US-China veterinary program at K-State celebrates graduating class, 10th homecoming event
Tuesday, June 25, 2024
The recent graduates of the U.S.-China Joint Doctor of Veterinary Medicine Program received purple stethoscopes after giving presentations about their educational experiences. From left: Lei Wang, program manager for the U.S.-China Center for Animal Health, graduates Yuanjue Tan, Xingy Tang, Xiang Yu, Cong Zhu, Jingwen Peng and Hodes Family Dean Bonnie Rush. | Download this photo.
MANHATTAN — Ten years ago, a group of 11 Chinese students gathered at Kansas State University with the sponsors and organizers of the College of Veterinary Medicine's U.S.-China Joint Doctor of Veterinary Medicine Program to share details of their experiences and academic progress while studying in the United States.
This year, the program celebrated its eighth graduating class and 10th homecoming event.
The college's U.S.-China Center for Animal Health established the joint veterinary degree program to continue to advance its "One World, One Health" mission.
For each graduating class year, there are four to six Chinese students who enroll at the K-State campus to complete one year of pre-veterinary studies so they can acclimate to studying in the United States. After that year, the students may apply to study for their Doctor of Veterinary Medicine degrees at either K-State or one of three other U.S. veterinary colleges: University of Minnesota, Iowa State University and University of Missouri.
At the homecoming event, recent graduates, current students and friends presented about their experiences in veterinary college. One student's experiences included a close brush with a Kansas weather phenomenon.
"In my fourth year, I learned that I love dental procedures," said Jingwen Peng, a K-State Doctor of Veterinary Medicine graduate. "While on the equine field service, I did dental [exams] on horses, mules and donkeys. Also while on equine field service, I got a bonus view of a tornado before it touched down. It was the one in Westmoreland in late April. We actually reported it and confirmed it [to local weather-tracking authorities]."
Not every graduate had dramatic encounters to share, but they did share profound thoughts about the impact of completing a Doctor of Veterinary Medicine degree.
"Our program was established with the mission to improve Chinese veterinary medicine education," said Xingy Tang, who earned her veterinary degree at Iowa State University. "Great challenges lie in front of us, but that also comes with great possibilities. I think we have learned from the best, and now is the best time to go back to our country to witness and, more importantly, be part of the growing and developing of veterinary medicine in China."
In addition to Peng and Tang, the May 2024 Doctor of Veterinary Medicine graduates are Xiangyu Lin from Kansas State University and Dr. Cong Zhu from the University of Minnesota. The Chinese graduates of the program will go back to China as associate professors at top Chinese universities.
"The goal of the U.S.-China Joint DVM Program is to train the trainers of Chinese veterinary medicine," said Jishu Shi, professor and director of the U.S.-China Center for Animal Health at the K-State College of Veterinary Medicine. "This is truly an example of training the future leaders when they go back to China — some of these participants are already leaders."
The U.S.-China Center for Animal Health provides scholarships to cover the first year of pre-veterinary tuition and five years of student activities through funding from Zoetis Foundation, Yebio Bioengineering and Banfield Pet Hospital. The China Scholarship Council supports four years of DVM tuition and five years of living stipends.
In addition to the recent graduates, the homecoming event included students currently in the program, who each gave a status report on their activities over the last school year. There were four students who just finished their pre-veterinary studies at K-State and 12 students currently attending the four universities in the program: Kansas State University, the University of Missouri, University of Minnesota and Iowa State University.
The event also included administrators from each of the schools, plus two special guests. Wafaa Mamilli, executive vice president and chief digital and technology officer and group president of Brazil and Precision Animal Health for Zoetis, presented a leadership seminar on the first day of the homecoming event. Molly McAlister, chief medical officer at Mars Veterinary Health, gave a leadership seminar on the second day.
Representatives included Erin Burton, associate dean, University of Minnesota; Jared Danielson, associate dean, Iowa State University; Shun Chen, dean, Sichuan Agricultural University; Grant Chapman, associate provost, K-State; Richard Goldstein, global chief medical officer, and Nicole Hainer, R&D leader for Asia/Pacific, both from Zoetis; and Lori Teller, immediate-past president, and David Granstrom, assistant executive vice president, both from the American Veterinary Medical Association.
