FRANKFORT, Ky. — A feasibility study has found it might be possible for Murray State University to offer a doctorate in veterinary medicine. This comes as Kentucky faces a veterinary shortage, particularly for large animals and in rural areas.

What You Need To Know

  • A third-party feasibility study shows Murray State is the best positioned school in Kentucky to offer a doctorate in veterinary medicine

  • Murray State University has the largest veterinary tech/pre-vet program in Kentucky 

  • Lawmakers are concerned over the financial commitment to a veterinary program 

  • The State of Kentucky reserves seats at Auburn University and Tuskugee University for in-state tuition for KY students

A third-party feasibility study performed by Deloitte shows Murray State University is well positioned financially, in student success and with research infrastructure if they were approved by the Kentucky General Assembly to offer a doctorate program in veterinary medicine. Murray State president Bob Jackson said Murray State is already home to the largest pre-vet medicine and vet tech program in the state.

“We have the students who desire to further education in these particular areas and want to go into a veterinary science field,” Jackson said.

However, the same study shows some concerns with faculty recruitment, accreditation standards and cost-benefit analysis. State Senator Damon Thayer, R-Georgetown, said he’s concerned if it would address the veterinary shortcomings to be worth a high-expense to taxpayers.

“It can’t just be good for Murray to have this program, and it can’t just be good for western Kentucky. It has to be good for all 4.5 million people who live in this commonwealth,” Thayer said.

Murray State says 80 counties are veterinary shortage or underserved rural areas. Dean of the Hutson School of Agriculture Brian Parr said in current ag programs, MSU has a dual-credit enrollment option which reaches 1,000 students a semester.

“If we want students to return to rural Kentucky to practice veterinary medicine, those students need to come from rural Kentucky,” Parr said.

Practicing veterinarians and lawmakers are concerned with the school’s proposed cost and its proposed distributive model; which means there won’t be an animal hospital on campus. According to the feasibility study shown Thursday, there are 15 additional colleges of veterinary medicine in various stages of development. Of the 15, eight are operating on a distributive model.

Currently, the state contracts for in-state tuition at Auburn University and Tuskegee University, both in Alabama. Phil Prater, a professor emeritus of vet tech at Morehead State University, has concerns related to opening a veterinary school in Kentucky. He said Auburn University, which is eight hours away, is the vet school for most Kentucky aspiring veterinarians.

“Are we willing to give up a world-class education for our pre-vet students and future veterinarians to take on something that we don’t know how it’ll work, we don’t have the facilities yet,” Prater said.

MSU leaders said their program won’t affect the existing partnerships and only Kentucky or Alabama legislators can pull those contracts. Parr said he encourages the state to keep those partnerships but believes a program at MSU can be just as successful.

“I worked for them [Auburn] for seven years, great place, but there’s some smart people in Kentucky too and I do not appreciate the whole inferiority complex of we can’t do this because we’re just not smart enough in Kentucky, they’re not all that smart in Alabama. I lived there,” Parr said.

Lawmakers introduced bills last session, which ultimately did not pass.

In the U.S. there are over 30 universities in 23 states offering an accredited veterinary medicine program.

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