World Veterinary Year
250 years ago, the first veterinary medical school was founded
in Lyons, France marking the beginning of veterinary medicine as a
profession. In celebration, 2011 has been designated by the World
Veterinary Association as the Year of the Veterinarian.
Veterinarians have evolved through the years to be more than
just animal doctors, playing critical roles in public health
by:
- promoting food security by supervising animal production
hygiene
- helping in the control of zoonoses (diseases that can transmit
between animals and humans)
- monitoring food quality and safety
- being active in biomedical research that leads to treatments
and cures for both animal and human diseases
- protecting the environment and biodiversity
The College of Veterinary Medicine & Biomedical Sciences at
Texas A&M is one of only 28 veterinary schools in the United
States, the only one in the State of Texas, and is consistently
ranked in the Top 5.
With approximately 132 students admitted per class, it is one of
the larger colleges of veterinary medicine, but it is also one of
the most competitive to get in.
Many of the faculty at the CVM have international reputations
for their expertise in reproductive biology, cancer, neurology,
biodefense, infectious diseases, equine and feline medicine,
cardiology, to name a few.
Take this opportunity this year to learn more about veterinary
medicine...we have three lectures scheduled (March, April, and
October) that focus on the past, present and future of veterinary
medicine. Coloring books are available for schools to distribute,
and our outreach programs through veterinary extension and the PEER
program can provide speakers for classrooms.
For more information on veterinary medicine and the World Year
of the Veterinarian, please follow these links:
World Veterinary
Association Vet 2011
The American
Veterinary Medical Association
The Texas
Veterinary Medical Association