UMES Vet School Hits Major Milestone
Princess Anne, Md. — The University of Maryland Eastern Shore’s Veterinary School has reached a major milestone in its plans to welcome their inaugural doctoral class by summer 2027.
UMES announced Tuesday it received a letter of reasonable assurance from the American Veterinary Medical Association, giving it the green light to begin recruiting and accepting students.
“”They are reasonably assured that based on the plan that we have provided them, our program will be, a quality program successfully training veterinary students,” said Dr. Stanley Robertson, the dean of the Veterinary Medicine School.
The university has been working for several years on getting their veterinary school up and running and the letter is a major milestone in their quest to receive accreditation.
It’s the next step in the process as the veterinary school hopes to welcome its inaugural class to campus by summer 2027. UMES President Dr. Heidi Anderson said the new school would be a major boost to the region.
“There is a dire shortage of veterinarians throughout the state, but also throughout the country. Whether it’s big animals or little animals, there is a major need,” Anderson said.
Anderson said the issue was one personal to the leaders at UMES.
“The shortage of veterinarians was one that just really touched all of our hearts because we’re an 1890 HBCU land grant. So, it fits within our mission,” Anderson said.
The veterinary school would become the only one physically located in Maryland and the first at a public HBCU in the country.
Anderson said aspiring vets shouldn’t have to travel across the country to find the program they want.
“The whole point is going to be able to make sure Maryland residents especially can stay right here in the state, get their pre-vet, get their doctor of veterinary medicine. And then what are they going to do? Practice right here!” Anderson said.
Applications for the school are not yet open, but university officials said prospective students should stay alert for updates in the weeks to come.
Robertson said the letter provides a path forward but the school isn’t finished building, and they will continue planning, working on facilities, and hiring faculty.
“It involves a lot of planning, a lot of continued planning, a lot of continued working on our facilities and just working on our process. Hiring faculty is another big thing that we’re have been doing, and that we will definitely continue to do,” Robertson said.
