In an effort to address the critical shortage of veterinarians in Nevada and the wider western United States, Roseman University of Health Sciences is forging a path forward with plans to establish a new College of Veterinary Medicine at its Henderson campus. The scarcity of animal care professionals has been linked to longer wait times for appointments in urban centers and an almost complete lack of accessible veterinary services in rural areas, impacting everything from pet welfare to food safety.
According to a report by FOX5 Vegas, the university has made a crucial first step by submitting a letter of intent to the American Veterinary Medical Association's Council on Education. Jason Roth, the Director of Communications for Roseman University, underscored the urgency by telling FOX5, “We’re about 400 vets short for our Valley. That’s, that’s quite a lot.” Dr. Katherine Fogelberg has been tapped to serve as the founding dean and is set to bring a wealth of experience in education and veterinary practice to the role.
As the program's blueprint takes shape, the intention is to not only rapidly expand the pool of available veterinary professionals in the state but to also offer a tailor-made educational experience. "It is going to be quite different for us. We focus on health sciences and professional services for people, and this one obviously is going to be related to animals, who are equally important for public health," Roth conveyed in an interview with FOX5.
Alongside the strategic planning, Dr. Fogelberg will also be responsible to actively engage with communities across Nevada to establish vital clinical partnerships, a point emphasized by a statement obtained by Nevada Business. "Our goal is to create a veterinary program that is not only academically rigorous but also deeply mission-driven," Dr. Fogelberg said, aiming "to train veterinarians who are equipped to serve all communities—urban and rural, pets and livestock, locally and nationally."
The burgeoning program hopes to cultivate a home-grown pool of veterinary practitioners, with local animal welfare advocates like Christa Stevens, founder and executive director of Hearts Alive Village, emphasizing the necessity of these efforts. Stevens highlighted the connection between veterinary shortages and animal welfare issues to FOX5, stating, "We need veterinarians. They are at the core of what’s happening here." With such initiatives underway, the response from the community and future students could play a defining role in mitigating the animal care crisis in Nevada and surrounding regions.
