Upon receiving provisional accreditation, the Clemson University College of Veterinary Medicine will admit its first class in 2026. Dr. Steven Marks is the College’s founding dean and comments, “our goals are to provide an exceptional student experience in a challenging, nurturing and values-driven environment to produce prepared veterinarians from day one.” Marks also says, “this is an exciting time to be a part of Clemson. I’m honored to have the opportunity to play a part in positively impacting the people and the animals within the state.”
Currently, there is a veterinary shortage, particularly for large animals. After receiving full accreditation, Clemson will be the first veterinary college in the state. The statistics support this program. In a feasibility study it was found that:
33% of South Carolina counties have fewer than five veterinarians
48% of the state’s counties have fewer than ten veterinarians
Nearly 200 South Carolina students were actively enrolled at 13 veterinary colleges outside the state (2022).
Clemson University’s new veterinary program will keep promising veterinary students in the state and assist in narrowing the gap between the shortage and new veterinary practitioners.
