WIMU Veterinary Degree Program
WIMU is the Washington-Idaho-Montana-Utah Regional Program in Veterinary Medicine. It is a partnership between the Washington State University College of Veterinary Medicine, U of I, Montana State University and Utah State University. All prospective students, regardless of state of residency, apply to the WIMU Regional Program through the online Veterinary Medical College Application Service (VMCAS) by choosing Washington State University. The program allows 11 Idaho resident students per year access to a veterinary medical education, without paying out-of-state tuition.
The original Tri-State Veterinary Education Program (WOI Regional Program — between Washington State University, Oregon State University, and University of Idaho) was authorized in 1973 by the Idaho Legislature. The first Idaho-resident students were enrolled in the program in 1974.
In September 1977, the Caine Veterinary Teaching Center at Caldwell, an off-campus unit of the University of Idaho’s veterinary science department, was opened as a part of Idaho’s contribution to the WOI Regional Program in veterinary medicine. Oregon withdrew from the cooperative program in 2005. The Caine center closed in 2016.
The WIMU Program is accredited by the American Veterinary Medical Association, and allows Idaho resident students access to a veterinary medical education through an agreement with WSU, whereby students are excused from paying out-of-state tuition. The program currently provides access for 11 Idaho-resident students per year (funding for 44 students annually). The center's program is administered through the Department of Animal and Veterinary Science (AVS) in University of Idaho’s College of Agricultural and Life Sciences (CALS).
University of Idaho faculty members are specialized in virology, bacteriology, pharmacology, epidemiology, medicine and surgery, and hold joint appointments between U of I CALS in the AVS department (scholarly activities/research/service) and WIMU Regional Program in Veterinary Medicine (education/service/outreach/engagement).