At this writing, there are 28 AVMA-accredited veterinary schools in the United States. Admission competition is fierce, and many students apply to more than one veterinary school to increase their chances of being accepted into veterinary school. At the same time, many areas are facing veterinarian shortages, especially in large animal practice.
In what seems like a win-win partnership for veterinary students, the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) announced that the American University of Antigua (AUA) has partnered with the Virginia-Maryland Regional College of Veterinary Medicine at Virginia Tech (VMRCVM) to provide veterinary training to AUA students starting in January 2010.
In this new program, students attending AUA will complete the first two years in Antigua doing primarily non-clinical work; veterinary classroom and laboratory education. The students will then transfer to VMRCVM and become become Virginia Tech students for two years of clinical study and and hands-on clinical rotations. Students will graduate with a degree in veterinary medicine (Doctor of Veterinary Medicine - DVM) from Virginia Tech.
By "merging" the two school programs, more students will be able to attend and graduate as veterinarians. This should reduce tuition costs for students at Virginia-Maryland as well as help with the veterinarian shortages in the United States and in the Caribbean islands.
In a recent press release, Dr. Peter Bell, AUA’s vice president of academic affairs and executive dean of the Antigua campus, added:
"The proximity of human and veterinary medicine at AUA presents a great opportunity to demonstrate the concept of 'one medicine' through the establishment of a strong biomedical component in the veterinary school that will liaise closely with AUA’s College of Medicine in multidisciplinary teaching and research. This has put AUA a step ahead of the other Caribbean-based international veterinary schools – and many of the U.S.-based veterinary schools.”
Read full press release
Learn more about veterinary school AVMA accreditation:
- What does "fully accredited" mean?
- How does a new veterinary college become accredited?
- US Veterinary Colleges Accredited by the AVMA
- New veterinary school partners with Virginia-Maryland
From the AVMA - American University of Antigua to open new veterinary school
From VetLearn.com - American University of Antigua to Open New Veterinary School
From Reuters
Related Reading:
- Vet School Diaries
Get a peek at what life is really like in veterinary school and vet tech school, from our volunteer diary writers. - Pre-Vet/Career Forum
Ask questions and read topics about veterinary medicine as a career. - Career and Schooling Resources
Veterinary colleges, online learning resources and more. - Interview with a Super Vet
Learn about veterinary specialty careers
Comments
They’re sending students to Antigua ????
Have they checked out the murder and rape rates down there? I would only go with a platoon and my own sidearm.
Dr. Janet,
Any partnership that turns out more qualified veterinarians is a good thing. Most folks don’t understand the number of DVM’s needed by the military and the USPHS, as well as civilian needs.
Father Daniel
P.S. I know nothing of the politics or crime rate of Antigua. I would advise prospective students to study both, just as they would determine crime rates in an American city that is host to a veterinary college.
sorry, but I’ve been a veterinarian for 33 years. Thereis not shortage of anything but jobs, competition is not fierce unless we want everyone to be admitted- your odds were 8 to 1 in the 70’s and 80’s but now 2 to 1 (or so said AVMA president the other day on the radio).