Representatives from the UGA CVM recently attended their first annual homecoming of the U.S.-China Joint DVM scholarship program, held at Kansas State University in Manhattan, KS. Established in 2012 by the U.S.-China Center for Animal Health at K-State, this program brings Chinese students to the US for veterinary school through partnerships with universities, government and the animal health industry. This year marks the first time UGA has participated in this program – one student will be an incoming first year vet student in the fall.
Each year, the program recruits four top students who are junior or senior undergraduate students, or graduate students from universities in China, to pursue a DVM degree in the U.S. The selected students study pre-veterinary (pre-vet) courses at K-State for a year and then apply to their selected veterinary college. Upon acceptance into vet school, each student receives a scholarship from the joint DVM program that covers tuition and living expenses during their time in the U.S.
“We are honored and excited to be a part of this program for the first time,” said Scott Brown, associate dean for academic affairs at the CVM. “It is a program that expands our horizons – allowing us access to exceptional international students who want to come to the US to further their career and gain important perspective on how the veterinary profession can impact animal and public health in both countries. We look forward to welcoming our first student in August and being part of her journey.”
The U.S.-China Joint DVM Scholarship Program is sponsored by the China Scholarship Council, Kansas State University, Zoetis/ International Veterinary Collaboration for China, the Chinese Veterinary Medical Association, and Banfield Pet Hospital. In addition to UGA and Kansas State, Iowa State, the University of Minnesota and 12 agricultural universities in China are part of the program. In return for their participation in the program, students must agree to go back to China for at least six years following the completion of their DVM program where they will teach or conduct research at China’s universities or veterinary medicine research institutions, government agencies, or other public institutions.
