Source: Cache Valley Daily
Utah State University has completed the Thomas and Patricia Willis Veterinary Medical Education Building, a major milestone in expanding its four-year Doctor of Veterinary Medicine program. The new facility includes classrooms, laboratories, and clinical training spaces supporting hands-on education, research, and collaboration.
Utah approved USU’s four-year Veterinary program in 2022, and the university welcomed its first class enrolled entirely in the program last fall. Enrollment has expanded to 80 students per graduating class. Previously, students completed two years at USU before finishing at Washington State University through the WIMU Regional Program.
The expansion is designed partly to address veterinarian shortages, particularly in rural Utah, where eight or nine counties or portions of counties have been identified as underserved. Fourth-year students will complete clinical rotations with practicing veterinarians throughout Utah. University officials hope these experiences will create employment connections while strengthening access to companion-animal and large-animal Veterinary care statewide.