The Shreiber School of Veterinary Medicine construction out by the Tech Park has broken ground.

The new Vet School will be the first of its kind in New Jersey and the second in the country to offer students the opportunity to work with animals while earning their degree. The first class of 70 admitted students is scheduled to arrive when the school opens in Sept. 2025.

Animal enthusiast Dr. Matthew Edson, Founding Dean of Rowan’s Shreiber School of Veterinary Medicine is excited for students to fetch one of three degrees, a doctor of veterinary medicine (DVM), a doctor of osteopathic medicine, or a doctor of medicine degree. 

“I think it’s really important since we don’t have a veterinary school in the state of New Jersey to have students who are residents that have access to in-state tuition and decrease the cost of getting a DVM degree,” said Edson.

Dr. Edson was raised on a small farm in Eastampton, NJ where he learned to care for dogs, ducks, and horses.

“I think it’s a really great resource for our community, we will be providing jobs for people working in our program and teaching hospital,” Edson said. “We will be providing access to primary care and special veterinary services in our hospital that we don’t have access to in this area right now.”

Upon its opening in the Fall of 2025, Rowan University will offer veterinary care for pets of all sizes, in its newly constructed veterinary teaching hospital located on Mullica Hill. This new location will cut down on travel time to emergency facilities for families with pets in the southern New Jersey area. It will also make a huge difference in the life or death of animals, the new hospital also provides close-to-home access to veterinary specialty care such as oncology, surgery, and imaging.

Since the start of construction, 30 incoming staff members have since signed a contract to join the Shriber Vet Med School and more are expected to follow. One of those staff members includes Dr. Margaret Fordham, an associate professor of veterinary clinical skills who was notified about the incoming veterinary hospital through an official channel in the American Veterinary Medical Association. 

“What we want to be sure of is that [students] hit the ground running,” said Fordham. “It’s a very complicated career because people love their pets and there are appointments, emergencies, or complications that happen all the time.”

Dr. Fordham will be leading the first class of 70 students in working with live animals in her upcoming veterinary clinical skills course. In the course, students will learn techniques on a model before moving on to a live animal. 

“What we want is to ensure that our students are fully prepared so that when they are one day a veterinarian, they’re going to be able to work immediately and be helpful,” Fordham said.

While construction is still underway, the application process has also not yet opened to the public as they are awaiting final approval for their accrediting body to approve. It’s anticipated to occur within the next month, once approved the application process will open to the general public.

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