Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine

Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine. It is the graduate school of veterinary medicine of Tufts University and the only veterinary school in New England. Established in 1978, the school is named for its principal benefactors, William and Joyce Cummings, and is renowned for its integrated approach to animal, human, and environmental health. Its campus in North Grafton, Massachusetts houses the Henry and Lois Foster Hospital for Small Animals and the Hospital for Large Animals.

History

The school was founded in 1978 following a recognized need for a veterinary college in the Northeastern United States. A pivotal gift from William S. Cummings and Joyce Cummings, founders of the Cummings Foundation, provided the endowment that established the school within Tufts University. Under its founding dean, Albert Jonas, the school developed its distinctive One Health curriculum, emphasizing connections between animal, human, and ecosystem health. The school's clinical facilities, including the Henry and Lois Foster Hospital for Small Animals, opened in 1985, solidifying its role as a major regional referral center. In 2005, the school was formally named in honor of its principal benefactors.

Academics and programs

The school offers the Doctor of Veterinary Medicine degree, featuring a curriculum that integrates foundational science with extensive clinical training through its teaching hospitals. It provides combined degree programs, including the DVM/MPH with the Tufts University School of Medicine and the DVM/MS or DVM/PhD in collaboration with the Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences. Advanced clinical training is offered through numerous residency and internship programs in specialties like oncology and cardiology. The school also grants the Master of Science in animals and public policy and other graduate degrees through the Tufts Center for Animals and Public Policy.

Research and centers

Research is organized around core themes of infectious disease, clinical science, and ecosystem health. The school is home to the Tufts Wildlife Clinic and the Tufts Ambulatory Service, which serve as living laboratories for research on wildlife medicine and food animal health. Key research centers include the Tufts Center for Conservation Medicine, which studies health interactions at the human-animal-ecosystem interface, and the Tufts Institute for Global Obesity. Scientists here have made significant contributions to understanding diseases like Lyme disease, Eastern equine encephalitis, and COVID-19 through work on coronaviruses.

Campus and facilities

The 594-acre campus in North Grafton, Massachusetts is situated on the former Grafton State Hospital grounds. Primary clinical facilities include the Henry and Lois Foster Hospital for Small Animals, a tertiary care center, and the Hospital for Large Animals, which treats equine and food animal species. The Luke and Lily Lerner Spay-Neuter Clinic provides high-volume community service. The campus also features the Tufts Farm for teaching and research, the Bernice Barbour Wildlife Medicine Building, and the Jean Mayer Administration Building. The nearby Woodstock Station serves as a field site for conservation research.

Notable people

Notable faculty have included Nicholas Dodman, a pioneering veterinary behaviorist, and Deborah T. Kochevar, a former dean who later served as senior vice president for Texas A&M University. Distinguished alumni include Ruthanne Sudduth, a leader in the United States Army Veterinary Corps, and Christopher J. Murphy, a noted veterinary ophthalmologist at the University of Wisconsin–Madison. Benefactors William S. Cummings and Joyce Cummings, through the Cummings Foundation, remain integral to the school's history and support.

Category:Tufts University Category:Veterinary schools in the United States Category:Educational institutions established in 1978 Category:North Grafton, Massachusetts