New NC State DVM program aims to guide undergrads toward a career in equine care

Vet professionals attend to a horse.
Photo courtesy John Joyner/NC State College of Veterinary Medicine

North Carolina’s equine industry significantly impacts the state, contributing $2.9 billion annually, but a growing shortage of equine veterinarians is causing concern. With reportedly only 4.1% of veterinarians nationwide working in equine practice, North Carolina faces increasing demand for services, staff shortages, and practitioner burnout. To address this,  the NC State College of Veterinary Medicine is launching the Equine Scholars Program. This initiative will recruit pre-veterinary undergraduates interested in horse health from partner universities across the state, helping to build a stronger pipeline of future equine veterinarians.

“As a land-grant institution offering North Carolina’s only veterinary college, one of NC State’s missions is to deliver excellent veterinarians who can take care of the animals owned by the people of North Carolina,” says Dr. Callie Fogle, a clinical professor of equine surgery who founded the Equine Scholars Program with associate professor Dr. Katie Sheats. “The same applies for horses and their owners.”

NC State expert equine instructors Dr. Katie Sheats, left, and Dr. Callie Fogle are the minds behind the College of Veterinary Medicine’s new Equine Scholars Program. Photo courtesy John Joyner/NC State College of Veterinary Medicine

The Equine Scholars Program will match undergraduate participants with veterinary mentors from NC State and private practices, providing hands-on shadowing and mentorship experiences. Scholars who meet the College of Veterinary Medicine’s admissions requirements will secure a spot in NC State’s DVM program upon completing their bachelor’s degree.

When applications open Nov. 1, students with at least junior status and one summer remaining before their graduation at four partner universities with agricultural or equestrian focuses—NC State, North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University, the University of Mount Olive and St. Andrews University—are invited to apply for six slots in the program’s first cohort.

For more information, visit the NC State website.

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