The University of Arizona College of Veterinary Medicine, the state's first and only public veterinary medicine program, has received full accreditation.
The school was first established in 2019 and graduated its first class in 2023, according to its website. It has since graduated more than 300 students.
Arizona law requires veterinarians to graduate from an American Veterinary Medical Association Council on Education-accredited school to directly obtain a license after passing the North American Veterinary Licensing Examination. Before full accreditation, UA had received provisional accreditation for graduate students.
With full accreditation, students may see improved residency competitiveness, improved graduate school admissions and boosted prospective employer confidence after graduation, according to AVMA.
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“This milestone reinforces our leadership in delivering a future-focused, accelerated curriculum that prepares our students to solve global grand challenges while meeting the growing demand for veterinary professionals in Arizona and beyond." UA President Suresh Garimella said in the news release.
Accreditation of an institution by the AVMA Council on Education confirms “a commitment to quality and continuous improvement through a rigorous and comprehensive peer review,” according to its website.
The college, located in Oro Valley, went through self-evaluation, site visits by an external review panel and regular written reports on the program's standards.
"Our faculty are content experts, and we know that our graduates leave as day-one-ready veterinarians well prepared to serve their communities," Julie Funk, dean of the UA veterinarian school, said in a news release Thursday.
The school implements an accelerated three-year curriculum that eliminates summer breaks. Students also train with livestock at the Campus Agricultural Center and do various forms of research.
Students for the first two years study foundational concepts like immunology, anatomy and more advanced courses. Third-year students work in clinics throughout the country and complete rotations in specialties such as surgery or internal medicine.
The accreditation will remain for the next seven years until evaluation is due again.
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