UC-Davis teaching hospital dedicated to former dean

Davis, Calif. - 5/1/07 - The UC Davis School of Veterinary Medicine has honored former dean and DVM William R. Pritchard for his achievements and leadership by renaming the Veterinary Medical Teaching Hospital in his honor.

Recognizing his career achievements in veterinary education and service, including progress in teaching programs, research accomplishments and patient care, the William R. Pritchard Veterinary Medicine Teaching Hospital was dedicated in an April 25 ceremony.

Having twice served as president of the Association of American Veterinary Medical Colleges, which represents 28 veterinary schools, Pritchard, also a JD, was praised for his industry influence by current association president Dr. Larry Heider. "He led a successful effort to gain federal funding to grow veterinary colleges and add nine new veterinary schools in the United States," Heider says of Pritchard, who retired in 1991.

Pritchard testified before the U.S. House of Representatives in 1966 regarding the future of veterinary education and is regarded as instrumental in gaining federal funding to establish nine more veterinary schools, in addition to teaching hospitals, in the U.S.

Thanked for "the vision that has allowed the school to move forward in a robust and exciting way," Pritchard, who served as UC-Davis CVM dean for 20 years, was also recognized by current Dean Dr. Bennie Osburn, who noted his impact on current veterinary education programs.

"We recognize today the tremendous leadership role he took in the development of the school and the Veterinary Medical Teaching Hospital in particular. Dean Pritchard's founding work with the VMTH led to our national prominence. The VMTH became the model for nearly every veterinary school in the United States and Canada," Osburn says.