Montana residents are the primary focus of the program, but the cohort may include non-resident students admitted through Washington State University when space is available.

After successfully completing the first year at Montana State University, students transition to Washington State University in Pullman for years two, three, and four of the DVM program. Students join the larger WSU veterinary cohort and continue through the standard WSU veterinary curriculum.

During their fourth year, students may also have opportunities to complete selected clinical rotations in Montana. These may include experiences such as necropsy, clinical preceptorships with veterinary practices, and work with local animal shelters.

The Doctor of Veterinary Medicine degree is awarded by Washington State University. Students in the Montana Veterinary Medicine Program are part of the WSU veterinary curriculum and complete their first year at MSU before transitioning to the WSU campus for the remainder of the program.

The Montana Veterinary Medicine Program does not have a teaching hospital in Bozeman. Instead, students gain early clinical exposure through a distributed clinical model as part of the first-year Introduction to Clinics course. This model allows students to work with and observe area veterinarians.

Through these experiences, students begin building connections with Montana veterinarians early in their training while gaining exposure to the diversity of clinical practice, including companion animal, equine, food animal, mixed animal, and other areas of veterinary medicine.