UGA Vet College gets $5.2 million gift

The University of Georgia’s College of Veterinary Medicine gets a $5.2 million gift: UGA says the funding from the Stanton Foundation will establish a new Spectrum of Care Clinic.

From Amy Carter, UGA Today…

The ­University of Georgia College of Veterinary Medicine is the beneficiary of a $5.2 million gift from the Stanton Foundation for the establishment of a new Spectrum of Care Clinic and associated curriculum. The award will allow the college to renovate and expand the Pet Health Center to serve as this new clinic.

Spectrum of Care is a philosophy or approach to practice wherein veterinarians tailor their treatment protocols for companion animals to the cultural, physical and socioeconomic circumstances of their clients. The new curriculum will incorporate instruction related to Spectrum of Care across all four years, culminating in the community practice rotation that is a part of students’ final year. Instruction will also emphasize that Spectrum of Care provides a successful business model.

In addition to hiring two additional clinical professors to staff this initiative, the college will work closely with the Georgia Veterinary Medical Association and local practitioners to execute this curriculum update and delivery.

“We are thrilled that the Stanton Foundation has chosen to partner with UGA CVM in teaching our students to recognize and meet the needs of their individual clients,” said Dr. Lisa K. Nolan, dean of the College of Veterinary Medicine. “The end result of this revolutionary change in our curriculum will be comprehensive training that provides our students with the tools they need to be practice-ready at graduation.”

Clinical cases referred to veterinary teaching hospitals like UGA’s have grown in complexity, leading veterinary colleges to recognize the need to equip primary care providers with the skills and confidence to handle more cases in-house. As a result, veterinary colleges are increasing the emphasis in their teaching on primary care, and the concept of Spectrum of Care is being incorporated into this instruction.

Representatives of UGA CVM visited the Frank Stanton Veterinary Spectrum of Care Clinic at The Ohio State University College of Veterinary Medicine in fall 2022 and have consulted with the college since then to craft the plan for UGA CVM’s curriculum refresh and community clinic expansion.

The late Frank Stanton was an alumnus of Ohio State who served as president of CBS from 1946 until 1971. He initiated the modern presidential debate with John F. Kennedy and Richard Nixon in 1959 and kept CBS News on-air for four days uninterrupted after Kennedy’s assassination in 1963. He endowed his foundation to provide for specific needs he could not address philanthropically during his lifetime, including the care and treatment of canine companions. He was a devoted dog owner his entire life.

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