December 07, 2018 | Glendale, AZ
The Midwestern University College of Veterinary Medicine (CVM), Arizona's first veterinary college to offer the Doctor of Veterinary Medicine (D.V.M.) degree, has received full accreditation from the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) Council on Education (COE).
"It is an incredibly good feeling to accomplish something this difficult," said Thomas K. Graves, D.V.M., Ph.D., DACVIM, Dean of the College of Veterinary Medicine. "It was a true team effort and a very rewarding one. We look forward to continuing our growth with a full focus on program quality."
Accreditation status certifies that an institution is compliant with AVMA standards in various categories, including finances, facilities, clinical resources, curriculum, among others. Achieving full accreditation is the culmination of a painstaking five-year process that typically concludes following the graduation of a college's first graduating class. During the process, CVM performed self-studies and hosted several COE site visits that monitored the College's adherence to AVMA standards. The final decision certifying CVM's compliance and awarding full accreditation took place at the end of September 2018 during the COE's meeting at AVMA's headquarters in Schaumberg, Illinois. The College is the 29th U.S.-based institution to receive this status from the AVMA COE.
The Midwestern University College of Veterinary Medicine was founded in 2012 and offers a four-year curriculum that prepares future veterinarians to provide exemplary animal care and impact the world by improving animal and human health through research, scholarly activity, and service to the public. The College also operates the Animal Health Institute - comprised of the Companion Animal Clinic, the Equine and Bovine Center, and the Diagnostic Pathology Center - which offers community veterinary healthcare and hands-on clinical experience for third- and fourth-year students. The College's Mobile Clinic provides preventative care onsite at rural locations throughout Arizona.