The annual University of Kentucky Pre-Veterinary Experience Day returns Feb. 14, 2026, on UK's campus. The daylong event is designed for high school students interested in a career in veterinary medicine.
The UK Pre-Veterinary Mentoring Program within the Martin-Gatton College of Agriculture, Food and Environment, in collaboration with the Kentucky Horse Council, organizes the event. It's supported by a three-year, $250,000 grant from the National Institute of Food and Agriculture of the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
The event will feature informative sessions designed for both participating students and their accompanying parents. In addition, this year's breakout activities will be designed specifically for students along with concurrent, parent-only educational sessions.
"Many students develop a passion for animals and veterinary medicine long before college. However, navigating a successful academic pathway from high school to a veterinary application can be confusing and intimidating," said Colette Tebeau, senior pre-vet academic coordinator within UK's Pre-Veterinary Mentoring Program. "At this event, we hope to help educate and empower high school students as they follow their dream of becoming a veterinarian."
In the morning, student and parent participants will jointly attend seminars discussing pre-veterinary preparation and veterinary-related topics. Students will engage in hands-on veterinary-related activities in the afternoon while parents are introduced to pre-vet student support strategies.
Joint student and parent topics include misconceptions of veterinary medicine, a veterinary careers overview, pathways to veterinary medicine, the importance of starting STEM academic preparation during high school and veterinary student journeys.
Parent presentations include veterinary medicine challenges and resources, healthy support for the aspiring pre-vet student and a "What I wish my family knew" Q&A session with current college students on a pre-vet pathway. At the end of the day, an optional recruitment session will be held for any students interested in attending UK.
"We are thrilled to extend the resources, networking and enthusiasm to our high school students," said Amber McNamara, director of the UK Pre-Vet Mentoring Program. "This interactive event offers a great opportunity for students interested in veterinary medicine to explore the pathway through interactive lectures, Q&A sessions with pre-vet and veterinary students and engaging hands-on activities, designed to give students a glimpse into this potential future career."
Registration opens Oct. 1 and is expected to fill quickly. Each student should register with a parent or guardian who will also attend the event. The registration fee of $50 will cover a light breakfast, lunch and snacks, along with entry into morning and afternoon sessions for one student and one parent. Interested students should be in high school or of high school age. This event is not designed for elementary, middle school, or college-aged students.
UK's Pre-Vet Experience Day is held annually on the Saturday before Presidents' Day and will rotate years between a program designed for college and high school-aged students. The 2027 event on Feb. 13 will be designed for college aged students.
Event partners and collaborators include the UK Department of Animal and Food Sciences, UK Ag Equine Programs, and the Kentucky Horse Council.
More information about the event, speakers and topics can be found at https://afs.mgcafe.uky.edu/undergraduate/pre-veterinary-mentoring/pre-vet-experience-day.
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