Murray State University in Kentucky Reveals Rendering of New Veterinary Sciences Building

Murray State University Approved for New Veterinary Doctoral Program

Earlier this year, I wrote about Murray State University announcing that the Council on Postsecondary Education board officially approved a new doctoral program in veterinary medicine at Murray State University.  In late February, MSU Board of Regents officially voted to create a College of Veterinary Medicine.

The university would be the first in Kentucky to offer a DVM degree. Currently, there are only 33 accredited veterinary doctorate programs and five provisionally accredited programs in the United States, but none of them are in Kentucky. Once accredited, Murray will be the first veterinary program offered at a Kentucky public university. The University is hoping to enroll the inaugural class as early as fall 2028.

And there is a huge need for not only small animal veterinarians but also large and exotic animal veterinarians as well. According to the USDA Veterinary Shortage Situations Map, Kentucky, Indiana, Tennessee, and Illinois are all experiencing veterinary shortages.

“This program will help address Kentucky’s veterinarian shortage and create more opportunities for our students who want to enter this field," said CPE President Dr. Aaron Thompson. "In 2023, 160 Kentucky residents applied to DVM programs, but only 67 were admitted.”

Get our free mobile app

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), there are 86,300 veterinarians in the United States and this occupation is expected to grow by over 19% by 2031. The BLS also reports a total of 122,800 veterinarian technologists/technicians are working today and the field is expected to grow by 20% by 2031. -murraystate.edu

Murray State University's New State-of-the-Art Veterinary Sciences Building

To accompany the new Doctoral program, the University also plans on building a state-of-the-art veterinary sciences building. This week, Murray State released the first rendering.

Our new state-of-the-art Veterinary Sciences Building, to be constructed on the West Farm, will enhance existing and future programs such as our Vet Tech, Pre-Vet, and Doctor of Veterinary Medicine students. Special thank you to Hafer for partnering with us on this project!

The Ongoing Veterinarian Shortage in Rural Communities

Being a veterinarian is more than hard, it can be soul sucking. Veterinarians have been very vocal that the career can be physically demanding, financially draining, and it takes a huge emotional toll on you. Animals can get sick at any time so the lack of work-life balance can be a huge challenge.

The only way to combat veterinarian burnout is to add more vets to the workforce. Hopefully, this program will do just that.
Read More: Murray, Kentucky in Running for Best Small College Town