Texas A&M College of Veterinary Medicine & Biomedical Sciences Celebrates Graduation of First Cohort of 2+2 DVM Students

By Ainsley Treesh

COLLEGE STATION, Texas—Four years after establishing its 2+2 Doctor of Veterinary Medicine (DVM) program, the Texas A&M College of Veterinary Medicine & Biomedical Sciences (VMBS) is celebrating the graduation of its inaugural cohort.

Texas A&M’s first 15 2+2 students — who began their veterinary educations at the VMBS’ Veterinary Education, Research, & Outreach (VERO) campus in Canyon, Texas — joined their 147 peers in the Class of 2025 on May 7 to walk across the commencement stage as Aggie veterinarians.

“The 2+2 DVM program was established as an opportunity for Texas A&M to bring our internationally ranked veterinary curriculum to the Texas Panhandle,” said Dr. John R. August, the Carl B. King Dean of Veterinary Medicine at Texas A&M. “Our goal was to expose students to faculty who are not only excellent educators but who also have real-world veterinary experience; to hands-on learning in one of the most productive livestock regions in the world; and to rural communities that are in need of veterinary practitioners.

“Over the course of these past four years, our 2+2 graduates have performed admirably in our world-class DVM program and now graduate as career-ready veterinarians who will — like their peers and our vast network of Aggie veterinarians — represent the profession and the university extraordinarily well,” he said. “We couldn’t be prouder of our first cohort and their colleagues in the DVM Class of 2025.” 

The inaugural cohort of 2+2 DVM students include:

• Dr. Alexa Mendoza, from El Paso, who will be pursuing a Ph.D. in parasitology at the Texas A&M College of Veterinary Medicine & Biomedical Sciences.
• Dr. Bradlee Lafoy, from Teague, who will be joining Buffalo Animal Hospital, a food animal predominant practice in Buffalo.
• Dr. Chelsea Wright, from Richardson, who will be joining Aztec Pet Hospital, a small animal practice in Harker Heights, Texas.
• Dr. Christina Edlebeck, from Houston, who will be joining Rochelle Veterinary Hospital, a small animal practice in Rochelle, Illinois.
• Dr. Delainee Braly, from Seminole,  who will be joining Haskell Veterinary Clinic, a mixed animal practice in Haskel.
• Dr. Devon King, from Hillsboro, Illinois, who will be joining Brazos Valley Equine Hospital, an equine practice in Salado.
• Dr. Garrett Jackson, from McKinney, who will be joining 380 West Animal Hospital, a small animal practice in McKinney.
• Dr. Hannah Garthwaite, from Canyon, who will be entering an equine internship at Thal Equine Hospital in Sante Fe, New Mexico.
• Dr. Holly Freeman, from Animas, New Mexico, who is seeking employment in a mixed animal practice in Texas.
• Dr. Ian Kutrybala, from Mansfield, who will be joining Double Oak Veterinary Medical Center, a small animal practice in Double Oak.
• Dr. Jayci Padgett, from Goldthwaite, who will be joining Kendall County Veterinary Center, a mixed animal practice in Boerne.
• Dr. Madison Lake, from Victoria, who will be joining Bay City Veterinary Clinic and Equine Hospital, a mixed animal practice in Bay City.
• Dr. Nikita Padilla, from Dalhart, who will be joining Progressive Dairy Health Services, a predominantly food animal practice in Clovis, New Mexico.
• Dr. Park Phillips, from Madisonville, who will be entering an equine internship at Alamo Pintado Equine Medical Center in Los Olivos, California.
• Dr. Cade Holden, from Granada, Colorado, who will be entering an equine internship at Weatherford Equine in Weatherford.

Through the VMBS’ 2+2 program, a small group of students spend their first two years of veterinary school at the VERO campus, which was first opened in 2009 in partnership with the West Texas A&M University Paul Engler College of Agriculture & Natural Sciences, before moving to College Station to complete their third and fourth years.

When the VMBS welcomed its first 2+2 students in August 2021, Texas A&M’s Class of 2025 was the largest veterinary class in the nation. The program also became the first to be located within the same state as it’s “home” veterinary school.

“It’s very exciting to see the first cohort of 2+2 students complete their veterinary training and become our colleagues,” said Dr. Susan Eades, associate dean for administration at VERO in Canyon. “Their ties to West Texas communities are strong and will provide an important perspective as they begin their careers.

“These students have developed a strong sense of community with classmates and faculty. This is an exceptional group of professionals, and I am excited to see the impact they will have on our profession.”

Since its inaugural year, the 2+2 program at VERO has seen great success, with interest and number of applicants growing each year. The campus provides ample opportunities for students to gain exposure to large and mixed animal rural veterinary medicine, smaller class sizes, and an almost one-to-one student to faculty ratio, allowing students and faculty to build a close-knit community.

“VERO is more than just a vet school — it’s a family. Not only did the professors know my name, they wholeheartedly cared about my education and well-being,” said Dr. Hannah Garthwaite, a member of the inaugural 2+2 cohort.

These students join the 9,068 Aggie veterinarians who have graduated since 1916 and will utilize their passions, skillsets, and the unique opportunities gleaned from their VERO experiences to better serve people, animals, and rural communities in need across the United States.

Photo: The inaugural cohort of the 2+2 Doctor of Veterinary Medicine program graduated May 7 from the Texas A&M College of Veterinary Medicine & Biomedical Sciences. Pictured, front from left, are Dean John August, Dr. Nikita Padilla, Dr. Holly Freeman, Dr. Chelsea Wright, Dr. Susan Eades, and Dr. Kate Aicher; second row from left, Dr. Bradlee Lafoy, Dr. Alexa Mendoza, Dr. Ian Kutrybala and Dr. Madison Lake; third row from left, Dr. Cade Holden, Dr. Christina Edlebeck, Dr. Delainee Braly and Dr. Hannah Garthwaite; and fourth row from left, Dr. Jaycie Padgett, Dr. Park Phillips, Dr. Devon King and Dr. Garrett Jackson

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