Murray State discusses plan to develop veterinary school

Representatives from Murray State University and the United States Department of Agriculture met with Congressman James Comer Thursday to discuss the development of an accredited school of veterinary medicine at the MSU Hutson School of Agriculture. 

Currently, there are no veterinary schools in Kentucky, and there are only 54 vets dedicated to the care of large animals. Nationally there is an approximate shortage of 5,000 veterinarians.

Murray State University is proposing the development of a program that will grant Doctor of Veterinary Medicine degrees and bolster their existing pre-veterinary program, which is the largest in the state.

MSU's Hutson College of Agriculture also conducts research at their Breathitt Veterinary Center, one of 23 nationwide diagnostic laboratories to be designated by USDA as a Level 1 facility within the National Animal Health Laboratory Network.