PRINCESS ANNE, Md. - The University of Maryland Eastern Shore says its planned veterinary school has cleared a major hurdle, allowing the university to begin recruiting and admitting students for an inaugural class expected in summer 2027.
The American Veterinary Medical Association’s Council on Education issued the school a Letter of Reasonable Assurance, UMES announced Oct. 13. The designation means the developing program has shown an acceptable prospect of achieving full accreditation, but does not grant accreditation.
According to UMES, the school will be the first veterinary school physically located in Maryland and the first at a public historically Black college or university.
Applications are not yet open, though the university says it will announce application dates, deadlines, and submission instructions soon.
“The Letter of Reasonable Assurance allows UMES to move forward with recruiting and admitting our inaugural veterinary school class,” said Dr. Stanley Robertson, the school’s dean.
The university plans to offer a year-round Doctor of Veterinary Medicine program that students can complete in three years, compared with the standard four. The curriculum will combine classroom instruction, simulation, clinical-skills training, and supervised experience at university-operated and affiliated clinical sites.
Robertson said the program will draw on the Eastern Shore’s agricultural setting and clinical partners to prepare veterinarians to serve Maryland and the Mid-Atlantic region.
The council’s decision follows a June site visit examining the school’s readiness across 11 accreditation standards, including finances, facilities, curriculum, faculty, and clinical resources. The program will continue through the accreditation process after students enroll.
UMES President Heidi M. Anderson said the school will give Maryland residents an opportunity to pursue veterinary training in their home state.
“This affirmation by the accrediting agency positions UMES to meet the nation’s growing need for veterinarians,” Anderson said.
The school plans to prepare graduates for careers in companion-animal care, agriculture, public health, research, and other areas of veterinary medicine.
Prospective applicants can find prerequisite courses, admissions requirements, and information about the proposed selection process on the UMES School of Veterinary Medicine website. The university encourages applicants to monitor the site for an official application opening date.
