Board of Trustees Approves DVM degree

It was an exciting week for Clemson’s College of Veterinary Medicine.

At the Board of Trustees April meeting, the Doctor of Veterinary Medicine degree was approved following a presentation given by Provost Bob Jones and brief follow-up questions answered by founding Dean Steven Marks.
“It was a proud moment when Provost Jones presented the Doctor of Veterinary Medicine (DVM) program to the Board of Trustees,” said Marks. “Many people at Clemson and across South Carolina have paved the way for our success. Go Tigers!”

The Board of Trustees’ approval is an important step in the progression of building CVM. As the first and only veterinary medicine college in South Carolina, the college will address a critical shortage of large and small animal veterinarians.

The Board meeting wrapped up with a presentation from President Jim Clements who recognized the history that was made at the meeting with the approval of the DVM degree.

The DVM degree will be a rigorous program that includes course work, clinical skill-building and professional development. Students will complete three years of pre-clinical training and a fourth year of clinical training. The clinical training will utilize a distributed model which allows students to participate in clinical clerkships at veterinary hospitals and zoos throughout South Carolina and the region. The curriculum will prepare students for all aspects of the veterinary profession, as well as prepare students who are interested in post graduate training such as internship and residency training.

“We are so incredibly thankful to our State Legislators for their support of our College of Veterinary Medicine,” said Clements. “Dean Marks is filling out his team. They have an upcoming visit from the American Veterinary Medical Association Council on Education for the accreditation process, and they are lining up partner practices to help train final year students. Partners include the Greenville and Columbia Zoos.”

Facility planning is being finalized for several buildings near the Equine Center located on 20 acres adjacent to Clemson’s Experimental Forest. The CVM team continues to grow with searches for staff and faculty ramping up in the coming months. The accreditation process is ongoing as well, and the CVM expects to welcome its first class of 80 students in the Fall of 2026.