We are excited to welcome the newest class of students to the Mississippi State University College of Veterinary Medicine.
This year, the college received 1,653 applications and conducted 327 interviews. A total of 119 students are entering the program, with 98 identifying as female and 21 as male. Fourteen students are first-generation college students, and 34 are reapplicants to the program. The average age of the incoming class is 23, with students ranging in age from 20 to 27. The average overall GPA is 3.6 (ranging from 3.07 to 4.0), and the average prerequisite GPA is 3.59 (ranging from 3.0 to 4.0).
Of the entering students, 53 are Mississippi residents. The remaining 66 non-residents include 11 students from South Carolina and 7 from West Virginia, both through contract agreements. Others come from a wide variety of locations, including Alabama, Arizona, Australia, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Kentucky, Massachusetts, Michigan, North Carolina, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Puerto Rico, Tennessee, Utah, and Virginia.
“I’m excited to welcome the Class of 2029 to our college,” said Dr. Brittany Moore-Henderson, assistant dean for admissions and student success and assistant clinical professor at Mississippi State University College of Veterinary Medicine. “These students have worked hard to reach this milestone and bring with them a wide range of interests, including a strong commitment from some to serving rural communities. I look forward to the meaningful contributions they will make to our college, the veterinary profession, and the communities they will serve.”
This year also marks the launch of a new Rural Veterinary Practice Certificate Program, available to students enrolled in the DVM program. Developed in response to the growing shortage of veterinary services in rural communities, the program equips students with additional clinical and business training to prepare them for successful practice in rural environments. Available to members of the Class of 2029, the certificate can be completed alongside the DVM curriculum through a combination of required and elective coursework.
“As we welcome the newest members of the MSU-CVM family, we are also very excited to be launching the Rural Veterinary Practice Certificate Program,” said Dr. Jack Smith, associate dean and professor at Mississippi State University College of Veterinary Medicine. “This opportunity for members of the Class of 2029 is one part of a long-term vision that will help the college meet the needs of our stakeholders in rural communities by preparing our graduates to serve well in the unique circumstances of rural practice.”
We are proud to welcome this talented and diverse group of future veterinarians to MSU CVM and look forward to the impact they will make on the college, the veterinary profession, and the communities they will one day serve.
