preliminary veterinary examination

What does the preliminary veterinary examination consist of?

It is divided into two blocks. The natural sciences section covers under § 19 of the TAppV physics including the fundamentals of radiation protection physics, chemistry, zoology, and botany of fodder, poisonous, and medicinal plants; these examinations are to be completed by the end of the first year of study. The anatomy and physiology section covers anatomy, histology and embryology, physiology, biochemistry, and animal breeding and genetics including animal appraisal. In student parlance, the two parts are called “Vorphysikum” and “Physikum”; officially, only the term “Tierärztliche Vorprüfung” applies.

What evidence and deadlines apply?

Before admission to the individual subjects, §§ 20 and 23 TAppV require proof of completion of the associated compulsory courses — the usual certificates from practical courses and exercises. Under § 17 TAppV, each subject may be retaken twice, at the earliest three weeks after the failed attempt; after that it is permanently failed, and this applies nationwide. In practice, even a single failed attempt often costs half a year, because faculties tie their examination dates to the semester schedule.

What applies when transferring from EU countries abroad?

Anyone who began their veterinary medicine degree in Bulgaria, Romania, Hungary, Croatia, or the Baltic states takes the respective national examinations there. A transfer to Germany is legally possible: § 65 TAppV permits credit for periods of veterinary studies pursued abroad and recognition of examinations taken there, to the extent that they are equivalent. The decision on the application lies under § 66 TAppV with the university of the state at which the applicant is enrolled, admitted, or has applied; the application must be submitted together with the admission application. Available places in higher semesters are scarce at the five German institutions, and the extent of credit is decided by the individual faculty.

Common misconceptions

The preliminary examination is not a formality that can be picked up alongside other work. In practice, no one gets to the clinical subjects of the veterinary state examination without having completed it. Unlike in human medicine, there are also no nationally centrally set examination papers.