3-06-2023 5:34pm

1st School of Veterinary Medicine in the State of New Jersey Opens Its Doors Fall 2025

Rowan University's School of Veterinary Medicine to offer the first DVM degree in New Jersey, addressing the national shortage of veterinarians.

New Jersey is set to welcome its first veterinary school in the fall of 2025, as Rowan University gears up to launch its School of Veterinary Medicine. The school is currently seeking accreditation from the American Veterinary Medical Association Council on Education and will offer the state’s first Doctor of Veterinary Medicine degree, as well as related degree programs designed to shape the future of veterinary medicine and animal health care in the region.

With the aim of producing well-trained veterinarians to meet the high demand for such professionals, the NJDA has announced it will collaborate with the Rowan program to provide veterinary students and faculty with access to its Animal Health Diagnostic Lab and make its lab services available to the Rowan veterinary school to protect and promote animal and public health.

The shortage of veterinarians has been predicted for some time now. In 2006, the Association of American Veterinary Medical Colleges warned of a shortage of 15,000 veterinarians in the US within two decades. According to the American Veterinary Medical Association, 57 percent of households in New Jersey own a pet or large animal livestock.

“We’re excited to partner with the NJDA to train the next generation of veterinarians,” said Dr. Matthew Edson, founding dean of the School of Veterinary Medicine. “Access to their state-of-the-art animal health diagnostic laboratory will be an invaluable educational resource for our student doctors, and we appreciate the opportunity to collaborate. The demand for both small and large animal veterinarians is growing, and we’re eager for the Rowan University School of Veterinary Medicine to help fill that need both in New Jersey and across the country.”

Rowan University’s School of Veterinary Medicine will offer its students a unique opportunity to explore practical research at the intersection of medicine, engineering, science, business, and the environment. The school plans to advance the health and well-being of animals and humans through the “One Health Concept,” with graduates addressing societal concerns while improving patient outcomes.

When the school opens in the fall of 2025, it will initially accept 70 students, with plans to eventually increase that number to 90 students per class. Rowan University will become one of only two universities in the nation offering Doctor of Veterinary Medicine, Doctor of Medicine, and Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine degrees. With the launch of the School of Veterinary Medicine, New Jersey is set to play a leading role in filling the veterinary void and ensuring the health and welfare of animals and humans alike.