Preparation for Professional Careers in Veterinary Medicine and
Medicine
Farm and Industry Short Course
Special Short Courses
The premedical professional area of interest is not a classification, a major, or a formal academic program you are obligated to pursue. It is an area of intended interest that can be pursued simultaneously with the completion of a major and regular degree requirements within the College of Agricultural and Life Sciences. College of Agricultural and Life Sciences students preparing for a career in the professional fields of veterinary medicine or medicine should enroll in a major leading to completion of the Natural Sciences degree. This allows them to simultaneously fulfill the requirements necessary to apply for admission into most veterinary schools and medical schools. Because professional schools vary in their requirements, students should check with prospective schools for specific requirements. Undergraduate course work in the Natural Sciences degree will provide alternative career options in the event that students choose not to pursue veterinary or human medicine.
Additional information is available at the CALS Office of Undergraduate Programs and Services, www.cals.wisc.edu/students/currentStudents.
Questions about admission requirements to the UW-Madison School of Veterinary Medicine should be addressed to the Office of Academic Affairs in the School of Veterinary Medicine, 2015 Linden Drive, Madison, WI 53706; 608-263-2525.
Questions about admission requirements to the UW-Madison School of Medicine and Public Health should be addressed to the School of Medicine and Public Health, Health Sciences Learning Center, 750 Highland Avenue, Madison, WI 53705; 608-263-4925.
Farm and Industry Short Course (FISC) is a nondegree course of instruction at the University of Wisconsin-Madison especially for students who expect to farm or who may be interested in positions in the agribusiness field. The 17-week session is offered once each year, starting in mid-November and ending in mid-March. There are two 6-week terms, one 3-week term and two 1-week terms in each session. Students may attend any one or any combination of the terms, although most students attend all 17 weeks.
CALS professors and instructors teach the FISC students on campus in a wide variety of agricultural offerings. More than 45 courses are offered during a session. A separate set of courses, usually about five, is taken by each student during each term. Many students return for an additional 17-week session and earn advanced certificates. Even though this is a nondegree course, all students are graded and permanent records are filed. Students pay the same proportionate fees as do undergraduates and they have the same privileges on campus.
Students in the program need not choose a major or specialty area within the curriculum. Instead, students may simply choose those courses that they feel will benefit them the most for the kind of farming or kind of agribusiness position in which they are most interested. However, seven specialties are available. To earn a specialty certificate, a student must complete a stated number of required courses with a total of 20 credits. The specialty areas are: (1) crop and soil management; (2) dairy farm management; (3) farm mechanics; (4) farm service and supply; (5) meat animal/poultry; (6) pasture-based dairying; and (7) green industry. A list of courses is available in 116 Agricultural Hall.
Those students who have graduated from or attended the Short Course and who decide to continue their work toward a B.S. degree in agricultural and life sciences will be allowed to transfer credit for each course in which the students earn a grade of B or above—up to a maximum of 15 elective credits. Many students in Short Course find this transition to the degree course a natural one.
Graduates of the Short Course may find that there are agricultural job opportunities available to them both on the farm and in nonfarm jobs. The College's Career Services Office maintains a file of such job opportunities. Students may also obtain summer internships if they plan to attend Short Course for two years.
Many scholarships are available to students of the Farm and Industry Short Course, with more than 100 individual scholarships given annually. Most of these scholarships range from $200 to $1500 per session. Information on all aspects of the Short Course program is available from the Director of Short Course, 116 Agricultural Hall, 608-263-3918.
The College of Agricultural and Life Sciences, largely through University of Wisconsin-Extension, sponsors and conducts many special short courses for specific training or retraining in various phases of agriculture and agribusiness. There are institutes, conferences, and workshops that vary in length from one day to two weeks. Many are held on campus; others are held at various locations around the state.
The CALS Conference Services Office, 620 Babcock Drive, 608-263-1672, has information about many of these special sessions.