Council on Education

The AVMA Council on Education® (AVMA COE®) accredits DVM and equivalent educational programs. In doing so, it assures that minimum standards in veterinary medical education are met by all AVMA-accredited colleges of veterinary medicine, and that students enrolled in those colleges receive an education that will prepare them for entry-level positions in the profession.

Composition

The Council on Education shall consist of eight voting members of the Association and 12  members who are not required to be voting members of the Association.

  • The eight members of the Council on Education who are voting members of the Association shall represent the following areas of veterinary medical activity:
    • Private food animal clinical practice (one individual whose veterinary endeavor is exclusively food animal practice)
    • Private mixed clinical practice (one individual whose veterinary endeavor is clinical practice with several species of animals including both food or equine and small companion animals)
    • Private small animal clinical practice (one individual whose veterinary endeavor is exclusively small animal practice)
    • Private equine practice (one individual whose veterinary endeavor is exclusively equine practice)
    • Private clinical practice, not further specified (two individuals whose veterinary endeavor is exclusively private clinical practice)
    • Non-private practice, non-academic veterinary medicine (one individual)
    • At-large (one individual)
  • Seven members of the Council on Education who are not required to be voting members of the Association shall be veterinarians appointed and funded by the Association of American Veterinary Medical Colleges and shall represent the following areas of veterinary medical activity:
    • Basic science (two individuals active in this field who are members of the faculty of a university having an accredited school or college of veterinary medicine or a department of veterinary science)
    • Large animal clinical science (one individual in this field who is a member of the faculty of a university having an accredited school or college of veterinary medicine)
    • Small animal clinical science (one individual in this field who is a member of the faculty of a university having an accredited school or college of veterinary medicine)
    • Postgraduate education (one individual who is actively directing post-professional students in an accredited school or college of veterinary medicine or in a university department of veterinary science)
    • Veterinary medical research (one individual who is actively engaged in veterinary research for the majority of the time or who is the close director of others who are)
    • Veterinary preventive medicine (one individual whose veterinary endeavor is in the field of epidemiology, public health, regulatory, or military veterinary medicine
  • The five additional members of the Council on Education who are not required to be voting members of the Association shall be as follows:
    1. Representatives of the public (three individuals who are not veterinarians appointed by the council for terms of six years)
    2. A Canadian veterinarian appointed and funded by the Canadian Veterinary Medical Association for a term of three years
    3. A veterinarian appointed and funded by the Association of American Veterinary Medical Colleges for a term of three years

Responsibility

The Council on Education shall:

  • Have autonomous authority to evaluate schools and colleges offering a professional degree in veterinary medicine, according to established standards; make accreditation decisions; and assign a classification of accreditation to each such school or college.
  • Meet the needs of society by promoting active programs in veterinary medical education by, among other things, encouraging and assisting schools and colleges of veterinary medicine to meet the requirements for full accreditation.
  • Study and recommend methods of instruction and promote the continual improvement of veterinary medical education in all its facets.
  • Recommend standards for accredited schools and colleges offering a professional degree in veterinary medicine. Such standards shall pertain to organization, finances, physical facilities and equipment, clinical resources, library and information resources, students, admissions, faculty, curriculum, research programs, and outcomes assessment.
  • Publish a list annually of the schools and colleges of veterinary medicine showing the current accreditation status of each.
  • Provide consultation to proposed, developing, and existing schools and colleges of veterinary medicine.
  • Review and make recommendations to the Board of Directors concerning the activities of committees concerned with veterinary specialties, veterinary technicians, graduates of foreign colleges of veterinary medicine, and licensing examinations.
  • Recommend curriculum changes that will enhance the veterinarian's ability to meet changing professional demands and societal needs.