New developments, schools in veterinary medicine
by Jenny Alonge
A country-wide shortage of veterinarians has created challenges for pet owners and farmers who need timely veterinary appointments. To address these issues, state legislatures are creating more opportunities for people seeking a veterinary medicine career. In addition, the University of California, Davis, School of Veterinary Medicine recently opened a new emergency room and intensive care unit to help combat the problem. Keep reading to learn more about these new developments across the U.S.
New Jersey
In April, Rowan University broke ground on New Jersey’s first veterinary school, which will be named the Shreiber School of Veterinary Medicine to honor Gerald B. Shreiber, a South Jersey businessman and staunch animal welfare advocate who donated $30 million to help fund the project. In 2022, Governor Phil Murphy approved $75 million in funding to help support the construction of the veterinary school’s primary academic and clinical facilities. The 108,000-square-foot facility will include classrooms, educational and diagnostic laboratories, a teaching hospital, and offices. In addition to offering a Doctor of Veterinary Medicine (DVM) degree, the Schreiber School of Veterinary Medicine will provide additional veterinary medical education program opportunities, including:
- Graduate programs — The graduate programs will include an MS/PhD in veterinary biomedical science in collaboration with Virtua Health College of Medicine and Life Sciences and Rowan’s College of Science and Mathematics.
- Accelerated DVM/MBA — In collaboration with the Rohrer College of Business, the school will offer an accelerated DVM/MBA that will provide DVM students and practicing veterinarians with extra training in practice management, business, and economics.
- Veterinary technicians — The school will collaborate with Rowan College of South Jersey to offer an associate’s degree in veterinary technology.
- Internship and residency programs — Internship and residency programs will be available for post-graduate veterinarians.
Pending accreditation approval, the first class of 60 to 70 students is expected in 2025.
South Carolina
Following the Board of Trustees’ approval and acceptance of a feasibility study, Clemson University is moving forward with plans to open a veterinary school. Currently, South Carolina has an arrangement with three veterinary schools in neighboring states where students can pay reduced or in-state tuition rates. Participating schools include the University of Georgia, which offers 29 students a place, Mississippi State University (10 students), and Tuskegee University in Alabama (seven students). An in-state school would allow more South Carolinians to seek a veterinary medicine career without paying out-of-state tuition fees. The Clemson veterinary school plans to accept 80 students each year, with a maximum capacity of 125 students. The program will focus on recruiting qualified applicants from rural underserved areas and those with livestock experience. They also plan to offer in-state tuition fees that will be among the lowest in U.S. veterinary schools.
The South Carolina Legislature provided $10 million for the feasibility study, site selection, and other initial steps. The total cost to build and provision the school is an estimated $285 million. The proposal is widely supported by House and Senate members, the South Carolina Farm Bureau, and the South Carolina Association of Veterinarians, and Clemson hopes state funding will cover these costs. The projected opening date is 2026.
Arkansas
Arkansas ranks 49th in the U.S. for veterinarians per population, with only 14 veterinarians per 100,000 people. To address this problem, and the national veterinary shortage, Arkansas plans to open two veterinary schools.
- Lyon College — Lyon College plans to open a veterinary school as part of their Institute of Health Sciences in Little Rock and hopes to begin classes in 2024 or 2025.
- Arkansas State University (ASU) — ASU’s Arkansas Biosciences Institute, Agricultural Research and Teaching Farm, and Equine Center will aid the planned veterinary program. The college of veterinary medicine will add about 40 faculty and support staff, and expects an initial class of 120 students. The initial equipment and facility investment costs to launch the program will be funded by a combination of potential sources that include tuition, fundraising, university reserves, and potential bonding initiatives.
Utah
Utah’s 2022 legislative session provided funding for Utah State University (USU) to create a college of veterinary medicine. USU is currently a member of the Washington-Idaho-Montana-Utah (WIMU) Regional Program in Veterinary Medicine, which admits 20 Utah residents every year. Students complete two years at USU’s Logan campus and then go to Pullman, Washington, for their final two years at Washington State University’s College of Veterinary Medicine. Students admitted for fall 2024 will be the first class to complete all four years of the DVM program at USU. Once the new veterinary teaching and research facility is completed, scheduled for 2025, the school plans to accept 80 students per year.
University of California, Davis, Veterinary Hospital
UC Davis School of Veterinary Medicine recently expanded its clinical space and opened a new emergency room and intensive care unit. The renovations incorporated adjacent space to nearly double the old facility, and the current ER/ICU now occupies 1,600 square feet. The expansion allows more training opportunities in critical care for visiting veterinarians and residents to train as specialists. The plan is to increase ER/ICU residents from seven to eight over the next year. A $2.1 million anonymous gift helped provide funds for the expansion, which is part of the UC Davis Veterinary Medical Center campaign to transform the current teaching hospital into the world’s premier veterinary facility.
As new veterinary facilities are opened and veterinary professional shortages are addressed, finding timely veterinary care should become easier for pet owners and farmers.
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