Veterinary Medicine and Surgery

The Department of Veterinary Medicine and Surgery is the academic home of the Veterinary Health Center. Our mission is to develop and disseminate knowledge to improve the health and well-being of animals and people through instruction, innovative research, service and leadership.

Faculty from the department provide training in all four years of the professional curriculum from basic science instruction to guiding and supervising DVM candidates in diagnosing, preventing and treating disease in animals. The department also offers advanced specialty training to interns and residents as well as graduate training leading to the master of science degree. Faculty members are involved in providing continuing education opportunities for veterinary professionals and livestock producers.

The department advances scientific knowledge through dynamic and diverse research programs that include comparative orthopedics, internal medicine, neurology, nutrition, oncology, physiology, pharmacology, cell and molecular biology, imaging and nuclear medicine, ophthalmology, rehabilitation, tissue engineering, food animal, equine, and small animal medicine and surgery, and others. Research projects are supported by federal grants, foundation awards and grants, corporate grants and contracts, and intramural funds.

The faculty also serve the profession through dynamic leadership in scientific and professional societies.

Mission Statement for the Department of Veterinary Medicine and Surgery

To develop and disseminate knowledge to improve the health and well-being of animals and people through instruction, innovative research, service and leadership.

Statement of Values

Respect

Respect defines every aspect of our approach to departmental missions. Respect not only for ourselves, our co-workers, and the constituents we serve, but also respect for animals. Respect is demonstrated by a commitment to act ethically and to engage in open exchange about ideas and decisions.

Discovery

We value discovery with the realization that knowledge changes constantly. Only through improved understanding and a dedication to dissemination of knowledge can we fulfill our mission to improve the health and well being of people and animals.

Excellence

We must demand excellence of each other collectively, and more importantly of ourselves individually. We must not be content with the status quo, but must constantly strive to achieve our best in pursuit of our mission.

Responsibility

Each department member shares responsibility for creating a working environment which fosters the values of respect, discovery, and excellence in pursuit of our departmental missions. Being responsible requires us to be thoughtful stewards of resources—accountable to ourselves, each other, and the public we serve.

VETERINARY MEDICINE AND SURGERY NEWS

A canine comeback: How Mizzou veterinarians helped an agility dog compete again

Published 11/19/2024
Rhoen, a border collie who competes in high-level agility events, recently traveled more than 1,700 miles to Mizzou to receive paw-fect care for a serious lung disease.

Emergency and Critical Care Society Recertifies MU Veterinary Health Center

Published 6/26/2024
The Veterinary Health Center at the University of Missouri College of Veterinary Medicine achieved level II recertification through the Veterinary Emergency and Critical Care Society on June 16.

CVM Professor Carolyn Henry Named New ReCHAI Director

Published 6/20/2024
As a veterinary oncologist, MU College of Veterinary Medicine Professor Carolyn Henry, DVM, MS, DACVIM, has witnessed her share of cases where the close bond between clients and their pets affected the wellbeing of both.