USU Eastern Graduate Accepted in to Veterinary School

PRICE, Utah - Bryson Pugh, the first student from Utah State University Eastern to complete veterinary school entrance entirely at USU Eastern, was accepted into the Washington-Idaho-Montana-Utah (WIMU) Regional Veterinary Program, set to begin in the Fall of 2023.

Pugh, a first-generation college student, was raised in Bluebell, Utah, where he first gained his love of veterinary service. He grew up on a farm and got a job at the local veterinary office at the age of 16.

The convenient proximity of USU Eastern to Pugh's hometown was the reason he originally chose to attend USU Eastern. However, he quickly grew to love much more than the short drive home to continue his work in the veterinary office.

Pugh became heavily involved in campus leadership, serving as the Serving Utah Network Center's Vice President and later, as the final Student Body President of the Eastern Utah Student Association. He also utilized many resources available to students, including the USU Pre-Health Program and the Utah Health Scholars program. This training, he says, along with mentorship from Wayne Hatch, associate professor of biology at USU Eastern, "really prepared me even better than some people who went to bigger universities."

Pugh earned his associate degree and continued taking courses to meet the prerequisite requirements for the WIMU program.

Veterinary school is extremely competitive. Overall, the acceptance rate is 11 percent (compared to medical school at 33 percent), with only 20 students from Utah being accepted.

"Because of the USU Eastern resources, I received training enough to get in against students from the University of Utah, Brigham Young University, and Utah State University who have bachelor's degrees," Pugh says.

He eventually hopes to open his own practice in rural Utah to give back to the area where he grew up.

Pugh joins two additional students, who have completed their entire undergraduate level study at USU Eastern. Dillon Sorensen graduated with an undergradute degree in biology in 2022, took the MCAT and is applying to medical schools. Spencer Downs, who also completed a degree in biology from USU Eastern, has been accepted and will attend Rocky Vista University in St. George, Utah, for medical school.

In speaking about his time at USU Eastern, Pugh stated, "The connections that I've made, I wouldn't give up for anything."

For more information about degrees and programs at USU Eastern, please visit usueastern.edu/degrees.