Virginia-Maryland College of Veterinary Medicine

General information

Established in 1978 as the in-state veterinary college for residents of Virginia and Maryland through a partnership between land-grant universities Virginia Tech in Blacksburg and the University of Maryland at College Park, the Virginia-Maryland College of Veterinary Medicine has developed into a leading biomedical teaching and research center.

One of 30 colleges of veterinary medicine in the United States, VA-MD Vet Med offers comprehensive educational programs, provides advanced clinical care for clients throughout the region, and conducts research in both basic science to understand the molecular and biological basis for disease, as well as applied science to improve the lives of pets and people.

The college operates three campuses, including the main campus installation at Virginia Tech, the Avrum Gudelsky Veterinary Center at College Park, and the Marion duPont Scott Equine Medical Center in Leesburg, Virginia.

The college's academic programs include the Doctor of Veterinary Medicine (DVM) program, a four-year full-time professional program leading to the DVM degree; the Biomedical and Veterinary Sciences program, a Virginia Tech graduate program leading to the Master of Science or Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) degree; the Master of Public Health (MPH) program, a Virginia Tech graduate program administered by the college’s Department of Population Health Sciences leading to the MPH degree; and dual DVM/Ph.D. and DVM/MPH degree programs.

The college's hospitals include the Veterinary Teaching Hospital in Blacksburg, which provides primary and specialized medical care and large animal ambulatory field services to animals residing in the Blacksburg area and referred by practitioners in the region; and the Marion duPont Scott Equine Medical Center in Leesburg, a full-service equine hospital which offers advanced specialty care, 24-hour emergency treatment, and diagnostic services for all ages and breeds of horses.

With a focus on One Health, the college's research program brings together veterinarians, physicians, and other scientists to address public health threats affecting both people and animals. Basic and clinical scientists collaborate using a translational research approach to take laboratory findings directly to clients in a clinical setting. Ongoing clinical trials in the college's hospitals test research discoveries to develop better methods of disease prevention, diagnosis, and treatment.

Veterinary medicine remains a vital part of animal agriculture, and that role is magnified by the growing demands of a global population explosion. But modern veterinary medicine is also very concerned with the health and welfare of companion animals. Today, the health or illness of a beloved pet is a critical family concern.

Fortunately, the profession of veterinary medicine is rising to meet society's needs. Armed with high-technology medical equipment and powerful pharmaceuticals, veterinarians are increasing agricultural productivity and providing companion animals with higher quality healthcare than has ever before been available.

Because of advances in technology and training, veterinarians can now provide animals with many of the same advanced services that physicians provide for people. Cardiac pacemakers are used to prolong the lives of pets and artificial joints are implanted to help them walk. Cancer is treated virtually the same way in animals as it is in people. Fiberoptics allow glimpses into animal body systems without invasive surgery and arthroscopy puts racehorses back on the track in no time. Computer-based herd and flock health programs are increasing agricultural productivity and genetically engineered drugs and vaccines are mitigating the threats of infectious diseases.

But safeguarding animal health is only part of the picture. Today's veterinarian makes important contributions to public health as well. Working along-side physicians and other biomedical researchers, veterinarians are helping other medical scientists win the war against cancer, heart disease, AIDS, infectious diseases, and environmental toxins which threaten the quality of our food, our water, and our future.

Veterinary medicine today is one of the broadest biomedical disciplines, encompassing the entire spectrum of medical activities from the molecular level to entire ecosystems. It is a profession vibrant with change and opportunity. Today, veterinarians are legislators, federal and state agency directors, corporate executives, research scientists, teachers, public health officers, agricultural production consultants, university presidents, and of course, the gentle doctor who takes care of your pet.