LOGAN — Utah State University has completed construction of the Thomas and Patricia Willis Veterinary Medical Education Building, a milestone in the university’s effort to expand veterinary education and help address shortages of veterinarians across Utah.
The new facility will serve as the cornerstone of USU’s College of Veterinary Medicine, providing classrooms, laboratories and clinical training spaces designed to support hands-on education, research and collaboration.
The building opens as Utah State continues expanding its four-year Doctor of Veterinary Medicine program, which received state approval in 2022. The university welcomed its first class of students enrolled entirely in the four-year program last fall and has expanded enrollment to 80 students per graduating class.
Before launching the four-year program, Utah State participated in the Washington-Idaho-Montana-Utah Regional Program in Veterinary Medicine, commonly known as WIMU. Under that partnership, students completed their first two years in Logan before finishing their veterinary education at Washington State University. Students already enrolled in WIMU will continue completing the program while USU’s standalone veterinary program grows.
The expansion is intended to help meet a growing need for veterinarians throughout the state, particularly in rural communities.
“My last count in Utah, I believe there were eight or nine counties or parts of counties in Utah that have been identified by the USDA as being underserved from a veterinary professional workforce standpoint,” said Dirk VanderWall in a university-produced video announcing the building’s completion.
During the clinical portion of the program, students will train through a distributive education model, completing rotations with practicing veterinarians in communities throughout Utah rather than at a single teaching hospital.
“What a great way for the practice to develop a relationship with our fourth-year veterinary students to potentially lead to job opportunities,” a faculty member said in the video.
University officials say the Thomas and Patricia Willis Veterinary Medical Education Building complements existing veterinary education resources on campus, including the animal science farm, dairy facilities and Utah Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory, giving students exposure to a wide range of animal species and veterinary specialties.
The facility is expected to play an important role in supporting Utah’s agricultural industry, which contributes an estimated $1.82 billion annually to the state’s economy. Expanding veterinary education in Utah is intended to improve access to both companion-animal and large-animal care while strengthening the veterinary workforce throughout the state and the Intermountain West.
As summer wraps up, so does the construction at the newly completed Thomas and Patricia Willis Veterinary Medical Education Building — USU’s cornerstone hub for its College of Veterinary Medicine.
The state-of-the-art facility will provide modern classrooms, laboratories and clinical training spaces designed to support hands-on learning, research and collaboration.
The building plays a critical role in addressing the growing demand for veterinarians — particularly in rural communities, where access to large-animal care remains a significant challenge. Utah’s agricultural industry contributes an estimated $1.82 billion to the state’s economy, underscoring the importance of expanding veterinary training within the state.
With the addition of this facility and the continued growth of its four-year Doctor of Veterinary Medicine program, Utah State has expanded enrollment to 80 students per graduating class, helping build a sustainable veterinary workforce for Utah and beyond.
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