Dean’s Message

College of Veterinary Medicine

Ralph Richardson, dean,College of Veterinary Medicine

As one of the oldest college programs in the United States to grant the DVM degree, the K-State College of Veterinary Medicine maintains academic excellence, exceptional facilities and nationally recognized instructional and research programs.

“Our faculty and staff have high expectations in teaching, research and service, and are outstanding role models for our students,” said Dr. Ralph Richardson, dean and K-State graduate with a bachelor’s degree in 1969 and DVM in 1970. “We strive to prepare our graduates for successful entry into the profession of veterinary medicine — they are in high demand.”

The college was formally established in 1905, although the curriculum began in 1862, one year before K-State’s founding as a land-grant university.

“We are proud of our past, but place equal importance in clarifying our future vision,” Dr. Richardson said. “Changes in federal funding, competition for K-12 educational support and other state programs make it essential to set priorities and address issues critical to our profession.”

 

Facility and equipment upgrades and improvements

In recent years, several needs have been identified, and many improvements have been made.

“We’ve added a linear accelerator for radiation therapy, ultrasound equipment, and computerized tomography (CT) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) capabilities,” Dean Richardson said. “We have newly remodeled state-of-the-art dental and intensive care units with room for expansion. K-State’s newest addition is the Biosecurity Research Institute — Pat Roberts Hall — with pace-setting research on both plants and animals that make up the country’s food supply.”

The college has a robust program in production/livestock medicine and is deeply involved in food safety and infectious disease research.  

“We recently assembled world-renowned faculty related to food animal medicine, particularly beef production,” said Dr. Richardson. “They have come from academe and industry with relevance to the ‘real world.’ The ‘beef team’ is an invaluable resource as research, consultants to our alumni and teachers to our students.”

 

Partnerships and initiatives

“In August 2006, we became an integral player in the Kansas City Animal Health Corridor initiative,” Dr. Richardson said. “This organization is dedicated to increasing collaboration between veterinary schools, animal health and nutrition companies, and research institutions. Bounded by Manhattan, Kan., St. Joseph, Mo., and Columbia, Mo., this area contains the world’s highest concentration of animal-health and nutrition companies, controlling one-third of global animal health and nutrition sales.

“K-State will have more than a collaborative relationship with these companies and research institutes. Thanks to the Kansas Biosciences Authority and the city of Olathe, our university will soon occupy 40 acres where we can strengthen our college’s programs such as public health, comparative medicine, animal health, and food safety and security.”

Another strategic move for K-State veterinary medicine is MidWestVET, a satellite teaching hospital in Omaha, Neb.

“That site assures student access to teaching cases while offering more convenient specialty care for our referring veterinarians, clients and small animal patients in Nebraska and the surrounding region,” Dr. Richardson said. “Students will have access to an exemplary specialty practice, a world-class humane society, a busy emergency clinic and other opportunities provided in a metropolitan setting.”

 

Grateful clients open new doors

The Veterinary Medical Teaching Hospital reaches beyond the campus through client services and programs. In addition to exceptional medical treatment, the Perpetual Pet Care Program (PPCP) and Pet Trust Program give pet owners greater peace of mind. The PPCP allows pet owners to make special arrangements to guarantee the care of their animal companions, should their pets outlive them, while supporting scholarships, research, faculty or other areas of interest. The Pet Trust honors the memory of companion animals while providing an opportunity to support research, education and other college needs.

“We respect and embrace our responsibilities to our patients and their owners,” Dean Richardson said. “We appreciate those grateful clients who participate in the PPCP and Pet Trust, and whose gifts will one day provide scholarships and college enhancements to help us attract the world’s best and brightest students and faculty.”

 

Bringing it all together

“We continue to address challenges to enhance faculty salaries, reduce student debt through scholarships, assure a strong, relevant core curriculum and evaluate the need to increase class size,” Dean Richardson said. “Our goal is to provide graduates who reflect society, understand the citizenry they serve and are prepared to meet and exceed future expectations for our profession.

“With a relatively small tax base, we can’t rely on the state of Kansas to be our only source of funding. It is imperative to cultivate relationships that support our college through gifts and donations, peer-reviewed grants and alliances with veterinary-related industries. We aspire to be the best veterinary college in the world. When we demonstrate responsible stewardship and provide evidence of excellence in what we do, others will want to join our team.”