Maryland College hopes to become the second HBCU in the nation to educate veterinarians

A Maryland college hopes to become the second of greater than 100 historically black colleges and universities in the country to educate veterinarians.

Last month, Maryland Eastern Shore University received state approval to establish a faculty of veterinary medicine. According to USA todayThere are fewer than 40 veterinary medicine programs nationwide, and Tuskegee University in Alabama is the only other HBCU to house one.

Moses Kairo, head of the university’s agriculture and life sciences department, said in a best-case scenario, the latest UMES veterinary school could be accredited by 2025 and admit up to 100 graduates a yr.

The veterinary school at UMES will “change the landscape,” Kairo said, meeting several requirements in a field where the percentage of black staff is just 3%.

Kairo said UMES will implement a hands-on, accelerated three-year curriculum similar to what the University of Arizona offers. “We will not sacrifice our curriculum because we will offer courses similar to four-year schools,” he noted, “but our students will take classes year-round to meet their requirements.”

According to USA Today, the University’s Department of Agriculture, Food and Resources already has a pre-veterinary program that graduates roughly five to seven students per academic yr.

UMES has named associate professor Dr. Kimberly Braxton as the interim founding dean of the veterinary school. She stated that talks regarding the establishment of a brand new veterinary school have been occurring for not less than six years.

As a licensed veterinarian and UMES graduate, Braxton said it “touched my heart” to learn that many current veterinary students had never seen a black veterinarian before meeting her.

The growing need for added veterinarians also comes at a time when more Americans own pets.

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The trade group American Pet Products Association reports that up from 56% in 1988, almost 70% of American homes now have pets.

According to USA Today, the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals found that in the first yr of the Covid-19 pandemic, about 23 million American households – about 1 in 5 – adopted a pet.

Mark Cushing, writer of the 2020 book “Pet Nation: The Inside Story of How Companion Animals Are Transforming Our Homes, Culture, and Economy,” said millennials and Gen Zers want their pets to receive the same health care like them.

“Unfortunately,” he added, “the supply (of veterinarians) cannot keep up with the demand.”

A Mars Veterinary Health study released in August 2023 found that the United States would wish to employ roughly 55,000 additional veterinarians by 2030 to meet animal health care needs. The report also highlights the need for more robust profession paths and a broader talent portfolio.

“The bottom line is we need more veterinarians of all races and backgrounds,” said Stacy Pursell, a veterinary industry recruiter with USA Today. “It’s a much bigger picture than just the race. Veterinary schools have very few places and turn away more students than they can accept.”