I warmly welcome you to the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine located within the serene and hilly environment of Nsukka campus of the University of Nigeria. The veterinary profession in the University of Nigeria started in 1963 with a Higher Diploma in Animal Health and Production while the program leading to the award of the professional degree of Doctor of Veterinary Medicine (DVM) started at the beginning of the 1966/67 Academic year. The DVM professional program was disrupted by the Nigerian Civil War but was revived at the end of the war in 1970. The program initially operated as part of the then Faculty of Agriculture and Veterinary Sciences until 1980 when it was up graded to full Faculty status. Presently, there are nine departments in the Faculty and together with other academic, research and service support units like the Veterinary Teaching Hospital, Veterinary Teaching Farm and the Faculty Library are engaged in the training of veterinary students in their progression through the six-year professional DVM program. All the departments in the Faculty also have well established programs involving various research activities that lead to the award of postgraduate degrees (M.Sc., M. V. Sc. and Ph.D.) in various aspects of the veterinary profession.
The broad based objective of the program is to produce a well-trained, highly motivated and adaptable Veterinary Surgeon, who is well-equipped to embark on a successful career in Veterinary practice, public health and preventive medicine; in biomedical, and livestock industries, and who is to become the academic teacher and researcher of the future.
At the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, we emphasize the philosophy that the profession exists to alleviate the suffering caused by diseases to animals, encourage production of animals to satisfy various human needs and to ensure human health by prevention of zoonotic diseases. In pursuit of this, we engage in considerable community and extension services in collaboration with the Veterinary Services of the various States governments east of the River Niger in Nigeria and their Chapters of the Nigerian Veterinary Medical association in the zone.
I encourage you to make the most of your time here and opportunities that will present you during the course of your study. The Faculty has a rich history of excellence and is ranked among the best in Nigeria.The Faculty is a major contributor to the animal and public healthcare industry pool of employable high quality graduates and since its inception, has produced several thousands of sought-after graduates who later proved their mettle as academics, captains of industry and government technocrats.
The Faculty stands out as a Centre of Excellence for the clinical training of Veterinarians, surveillance, diagnosis, treatment and control of animal diseases, through collaborative activities with relevant national and international bodies concerned with the same objectives. The World Bank-assisted strengthening of the Clinical Laboratory of the Faculty’s Veterinary Teaching Hospital under the Avian Influenza Control Program had further made the Faculty a hub for research activities in the clinical, medical and biomedical sciences. The current administration of the faculty continues to strive to uphold the culture of excellence in clinical training and veterinary service delivery for which the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine is known.
The Faculty is gifted with academics that have made major innovative impact through their research output. You will be privileged to be taught by lecturers who have made major impact in their field of research and have won various national and international awards. Our DVM graduates have access to a wide range of rewarding careers in all walks of life. You are encouraged to experience all that our facilities and ready-to-help staff can offer during your study. I sincerely hope you enjoy your time studying at Faculty of Veterinary Medicine
Prof. Eze Chinedu Athanasius
Dean of Faculty