinarian it is important to wear vet coveralls.

Did you volunteer? If so, where? 

In High School, I volunteered at the animal shelter

In college, I helped out at an after-school program and went on several service trips over breaks

After college, I continued helping with the after-school program and was a mentor for the high school youth group at my church.

How many people read your personal statement before submitting it?

I think just my dad.

When did you decide to become a vet?

I had wanted to be a vet from a young age but decided in college that I would pursue other avenues in the animal world. After working on the farm for a few years and seeing the vets there do their work, I decided that was truly what I wanted to be doing.

Did you interview any vets before starting the application process? If so how did you approach them? 

Not really, I talked to the vets at my work a little and shadowed a vet outside of the company, but pretty much applied without much knowledge of the process.

Were you a member of any clubs at your undergraduate school? If so, which ones?

I was a part of the Ag Club, WiSE (Women in Science and Education) and on the committee that planned our spring break mission trips

 

Did you join student clubs in your DVM program at St. George’s University? If so, which ones? Were they helpful? Give us a St Georges vet school review of some of the clubs that you are in.

I am currently the treasurer for our Large Animal Society and have been heavily involved since the beginning of vet school in this club. I also have been a part of the Society for Theriogenology, PAPSA/SNP (a club dedicated to helping local dogs get spayed and neutered), and SVECCS.

Being a part of clubs that are in your field of interest is super helpful because you get to meet other peers with the same interests and there are usually plenty of opportunities to gain skills that aren’t necessarily taught in class. I learned though, that it is hard to be involved in too many clubs because school is so demanding.

Who gave you your letters of recommendation? Did you know them well?

One was the vet that hired me at my job at the time, I had worked with him for several years, so he knew my work ethic but we didn’t work super closely together.

Another was from my college advisor I believe, who I had many classes with, had worked under, and went back to after I graduated when I was deciding whether or not to apply to vet school.

I cannot remember who else wrote a recommendation though.

Did you find the application process stressful for St. George’s vet school? Why or why not?

I chose to apply to SGU independently from the VMCAS application, which was a fairly easy process. I was, however, filling out the VMCAS application at the same time as a backup plan, which was slightly more intimidating. The most stressful part was remembering what classes I took and finding where to get the transcripts from since I had taken some college classes in high school and it had been a while.

Are you happy that you chose this career? What makes you most happy about this career choice?

There are days I wonder why I chose to put myself back in school, but the hands-on experiences and realizing that I am actually learning all sorts of fascinating things always brings a smile back to my face.

Do you have any advice for students, once accepted to St. George’s vet school?

Enjoy your last few months of freedom! Take the time to be lazy and do nothing for a day, because once school starts, it’s very busy and you don’t have time to lay around too often.

Note from the editor:  It does rain a lot on the island of Grenada so having a good umbrella for college students is important.

Any study tips for those students who follow in your footsteps and attend St. George’s vet school? 

Stay on top of the material, cramming doesn’t work when you have 4 classes all requiring extensive memorization of minute detail. But also, don’t forget to do something for yourself and take a break every now and then to refresh your brain.

What have been some of your favorite classes, within your DVM program at St. George’s University?

Theriogenology, and currently I’m in Food Animal Medicine, basically, any large animal courses are my favorite.

What has been the most challenging class, in your DVM program so far?

I struggled with Physiology early on, and the second semester of Pathology

As a student, did you have to take out loans for your education? If so, are you concerned about the amount of debt you will have after graduation?

Yes, I have massive loans, which concerns me to an extent, but I know I’m not alone and that others have done it, so I will be just fine.

Is there anything in particular about the SGU DVM program or the school itself that you like?

The weather : )

Also, a big reason I chose to apply here first was the rolling admissions and ability to start vet school in January. Since I decided to go back to vet school so late, I wasn’t looking forward to waiting 1.5 years just to start in the US.

Are there any differences in education at SGU as opposed to a stateside University?

The biggest difference is that your class is your family, we get very close and have each other’s back no matter what. It’s nice to have a close-knit group that knows exactly what you’re going through, whether it’s an awful Pharmacology test or just missing home.

Do you have any advice for students thinking about attending SGU?

Make sure when you have an open mind. Life here is a mixture of the local culture and the foreigners that the school has brought in, so sometimes things don’t happen like you’d expect, but if you keep an open mind, you learn to appreciate or at least handle the quirks of island life.

What advice do you have for students thinking about applying to SGU?

Don’t be afraid to apply or think that this has to be your “last resort” because it truly is a beautiful place with professors that really want you to succeed.

What do you like about the island of Grenada?

Again, the weather : )

And the fact that I can be at the beach in less than 5 minutes, which is especially nice after finishing midterms or finals.

There are so many different places you can explore here, from waterfalls and beaches to rum distilleries and chocolate factories.

At this point do you think you will have a specialty?

I would like to practice food animal medicine.

As a student have you had any challenging cases yet?

I have had the opportunity to foster several dogs with various issues. One had a machete wound to his foreleg that was several weeks old by the time he received medical attention. I had him for almost 3 months, took him for daily bandage changes for the first month or so, and it was incredible to see the healing that took place.

Do you have any last words of wisdom?

You don’t have to be the smartest person to succeed in vet school, just do your best, have a dose of common sense and work really hard!

How can people find you? 

You can email me at endicottr6@gmail.com