The Texas A&M University School of Veterinary Medicine & Biomedical Sciences is the veterinary school of Texas A&M University, a public research university in College Station, Texas. It was founded in 1916 and is one of only 31 colleges or schools of veterinary medicine in the United States and Canada. It is consistently ranked as one of the top 5 veterinary schools in the country, according to U.S. News. The school offers an undergraduate program in Biomedical Sciences, a professional Doctor of Veterinary Medicine program, and numerous graduate programs relating to veterinary medicine and epidemiology. History The first record of an attempt to teach veterinary science at the Agricultural & Mechanical College (as Texas A&M University was called at the time) was made in the third session of the college in 1878-79 when the college surgeon, D. Port Smythe, M.D., was also listed on the faculty as professor of anatomy, physiology and hygiene. No course is described, however, and no further record is available to indicate that such a course was actually given. The catalog of the fourth session also mentions proposed lectures in veterinary science, concerned mainly with domestic animals, but again no formal record exists of any actual courses given at the time. In April 1888, the college received a state appropriation of $2500 for equipping and operating a Department of Veterinary Science, and on June 6, 1888, Mark Francis received his formal appointment to the faculty. This marked the real beginning of professional veterinary medicine in Texas; Francis was the first trained veterinarian at the college and would become one of the most distinguished men in United States veterinary medicine. Chronological history 1888 - Department of Veterinary Science formally started. 1902 - Erection of the Chemistry and Veterinary Building. 1903 - First Veterinary Association in Texas organized at Fort Worth. Dr. Mark Francis was elected president. 1908 - Veterinary Hospital constructed. 1916 - School of Veterinary Medicine established. Dr. Mark Francis was appointed the first Dean. 1920 - First grads (4) to receive DVM degrees from Texas A&M. 1929 - Texas A&M Student Chapter of the American Veterinary Medical Association organized. 1937 - R.P. Marsteller appointed Dean. 1941 - Enrollment limited to 100 new students each year. 1947 - R.C. Dunn appointed Dean. 1949 - Veterinary Library opened. 1953 - W.W. Armistead appointed Dean. 1953 - Erection of Veterinary Medical Hospital. 1955 - Erection of Veterinary Sciences