University of Pennsylvania School of Veterinary Medicine
Facts & Figures

Founded in 1884, the University of Pennsylvania School of Veterinary Medicine was established at the urging of the University's School of Medicine. It was recognized that prevention and control of animal diseases had important implications for human health. Human and veterinary medicine were viewed as "one medicine”.

This principle encouraged close ties between the two schools and today there are many comparative medical research projects on diseases that occur in animals and humans. 

The Veterinary School has two campuses -- one on Penn's campus in Philadelphia, the location of the majority of the classrooms, research facilities, and administrative offices and the companion animal hospital, the Veterinary Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania (VHUP). The large animal facility is at New Bolton Center in Kennett Square, Pa., about 35 miles from the city campus. The George D. Widener Hospital for Large Animals, classrooms, diagnostic laboratories, and research facilities are located here on 660 acres.

Hospitals

VHUP treats companion animals and has the largest caseload of a university-associated veterinary teaching hospital. Of the more than 27,000 patient visits annually, close to 10,000 come though the 24-hour Emergency Service (ES). More than 50% of the cases are referrals from practitioners throughout the region. VHUP offers all veterinary specialties as well as a genetics and pediatrics clinic, and grief counseling.

VHUP is staffed by 67 clinicians, 54 residents and interns, and more than 90 veterinary technicians and nurses. The hospital features six sterile operating rooms and two minor surgery rooms. Diagnostics and treatment equipment include a CT scanner, several ultrasound stations, digital and conventional radiography equipment, operating microscope for delicate surgeries such kidney transplants, equipment for cataract surgeries, endoscope, laparoscope, arthroscope, and Doppler ultrasound for cardiac diagnostics. The in-house clinical laboratory handles diagnostic tests as well as clinical pathology.

The hospital's wards can accommodate about 150 patients. Wards are specialized and include an oncology ward and treatment area, special species ward, and an isolation ward as well as the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) and a step-down fluid ward. VHUP's ES and ICU provide the most advanced critical care veterinary medicine available anywhere and are internationally recognized leaders in the field. VHUP's blood mobile makes trips to blood drives two to three times a week. About 1,000 canines are active donors.

The George D. Widener Hospital for Large Animals at New Bolton Center sees horses and food and fiber animals during more than 6,000 patient visits annually. The Field Service sees more than 19,000 animals. The hospital offers 24-hour Emergency Service.

The facilities include an operating suite for orthopedic surgeries that is adjacent to a recovery pool where animals can safely emerge from anesthesia. The ICU is housed in a building designed for the critical care of seriously ill large animals. One wing converts to a neonatal unit during foaling season. Diagnostic and treatment equipment at the hospital includes a high speed treadmill where sophisticated endoscopic and cardiac work-ups can be performed. Nuclear scintigraphy, ultrasonography, radiography are available as well as arthroscopic and laser surgery.

The hospital is staffed by 25 clinicians, 20 interns and residents and 54 veterinary technicians and nurses. The hospital complex includes the Connelly Intensive Care Unit/Graham French Neonatal Section, Jeffords Treadmill facility, C. Mahlon Kline Orthopedic and Rehabilitation Center, William B. Boucher Field Service, Georgia and Philip Hofmann Research Center for Animal Reproduction, nuclear medicine building, farrier shop, and barns to house about 150 animals. The Scott Equine Sports Medicine Building is under construction and will be occupied in the summer of 2002.

New Bolton Center also accommodates research laboratories, diagnostic laboratories, the Marshak Dairy, and a state-of-the-art swine facility.

Research

As part of a major research university, the School of Veterinary Medicine has strong basic science and clinical research programs. The School attracted more than $18 million in outside research funding in the 2000/2001 fiscal year with a majority of the support coming from NIH grants. Currently there are over 140 active research projects.

To further strengthen research the School has established interdisciplinary Centers of Excellence where basic science and clinical faculty work together:

Center for Animal Health and Productivity
Center for Aquatic Animal Medicine and Pathology
Center for Comparative Medical Genetics
Mari Lowe Center for Comparative Oncology
Allam Center for Equine Sports Medicine
Center for Animal Transgenesis and Germ Cell Biology
Center for Infectious Diseases and Food Safety
Center for the Interaction of Animals and Society
Center for Veterinary Critical Care