A program initiated by Kansas State University (K-State) that helps students from China earn veterinary medical degrees in the U.S. is increasing the number of students it serves.
A memorandum-of-understanding signing ceremony was conducted Oct. 19 in Beijing, China, expanding the U.S.-China Joint Doctor of Veterinary Medicine Scholarship Program, which was initiated in 2012 by the U.S.-China Center for Animal Health at K-State, along with the China Agricultural University and Chinese Veterinary Medical Association. The joint program has been sponsored by China Scholarship Council, K-State, Zoetis and the International Veterinary Collaboration for China.
Zoetis originally provided funding to the program for 30 students’ pre-veterinary tuition and related activities. The China Scholarship Council has provided full-ride scholarships for four years of Doctor of Veterinary Medicine tuition and five years for living stipends. K-State has sponsored the program by providing program management service and additional scholarships.
Under the new agreement, Zoetis will continue to support the program by providing pre-veterinary tuition funding for an additional 15 students with K-State and the Chinese Veterinary Medical Association.
“The U.S.-China Joint Doctor of Veterinary Medicine Program advances veterinary education and promotes the development of the animal health industry in China,” said Rimma Driscoll, vice president, business development and commercial alliances, at Zoetis. “Since 2012, Zoetis, along with the International Veterinary Collaboration for China, has stood behind this remarkable program, and we look forward to continuing with that assistance.”
“The signing ceremony on Oct. 19 was a great opportunity for us to invite all supporters to celebrate and witness the U.S.-China public-private partnership on veterinary education and welcome the program’s inaugural Doctor of Veterinary Medicine graduates back to China,” said Jishu Shi, director of the U.S.-China Center for Animal Health.
The U.S.-China Joint Doctor of Veterinary Medicine Program is a five-year training program with one year of pre-veterinary study at K-State and four years of veterinary study at the university or one of three other U.S. partnering schools. Once students receive their Doctor of Veterinary Medicine, they are to return to China to advance veterinary education and promote animal health, public health and food safety under the concept of “One World, One Health.”
In May, the program graduated four inaugural students who are the first government-sponsored Chinese Doctor of Veterinary Medicine recipients since 1949. Now, these four graduates are recruited by the China Agricultural University and Huazhong Agricultural University as associate professors.
“Today, more than ever before, veterinary medicine has a global mission and responsibility, said Frank Blecha, associate dean for research with K-State’s College of Veterinary Medicine. “With our first Doctor of Veterinary Medicine recipients from this program returning to China this year, it is appropriate and exciting for all of us to rededicate ourselves to this important international veterinary educational program as it foretells a bright future for veterinary medical collaboration in the world.” — K-State
