Texas Tech opens new veterinary school

Texas Tech University recently announced that its new veterinary school has opened its doors.

Texas Tech University School of Veterinary Medicine says it has received, a “letter of reasonable assurance” from the AVMA Council on Education (COE), allowing an inaugural class of approximately 60 students to start next fall, with provisional accreditation in 2025.

"Today, future veterinarians throughout Texas officially have another opportunity to pursue their dreams within the borders of our state,” said Texas Tech president Lawrence Shovanec, in a university release. “I am proud of the efforts of so many within our campus community and the external partnerships that helped Texas Tech arrive today. I am also excited for the many students who will benefit from an additional in-state veterinary education."

Located in Amarillo, Texas, this 4-year veterinary school has plans to admit students passionate about serving in rural and regional communities, with a curriculum to match. Additionally, Texas Tech's innovative and cost-efficient model “partners with the wider community of veterinary practices across the state to provide clinical, real-world experiential learning,” according to the release.

Texas Tech first announced its plans to open a veterinary school in 2015, which led to more than 30 individuals, foundations, and the Amarillo Economic Development Corporation raising $90 million towards the school’s infrastructure. Then last year, the Texas legislature appropriated, and Governor Greg Abbott signed into law the biennial state budget, giving Texas Tech $17.4 million to start the program.

"After all these years of planning, we now finally get to meet and start teaching the very first class of students of the School of Veterinary Medicine at Texas Tech. That is indeed something that is incredibly special,” said Guy Loneragan, BVSc,PhD, dean of the School of Veterinary Medicine, in the release.

The school currently has about 30 staff and faculty members with plans to expand. Orientation for the inaugural class of students begins early August of 2021.

For more information about this new school, go here.