The idea of changing the veterinary medical student curriculum, now being implemented with the Class of 2003, actually began with a "pilot program" of ten freshman students in 1995. It was called the "RGPO Program" (Rural and General Practice Option). Ten students were chosen to complete a four year veterinary program using primarily a problem-based learning approach. As the curriculum committee evaluated this pilot program, they concluded that the most effective way to teach veterinary students was not to run two separate veterinary curriculums (a problem-based and a traditional curriculum), but rather to combine the best of each approach as effectively and efficiently as possible.