The University of Arizona is launching the first public veterinary school in the state, and it’s been a long time coming.
The university first announced it planned to open the college in 2015, but the project was pushed back after the accreditation-awarding Council on Education cited shortfalls in some of the required standards.
On Monday, it received that accreditation status, and can accept its first class of students. This comes at an opportune time, since there is a shortage of veterinarians nationwide.
Dr. Julie Funk is the founding dean of the UA College of Veterinary Medicine, and The Show spoke with her about what the program will look like.
EDITOR'S NOTE: This story has been modified to clarify that this is Arizona's first public veterinary school.