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July 7, 2003 Volume 28, Issue 1 |
The College of Veterinary Medicine continues to be accredited by the American Veterinary Medical Association's Council on Education.
Following a recent review, the college-one of only 27 accredited veterinary programs in the country-was verified as meeting or exceeding all AVMA requirements for recertification.
"Accreditation is something the college should expect, but it is also something to be proud of," said Dr. Phillip Nelson, associate dean and director of academic affairs.
The AVMA regularly evaluates each school on its compliance with essential standards in 11 areas, including organization, finances, curriculum and research programs. As a part of the process, an assessment team visits each facility and meets with administrators, faculty, staff, students and regional veterinarians.
The next scheduled evaluation of MSU's veterinary college will take place in four years. "The fact that the accrediting body scheduled the next assessment in 2007 indicates that we are on track with their standards," Nelson said.
Dean John Thomson said the latest renewal "demonstrates that this college reached or even surpassed the standards in all the crucial areas. The reaccreditation also reflects the high caliber of the faculty, staff and students, and support from Mississippi leadership."
With increasing awareness of biomedical issues, re-emerging diseases and food safety problems, veterinary practitioners remain integral to the health profession's first line of defense against these threats.
"There is currently a greater demand for veterinary medicine than I have ever seen in my lifetime," Thomson said. "Veterinarians are becoming critical figures as they deal with subjects we hear about every night on the news, like SARS, bioterrorism, West Nile virus, and foot-and-mouth disease.
"The College of Veterinary Medicine needs continued support to meet society's demand for veterinary services, and accreditation is the first step," he added.