Rowan Vet School Student Details Curriculum
Rowan University's Shreiber School, NJ's first veterinary school, uses a block-based curriculum and integrated exams, says second-year student Paul Alves.
Paul Alves, a second-year veterinary student at Rowan University’s Shreiber School of Veterinary Medicine, detailed the program's structure in an interview for The Vet Blast Podcast from dvm360. The school is New Jersey's first veterinary school and is now welcoming its second class of students.
Alves, who grew up in North Jersey and attended Rutgers University for his undergraduate degree, explained his path to veterinary medicine. He initially volunteered at a human hospital but felt a disconnect. After the COVID-19 pandemic, he volunteered and was later hired at a veterinary hospital. That experience solidified his career choice, particularly valuing the client bond formed in veterinary practice.
Curriculum and Exam Structure
The curriculum at Rowan mirrors other veterinary schools in its foundational approach. The first year focuses on learning normal, healthy animal systems. The second year introduces disease processes.
The exam format is a distinctive feature. Instead of separate tests for each subject like physiology or histology, Rowan uses integrated exams held approximately every other week. These exams compile material based on lecture hours. For example, an exam might allocate 5% of its questions to histology and 20% to physiology. This system results in fewer total exams, which Alves says allows more time for study and free time.
Facilities and Student Life
The school's veterinary teaching hospital has begun opening services. As a member of the inaugural class, Alves is part of building the school's traditions and culture. He also presides over a community engagement club that treats social media proficiency as a vital communication skill for future veterinarians.
Alves expressed that attending the state's first veterinary school still feels surreal. He was able to pay in-state tuition for his entire academic career in New Jersey. He was initially skeptical about Rowan opening but considered it seriously a few months into his application cycle. The school recently held an Admitted Student Day to welcome its next class.
His professional interests include small-animal general practice, ophthalmology, and internal medicine. He emphasized the unique people-to-people connection found in veterinary medicine, where clients are often vulnerable and genuine regarding their animals' care.
