Iowa State breaks ground on hospital

The Iowa State University College of Veterinary Medicine recently broke ground on the Dr. W. Eugene and Linda Lloyd Veterinary Teaching Hospital.

Upon completion in fall 2008, the project will upgrade 30-year-old facilities and increase the college's space by 25 percent.

The AVMA Council on Education previously found the existing hospital—especially the facilities for food animals and horses—to be in critical need of renovation and modernization, according to college officials (see JAVMA, Aug. 1, 2004). The council downgraded the college to limited accreditation in April 2004.

The construction project features new facilities for equine and large animals. Among the highlights will be the new imaging facility, surgery suites, intensive-care unit, inpatient wards, isolation area, and instructional rounds areas.

The hospital expansion also will accommodate growth in the class size to meet the demand for veterinarians, particularly in food safety and public health.

Classes now average 120 students, and an agreement with Nebraska will add up to 25 more students in each of the clinical third and fourth years (see JAVMA, July 1, 2006). The agreement allows Nebraskans studying veterinary medicine to take courses through the University of Nebraska-Lincoln for the first two years.

Construction will increase capacity of the Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory, too, and allow for future expansion of services for small animals.

The entire project will cost about $50 million, with funds from state bonding and private support. The new hospital will take its name from the lead donors, the Lloyds, who pledged $3.5 million. Dr. Lloyd graduated from Iowa State in 1949.