General Information
The Western College of Veterinary Medicine
The decision to build a College of Veterinary Medicine in Western Canada on the campus of the University of Saskatchewan at Saskatoon was reached on August 23, 1963. Representatives of the universities and governments of the four western provinces and the federal government were involved in the discussions leading up to the decision. This co-operative regional approach to higher education is maintained through participation of regional representatives in the Advisory Council of the College. The Council provides formal communication on regional needs between the several western provinces and the College.
The Western College of Veterinary Medicine meets its responsibilities in three major areas; education, research, and service.
Education, the primary function, embraces undergraduate teaching in veterinary medicine and related disciplines. Formal graduate study toward M.Sc. or Ph.D. degrees or diplomas, and residency training programs are becoming increasingly important. Additionally, as in many fields, rapid advances in knowledge and techniques necessitate continuing education programs for the graduate veterinarian; this is a recently recognized addition to the educational function of universities.
Research supports the teaching program and at the same time exploits the potential of the highly trained staff. Research contributes to the advancement of science and the solving of health problems of man and animals.
A variety of services are provided, which aid the practicing veterinarian and thus ultimately the animal owner while yielding necessary teaching material and practical experience for students. These include a veterinary farm practice, clinics, laboratory diagnostic and extension services.
Physical Facilities
The University of Saskatchewan proceeded rapidly with the establishment of the new college. The initial building was completed in September 1965 in time to provide temporary teaching facilities for the first class, which entered that fall. Construction of the first stage of the main building began in 1966, and occupancy and official dedication occurred in 1969. A major expansion of these facilities was completed in late 1981.
The main building is arranged about a central core in which are found those facilities which are in general usage by all divisions of the veterinary college, i.e. lecture rooms, college administrative offices and library. About this central core are arranged the specialized areas for the academic departments of the College. In these areas are found the teaching laboratories designed for specific disciplines, research laboratories for members of the faculty and graduate students, and the service facilities associated with each department.
The large animal hospital and the small animal hospital in the College provide patients for the teaching of clinical medicine, while the ambulatory clinic acquaints the student with veterinary farm practice. These clinical units, together with the supporting service laboratory units, comprise the Veterinary Teaching Hospital.