October 18, 2024
US-China Joint DVM program holds homecoming event in China
A recent gathering featured a diverse group of Kansas State University veterinary graduates at a distant location. K-State's U.S.-China Joint DVM Program held its annual China Homecoming event in Hangzhou, China, on Aug. 10 and 11. The homecoming was organized by the U.S.-China Center for Animal Health, Chinese Veterinary Drug Association, Zhejiang A&F University and Zoetis.
More than 90 attendees participated, including senior leaders and representatives from Kansas State University, Zhejiang A&F University, the Chinese Veterinary Drug Association, the U.S. Embassy in China, the American Veterinary Medical Association, or AVMA, Zoetis, and various Chinese animal health companies and veterinary schools from both China and the U.S.
Additionally, 25 alumni of the U.S.-China Joint DVM Program were present. Kansas State University's associate provost for international programs, Grant Chapman, delivered remarks at the opening ceremony.
"Kansas State University has more than thirty partnerships with Chinese higher educational and organizational institutes, colleges and universities," Chapman said. "On our Kansas campuses, we host over 100 Chinese students annually for degree-seeking studies. We host many Chinese scholars annually. We are proud to be the home of the U.S. China Center for Animal Health including the U.S.-China Joint DVM Program. This program is consistent with Kansas State University's Next-Gen K-State strategic plan of leading as a next-generation land-grant university — setting the standard for inspiring learning, creative discovery and engagement — including global engagement — that positively impacts society and transforms live in Kansas and around the world."
"Veterinary medicine is an interdisciplinary, cross-border field that calls for experts and scholars from all over the world to work together to address the challenges," said Zhu Bin, chancellor of Zhejiang A&F University. "We hope our faculty can establish closer cooperation with their colleagues at home and abroad, further strengthen the talent training and international collaborations in the fields of clinical veterinary medicine, veterinary public health and zoonotic disease prevention and control, and jointly promote the human and animal health."
The U.S.-China Joint DVM Program includes a one-year pre-veterinary program at Kansas State University, followed by a four-year DVM program at K-State or other U.S. partner schools, including the University of Minnesota, Iowa State University and University of Missouri. The U.S.-China Center for Animal Health manages the program daily and offers scholarships to cover the first year of pre-veterinary tuition and five years of student activities, made possible through partnerships with the Zoetis Foundation, Yebio Bioengineering and various universities in China. Additionally, the China Scholarship Council supports four years of DVM tuition and living stipends for five years.
At the homecoming event, Jishu Shi, director of the U.S.-China Center for Animal Health, presented the Key Partners Awards to honor collaborators who played significant roles in establishing the U.S.-China Joint DVM Program in 2012. The recipients included:
- Jia Youling, former president of the Chinese Veterinary Medical Association and current president of the China Horse Industry Association.
- Cai Xuepeng, former secretary of the Chinese Veterinary Medical Association and current president of the Chinese Veterinary Drug Association.
- Wang Ming, former dean of the College of Veterinary Medicine at China Agricultural University.
- Tan Zilong, former group director of business development and strategic alliances for the Asia Pacific Region at Pfizer Animal Health and Zoetis.
- Wang Yongsheng, former director of public affairs for the Asia Pacific Region at Pfizer Animal Health.
Lei Wang, manager of education programs at the U.S.-China Center for Animal Health, also presented the inaugural program alumni awards for outstanding contributions in veterinary teaching and clinical service related to food animals and companion animals. Award candidates were initially selected by a committee that included representatives from the center, Zhejiang A&F University and Zoetis in China. The selected candidates showcased their work at the event, with attendees voting anonymously.
The recipients of the teaching award were:
- First place: Huan Zeng, '19, University of Minnesota, associate professor at Zhejiang A&F University.
- Second place: Xueying Zhou, '19, Iowa State University, associate professor at China Agricultural University.
For the clinical service awards:
- Food animal: Zhen Yang, '19, University of Minnesota, associate professor at Nanjing Agricultural University.
- Companion animal:
- First place: Meng Li, '19, University of Minnesota, associate professor at Nanjing Agricultural University.
- Second place: Bo Liu, '17, K-State, associate professor at China Agricultural University.
- Second place: Ming Xu, '21, University of Minnesota, associate professor at Huazhong Agricultural University.
First-place recipients will receive ￥30,000 from Zoetis-China to support their projects, while second-place recipients will be awarded $2,500 to attend the program's Homecoming at K-State in 2025.
"I am honored to stand before them today to celebrate their remarkable achievements. Their journey represents not only personal triumphs but also a commitment to global health, food security and the future of veterinary medicine," said Ashley Van Batavia, senior agricultural attaché for the United States Department of Agriculture's Animal and Plant Health Inspection Services at the U.S. Embassy in China. "The U.S.-China Joint DVM program exemplifies the value and importance of international, public-private partnerships in advancing science and cultural exchange."
The afternoon event included the reports from all DVM graduates and presentation by Beth Sabin, director of global outreach and public policy at the AVMA who explained the veterinary college accreditation process as administered by the AVMA's Council on Education.
"The AVMA recognizes that the U.S. veterinary profession is but one part of a much larger global community of veterinarians and allied health care professionals," said Beth Sabin. "The AVMA is proud of its ongoing collaboration with the U.S.-China Joint DVM program — a program based on strong educational principles. Indeed, our collaboration with the Joint DVM Program is a natural extension of the AVMA's ongoing commitment to veterinary education, global outreach, and diversity, equity and inclusion in the veterinary profession."
The event also included an update on the current status of DVM programs and the strategic plans for veterinary education at six participating Chinese universities: China Agricultural University, Nanjing Agricultural University, Huazhong Agricultural University, Zhejiang A&F University, South China Agricultural University and Jilin University.
The second day of the homecoming event included a panel discussion featuring the deans of the Chinese universities and the DVM graduates of the U.S.-China Joint DVM program.
The U.S.-China Center for Animal Health established the U.S.-China Joint Doctor of Veterinary Medicine Program at Kansas State University in 2012 to continue to advance its "One World, One Health" mission. For each graduating veterinary class, four to six Chinese students 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.