The Utah State University College of Veterinary Medicine has officially launched its four-year DVM program by holding a traditional white coat ceremony involving 42 first-year students.
Since 2012, the Logan, Utah, institution has sent veterinary students to Washington State University for the final two years of studies in a partnership known as 2+2.
The Class of 2029 will be the first to complete all veterinary education in Utah — three years of academic instruction and a fourth year of clinical training in community-based practices.
“Our curriculum is designed to ensure students are practice-ready, optimizing their clinical training under real-world conditions,” said the college’s dean, Dr. Dirk K. Vanderwall.
Enrollment in the Utah State program is set to double to 80 students once the veterinary medical education building opens in summer 2026.
At the Aug. 16 white coat ceremony, students were welcomed by Dr. Heloisa Rutigliano, the associate dean of academic programs; Dr. Boyd Spratling, a past president of the Nevada Veterinary Medical Association; and Dr. Nate Whiting, the president of the Utah Veterinary Medical Association.