In 2018, the Health Resources and Services Administration, an agency of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, awarded Purdue University’s College of Veterinary Medicine a $3.18 million grant to launch Vet Up! The National Health Careers Opportunity Program (HCOP) Academy for Veterinary Medicine.
Purdue University was the only college of veterinary medicine to receive support. The Vet Up! program addresses a national shortage of veterinarians in public health and rural/food animal practice in the state of Indiana and beyond, and a significant lack of underrepresented individuals entering the veterinary profession.
Vet Up! leverages PVM’s proven history of effective diversity programming and partnerships with high schools, historically place colleges and universities (HBCUs) and state entities to design and deliver curricula that provide otherwise-inaccessible opportunities to students.
In 2023, The Health Resources and Services Administration renewed a 5-year, $3.2 million grant to continue the Vet Up! program and its impact for an additional 5 years. The continuation of this funding comes with the addition of a fourth program in the Vet Up! series: Vet Up! PREP. Newly matriculating DVM program students
2018—awarded HCOP grant from HRSA
2019—Inaugural Vet Up! College cohort completes the program; Vet Up! is awarded the Inspiring Program in STEM Award from INSIGHT Into Discovery
2021—Vet Up! is awarded the Inspiring Program in STEM Award from INSIGHT Into Discovery
2023—awarded the continuing competing grant; DVM Scholars is awarded the Inspiring Program in STEM Award from INSIGHT Into Discovery
2024—addition of Vet Up! PREP bridge program for newly matriculating Purdue College of Veterinary Medicine DVM program students who were admitted to the Vet Up! College Early Admission Program
