How long does it take to become a veterinary specialist? About twelve years after high school: four years of college, four years of veterinary school, a one-year internship and a three-year residency, followed by a board exam. Much of that training happens at a college many Northern Virginia families have never heard of, the Virginia-Maryland College of Veterinary Medicine in Blacksburg.
Columbia Pike made The Vet School in Our Backyard together with the college to introduce it to the families we care for. In Episode 1, Dean Dan Givens explains how the college trains veterinarians and specialists, and our owner, Dr. Reed Hall, a 1996 graduate, walks the halls with him again.
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Call us at (703) 256-8414.
Who trains Virginia’s veterinarians?
The Virginia-Maryland College of Veterinary Medicine is a partnership between Virginia Tech and the University of Maryland. It is the only veterinary school in Virginia, and the only one that serves Maryland students. Each class saves 50 seats for Virginia students and 30 for Maryland students, and the college recently graduated its 43rd class of veterinarians.
Dean Givens says the thing that surprises people most is that vet school is four years on top of four years of college. It ends in a doctorate, the Doctor of Veterinary Medicine.
How does a veterinarian become a specialist?
“We also train specialists,” Dean Givens says. After the four-year degree, some new veterinarians spend one more year as interns. A smaller group goes on to a three-year residency and becomes board certified in a field like cardiology, ophthalmology, dermatology, soft tissue surgery or orthopedic surgery.
Those are the doctors families meet when a case gets serious. In the Dean’s words, the specialist you see in Fairfax “very well may have been trained here or at another college of vet medicine, much like us.”
How is Columbia Pike connected to the college?
Dr. Hall still remembers the April Fool’s Day call from the Dean that he thought was a prank. It was real, and he still has the acceptance letter framed. “Those four years in Blacksburg changed my life,” he told Virginia Tech News.
Dean Givens is proud of where Dr. Hall took that training. “Reed Hall’s a great example,” the Dean says. “He’s built something great.” Today Dr. Hall owns Columbia Pike, which is open 24 hours a day with no additional emergency fee, along with Town and Country Animal Hospital and Animal Clinic of Clifton.
Vet Ready, our year-long internship at Columbia Pike, picks up where vet school leaves off. It helps new veterinarians put what they learned into practice with real cases and close mentorship.
What is next for the Veterinary Teaching Hospital?
The college’s Small Animal Veterinary Teaching Hospital opened in 1987 and now sees more than 16,000 pets a year. In August, Virginia Tech’s Board of Visitors approved a $63 million project that renovates and expands about 52,000 square feet of the hospital. The plan makes more room for emergency care, cardiology and internal medicine.
Construction is set to begin in spring 2027 and finish in spring 2029, and the hospital stays open the whole time.
How can you join the free webinar on October 14?
Virginia Tech is hosting Expanding Into Tomorrow: Approved and In Motion, a free live webinar on Wednesday, October 14, from 4 to 5 p.m. Eastern on Zoom. Dean Givens and members of the college, including the project’s lead architect, will share an update on the expansion, walk through the design and take questions. Dr. Reed Hall is on the panel. You can register free on the official event page.
What comes next in the series?
Episode 2, Why It Matters to You and Your Pet, and Episode 3, Building What’s Next, are coming soon.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is there a veterinary school in Virginia?
Yes, one. The Virginia-Maryland College of Veterinary Medicine in Blacksburg is the only veterinary school in Virginia. Virginia Tech and the University of Maryland run it together.
How long is veterinary school?
Four years, after a four-year college degree. Graduates earn the Doctor of Veterinary Medicine degree.
What does board certified mean for a veterinarian?
It means the veterinarian finished a residency in one specialty, usually three years, and passed that specialty’s board exam. Veterinary cardiologists, ophthalmologists and surgeons are examples.
Is the October 14 webinar free?
Yes. It runs from 4 to 5 p.m. Eastern on Zoom, and you can register free on the official event page.
Is Columbia Pike open 24/7?
Yes. Columbia Pike is open 24 hours a day, every day, with no additional emergency fee. Call (703) 256-8414.
How do you schedule an appointment at Columbia Pike?
Schedule online at columbiapikeanimalh.com/schedule-appointment, or call (703) 256-8414. If your pet needs care now, come in any hour.
Register for the free October 14 webinarSchedule an Appointment
Call us at (703) 256-8414.
Columbia Pike Animal Hospital & Emergency Center, 4205 Evergreen Ln, Annandale, VA 22003. Love People. Love Pets.