Lincoln Memorial University (LMU) in Harrogate, Tenn., is set to make an historic addition to its nationally-renowned programs of study as it prepares to welcome students to its Equine Veterinary Education Program (EVEP) in Fall 2023.
The developing program will be unlike any offered among the 30 veterinary schools in the United States as it will be composed of a two and a half-year undergraduate program, followed by a four-year veterinary doctoral program with a strong emphasis on equine veterinary medicine.
Furthermore, it will offer a one-of-a-kind summer immersive experience for students with some of the world's leading ranches, Thoroughbred farms, professional trainers, and leading veterinary hospitals.
“While key details are under development, we believe the addition of this program to Lincoln Memorial University will not only make LMU a stand-out university but will offer students an opportunity to achieve their dream to become equine veterinarians at a lower cost and with a much more targeted focus,” said LMU-College of Veterinary Medicine Dean Stacy Anderson, DVM, MVSc, PhD, DACVS-LA. “Just as important, too, will be the goal of providing qualified equine veterinarians to a horse industry sorely in need of these professionals.”
The EVEP is being coordinated with the guidance of Eleanor Green, DVM, ACVIM, ABVP, Dean Emerita of the Texas A&M College of Veterinary Medicine & Biomedical Sciences, and past president of the American Association of Equine Practitioners (AAEP), and Jim Heird, PhD, past president of the American Quarter Horse Association (AQHA), as well as the former director of the Equine Sciences Program at CSU and former coordinator of the Equine Initiative at Texas A&M University.
“The horse business is a $122 billion dollar industry in the United States, ranging from the height of Olympic events to the millions involved in recreational riding,” said Heird. “As long-time professionals in the industry, Dr. Green and I have witnessed the urgent need of horse owners and current veterinary practices have for qualified veterinarians, while at the same time understanding the tremendous cost of that education. Our collective hope is that this model will begin a movement to attract more students to the field.”
“The Equine Veterinary Education Program is sure to be a great complement to LMU's existing veterinary curriculum,” said Dr. Green. “The course of study will be challenging and extremely practical in the sense of providing 'real-world' opportunities and experiences. The team is looking forward to welcoming its first class in Fall 2023.”
A critical component to the EVEP has been the development of the EVEP Advisory Council, which includes such lauded horsemen and women as Hall of Fame Thoroughbred and American Quarter Horse racehorse trainer D. Wayne Lukas; former AQHA President and Four Sixes Ranch Horse Division Manager Glenn Blodgett, DVM; Taylor Made Farm President Duncan Taylor; and from the highly regarded Rood and Riddle Equine Hospital, founder Bill Rood, DVM, JD, and President and CEO Debbie Spike-Pierce, DVM, MBA, among many others.
“The EVEP Advisory Council is truly a 'who's who' of equine and veterinary industry leaders,” said Dr. Heird. “We'll be providing more information about the Council as we move forward.”
Interested students will be able to apply via the LMU website beginning Fall 2022 for admission to the Fall 2023 start of the program, pending accreditation. For more information contact, Coordinator for Research and Graduate Programs Kathleen Thomas at kathleen.thomas@lmunet.edu or Dr. Anderson, at stacy.anderson@lmunet.edu.
Lincoln Memorial University is a values-based learning community dedicated to providing educational experiences in the liberal arts and professional studies. The main campus is in Harrogate, Tenn. For more information about the undergraduate and graduate programs available at LMU, contact the Office of Admissions at 423.869.6280 or email at admissions@LMUnet.edu.
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