EWING—The DeBusk Veterinary Teaching Center in Lee County is helping bridge the gap between farmers and large animal veterinarians in rural areas.

Associated with the Lincoln Memorial University College of Veterinary Medicine in Harrogate, Tenn., the DVTC was established across the Virginia line in Ewing three years ago. The center brings state-of-the-art facilities, including equine and bovine teaching centers, to western Virginia. In addition to providing competent veterinarians in the field, their mission is to serve the needs of rural communities in the Appalachian region. 

The LMU School of Veterinary Medicine will graduate its first class in May 2018. The large animal component of the DVTC provides a working farm environment at the school’s hands-on education site for preparing future veterinarians.

“Producing new veterinarians with an interest in large animals is important. With DVTC, perhaps young people in the far western part of the state will stay and practice veterinary medicine there,” remarked Emily Edmondson, a Tazewell County cattle farmer and a member of the Virginia Farm Bureau Federation board of directors.

In 2016, the U.S. Department of Agriculture deemed the following Virginia counties in critical need of large animal vets: Buchanan, Dickenson, Lee, Russell, Scott and Wise. Counties with a moderate need were Alleghany, Bath, Bland, Highland, Patrick, Smyth and Tazewell.

“A vet is an integral part of a livestock operation,” explained Edmondson. “They are our partners. It is in their interest that we succeed and that means heath in the herd, so farmers have the best product to sell to consumers.” 

Edmondson’s daughter, Dr. Anne Yearians, is a large and small animal veterinarian in Tazewell. She noted that at times it’s been a challenge to hire veterinarians for her practice.

“When LMU opened a vet school, I realized it might be an opportunity to attract people who want to stay in Appalachia,” Yearians said. “Some of the fourth-year students have done their clinical rotation with my practice, and I’ve been tickled to death with their skills and abilities.”

Yearians also is pleased that LMU has a Veterinary Medical Technology program, which she calls “a big bonus for a practice like mine.”

Media: Contact Edmondson at 276-646-2624 or Yearians at 276-988-8080.