Midwestern University of Glendale, Ariz., is establishing a college of veterinary medicine, scheduled to open in the fall of 2014, the university reported today. Midwestern will be the first school in Arizona to offer a Doctor of Veterinary Medicine degree and expects 100 students to enroll in the inaugural year. The university cited a shortage of veterinarians in Arizona as the impetus for establishing the veterinary college. The state has one veterinarian for every 4,100 animals, according to Midwestern, trailing the national average of one veterinarian per 3,500 animals. Three Arizona counties, including Greenlee, La Paz and Yuma, have no veterinarians in practice, the university said. “Quality veterinary care is an absolute necessity in our [s]tate – particularly in our farming and agricultural communities where demand is the highest and shortage of care is the most critical,” said Governor Janice Brewer. “The establishment of this [c]ollege will produce good jobs and help ensure that Arizona develops home-grown veterinarians to meet our most pressing animal health care needs.” The university will focus on recruiting throughout the state and region, with particular emphasis on students from rural communities. <HOME>
