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Leaders from the University of Minnesota College of Veterinary Medicine (CVM) and South Dakota State University (SDSU) are wrapping up a plan to launch a regional veterinary program designed to increase the number of graduates interested in rural mixed and food animal practice. Approvals by regents for both schools are still needed along with start-up funding for new faculty and facilities at SDSU.
The program would enroll approximately 20 veterinary students annually. The seats would be earmarked for students from South Dakota and surrounding states. Their first two years of instruction would be at SDSU in Brookings and feature classes taught by both SDSU and CVM faculty. Students would spend their final two years in St. Paul, including their final year of clinical rotations, which are held on campus and at locations throughout the region.
The goal is to produce more veterinarians interested in mixed or food animal practice in rural areas. The Dakotas and western Minnesota have experienced a chronic shortage of this type of veterinarian for years. To create space for the SDSU students, the CVM would limit the number of students it accepts from Caribbean schools who complete their final year of clinical training at United States schools. While there are many well-qualified students from these institutions, the majority are interested in companion animal medicine in urban settings.
“This is about serving our state’s needs for veterinary care,” says Trevor Ames, DVM, MS, DACVIM, dean and professor at the CVM. “Our western neighbors feel the shortage of veterinary care even more acutely. This is a good partnership for our schools.”
“SDSU is excited to pursue this opportunity with the University of Minnesota College of Veterinary Medicine,” said Dennis Hedge, provost and vice president of academic affairs at SDSU. “The synergies that exist between our two land-grant universities allow for the opportunity to combine resources that will ensure we are supporting economic development, the animal agriculture industry, and its continued growth in South Dakota and the region.”
The earliest that students might enroll at SDSU is the fall of 2021. If approved, the regional veterinary program would be the fourth of its kind in the United States.