Murray State and Eastern Kentucky get KY House approval for new veterinary, medical programs

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Two universities wanting to carve out ambitious new roles to help overcome shortages of doctors and veterinarians won overwhelming support from the Kentucky House on Thursday.

The House passed separate bills that would allow Murray State University to create a school of veterinary medicine and Eastern Kentucky University to offer medical degrees in osteopathic medicine.

The authorization bills now head to the Senate. Another key issue to be resolved is whether the proposed academic programs will receive the state funding needed to get established. That could be decided next month when lawmakers hash out the final details of the state's next two-year budget. The new programs also would have to gain approval from the state Council on Postsecondary Education.

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The House action moved Murray State closer to achieving its longstanding ambition of becoming the first Kentucky school to offer doctorate-level veterinarian degrees. An in-state school would be crucial in fixing a broad shortage of veterinarians, especially in treating large animals, supporters said.

Kentucky has a large and diversified farm economy, but it lacks a "crucial component in our agriculture infrastructure –- a veterinary school," said Republican Rep. Richard Heath, the bill's lead sponsor.

The Bluegrass State has a long-running partnership with Auburn University in Alabama that allows students from Kentucky to be classified as in-state residents in Auburn’s veterinary program.

Members of the Kentucky House of Representatives are seen during