Growing up, I don’t remember my parents taking our pets to the veterinarian for wellness visits. If a pet seemed sick, we’d go to the vet. I didn’t think twice about it at the time, but it seems ludicrous to me now. The human-animal bond has evolved, and veterinary medicine has evolved with it. I saw an example of this evolution firsthand during a recent tour of the yet-to-open Veterinary Hospital and Education Complex at Colorado State University.
The 213,000-square-foot, $230 million facility will open this fall, when CSU welcomes its next class of 172 veterinary students — 30 more than last year. “We have increased the number of students because there’s a shortage of veterinarians, and we want to help address that,” said Project Manager Britt Mactavish. With the increased class size, about 700 veterinary students will occupy the space by 2030, all taking part in CSU’s new, first-of-its-kind DVM Ascend Curriculum, which emphasizes team- and systems-based learning, hands-on training, and student well-being.
The building itself is impressive. Simulation spaces mimic what students will encounter in clinical settings. An innovation space allows staff and students to create materials using 3D printing and silicone modeling. The primary care suite has triple the exam space, enabling an increase in student primary care rotations from four to 14 weeks. A cutting-edge small animal isolation unit supports patient care involving highly contagious diseases.
Despite the “gold standard” feel of the facility, spectrum of care is a key component of the DVM program at CSU. “Ensuring that students can have those difficult conversations is the underpinning of the new curriculum,” said Sheila McMullan, Esq, senior associate dean. “Because care shouldn’t be based on what someone can pay.”
I don’t know if my parents skipped veterinary visits because of the cost, or because they didn’t think the visits were important. Either way, I’m sure they’d be as impressed with CSU’s Veterinary Hospital and Education Complex as I was.