UMES to Launch First Public HBCU Veterinary School

The University of Maryland Eastern Shore (UMES) is preparing to launch a veterinary school that will make history as the nation’s first public historically Black university (HBCU) with a Doctor of Veterinary Medicine (DVM) program.

A Three-Year, Year-Round Program

UMES is designing a three-year, year-round DVM curriculum that condenses the traditional four-year model into a shorter timeframe. This approach allows students to reduce living expenses and begin their careers sooner, while still covering the same academic and clinical content.

The program is expected to accept about 100 students per class, with half of the seats reserved for Maryland residents. Tuition will be lower for in-state students, and the university is actively pursuing scholarship funding to make the program more affordable.

Distributed Clinical Training

Unlike traditional veterinary schools that rely on expensive teaching hospitals, UMES will adopt a distributed clinical training model. Students will rotate through private practices, diagnostic laboratories, corporate hospitals, government facilities, and agricultural operations.

This structure is designed to expose students to a wide variety of professional environments while keeping costs down. It also connects students directly to the types of workplaces where they may eventually build their careers.

Emphasis on Food-Animal and Rural Medicine

The program will provide comprehensive veterinary education in both small and large animal medicine but will place particular emphasis on food-animal health, poultry medicine, and agricultural systems.

This focus is especially relevant to Maryland’s Eastern Shore, where poultry production and livestock play a vital role in the economy. The veterinary school is expected to help address shortages of veterinarians in rural and agricultural areas while also strengthening public health infrastructure.

Facility, Costs, and Accreditation

UMES has requested $116 million in state funding to build a 176,000-square-foot veterinary facility. The absence of a teaching hospital significantly reduces operational costs compared to traditional veterinary schools, with annual operating expenses projected at about $27 million.

The school is progressing through the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) accreditation process. An initial consultative visit has already taken place, and based on current timelines, the program is expected to welcome its first class in 2027.

Building Diversity in the Profession

Veterinary medicine is among the least diverse professions in the United States. UMES aims to change that by creating a more inclusive pathway to the field. As a public HBCU, the school will expand access for underrepresented students while also establishing pipeline programs with nearby institutions such as the University of Maryland College Park and Delaware State University.

The addition of a veterinary program at UMES will complement Tuskegee University’s private veterinary school, further broadening opportunities for students from diverse backgrounds to enter the profession.

Looking Ahead

The UMES veterinary school is designed to combine affordability, innovation, and workforce development. By offering an accelerated DVM, reducing costs through distributed clinical training, and focusing on food-animal and rural medicine, the program is expected to produce graduates who can meet critical needs in agriculture, companion-animal care, and public service.

If the timeline stays on track, the first class of UMES veterinary students will begin their studies in fall 2027, marking a milestone for the university, the state of Maryland, and the veterinary profession as a whole.