For the first time in its history, Maryland will train its own veterinarians—and it’s happening at the University of Maryland Eastern Shore.

No universities in Maryland offer a Doctor of Veterinary Medicine (DVM) program. Some schools provide degrees and certificates in veterinary technology and veterinary science. However, to become practicing veterinarians, Maryland students must leave the state. Currently, a collaborative program between Virginia Tech and the University of Maryland lets Maryland students earn the required accreditation. Soon, the University of Maryland Eastern Shore (UMES) will change that.

The university plans to admit its first class of students in the summer of 2027. Notably, UMES will become the first public Historically Black College and University to offer a DVM. The school aims to increase the representation of Black Americans and other people of color in a profession that is currently predominantly white. The state and nation also face a shortage of veterinarians. UMES intends to boost projected employment growth both nationally and in Maryland.

UMES’s DVM program, established in Cecil County on Maryland’s Eastern Shore, builds on the university’s nationally recognized agricultural fields of study. As one of the state’s most agriculturally productive regions, the Eastern Shore retains a rich farming history, positioning the new program to support Maryland’s agricultural economy. Through training veterinarians in large-animal medicine and fostering research on food safety and zoonotic diseases, the DVM program also aims to enhance public health through its One Health initiatives.

As the University of Maryland Eastern Shore prepares to open its doors, the program signals not just a first for Maryland but a future in which the state trains—and keeps—its own veterinarians.

If you would like your county featured in Fun Facts, please get in touch with Abbey Duncan at aduncan@mdcounties.org