Following approval by the trustees, Clemson is preparing to launch the first College of Veterinary Medicine in the state of South Carolina. The approval follows the completion of the fiscal year 2024 state budget, which includes significant support for the new college from Gov. Henry McMaster and the South Carolina General Assembly.
The College of Veterinary Medicine has a goal of addressing the statewide shortage of veterinarians. The program plans to welcome its first students in Fall 2026.
“This new veterinary college can produce the veterinarians and research that will contribute to a better future for our citizens and our animals,” said Boyd Parr, co-chair of the College of Veterinary Medicine steering committee and retired state veterinarian.
He also noted that in addition to caring for companion and farm animals, veterinarians play an essential role in food safety and in detection and control of diseases.
The new college will use a distributed model of clinical teaching, where students learn their basic sciences, anatomy, pre-clinical skills and communication skills during their first three years on campus, after which they will conduct clinical learning in sites throughout the state.
The approval of the new college follows the creation of a steering committee comprised of experts in veterinary and human health and an independent feasibility study conducted over the past 18 months.
It’s a bit disappointing if will take three years to open the College of Veterinary Medicine and seven years to produce new veterinarians.