The University of Calgary veterinary school plans to open in 2007 rather than next fall as planned.
“Even though we would like to open up in 2006, it is becoming apparent that that is going to be more difficult,” said Eugene Janzen, associate dean.
Funding, staffing and the ability to complete accreditation became too complex to open sooner, added Roman Cooney, vice-president of external affairs.
The new faculty hopes to hire 50 to 60 full-time equivalent faculty members and graduate 30 students a year.
“There is a significant research component and getting professors with a background in research is tremendously difficult at the best of times,” said Cooney.
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So far, the school has attracted four professors and hopes to draw on teaching expertise from across North America as well as from the Alberta community of veterinarians.
Janzen said besides finding staff, building the physical facilities is a challenge.
Last month, the government of Alberta provided $16 million to build at an off-campus site northwest of the city on a grazing research unit of 1,200 acres. It will consist of teaching labs and classrooms. The school will own livestock at this facility.
On Oct. 15, the province announced a further $46.8 million spread over the next four years for start-up costs. No private funding is being sought at this time.
The school must receive accreditation from the American Veterinary Association and it plans to offer a multi-site facility with partnerships in the community.
“Many veterinary schools embellish their teaching program by sending students off campus so that is pretty common in North America. What makes this school unique is that we won’t have our own teaching hospital,” Janzen said.
“We will rely on the community for a teaching hospital.”
Janzen, formerly with the Western College of Veterinary Medicine at Saskatoon, believes the West needs another vet school. The Calgary facility would be Canada’s fifth and would expand teaching spaces rather than turning away worthy applicants. Saskatoon accepts 20 Alberta students per year.
The school is offering some specific areas of expertise focusing on large animal practice in rural areas and zoonotic diseases, which are transmitted among species and to humans.
However, to pass board exams, graduates must be familiar with all areas of veterinary practice.
“Most schools graduate generalists and we will be no different, except here in Alberta we will call it rural community practice,” Janzen said.
“Part of our mandate is to produce veterinarians that have an interest in visiting our smaller rural communities,” he said.
Calgary students will study for three continuous years with short summer breaks covering the same material as the standard four year program. Students must complete at least two years of post-secondary study or a pre-veterinary program or a combination of an animal health technology program supplemented by additional university level courses.
