University of Arizona College of Veterinary Medicine earns full accreditation from AVMA

The University of Arizona College of Veterinary Medicine in Oro Valley, Arizona, has received full accreditation from the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) Council on Education (COE), marking a major milestone for the state's first and only public veterinary medical program.¹

The college received approval to begin enrolling students in 2019 and graduated its first cohort in 2023. Since then, it has established a robust curriculum, published research, and graduated more than 300 veterinarians, all fully eligible to sit for licensure.¹

"The University of Arizona is proud of the groundbreaking work taking place every day at the College of Veterinary Medicine. Achieving full accreditation is a powerful endorsement of our commitment to veterinary education," Suresh Garimella, president of the University of Arizona, said in a university release.¹ "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."

The accreditation process for veterinary medical education includes a self-evaluation by the college, site visits, and regular written reports on standards. Key areas evaluated include the curriculum, research enterprise, support and resources available to faculty, staff and students, and the college's ethical guidelines and conduct.¹

Julie Funk, DVM, MS, PhD, dean of the college and a key architect of its curriculum, described the achievement as an affirmation of the institution's commitment to academic excellence. "Accreditation is a rigorous quality assurance process, and it confirms that we are meeting the highest standards in veterinary medical education," Funk said.¹ "Our faculty are content experts, and we know that our graduates leave as day-one-ready veterinarians well prepared to serve their communities."

Hands-on training from the start

A defining feature of the program is early animal contact: students begin working with live animals during their first week of school, in contrast to programs that reserve that experience for the third year. According to Alex Ramirez, DVM, MPH, PhD, DACVPM, senior associate dean for academic progress and faculty affairs, this approach helps replace the hands-on animal experience that incoming students historically brought with them from farm backgrounds, which is now less common.¹

The college also operates on an accelerated 3-year curriculum that eliminates summer breaks, allowing students to stay engaged year-round and graduate sooner than peers in traditional 4-year programs. The first 2 years cover foundational subjects such as immunology, anatomy, and organ systems, along with advanced coursework in clinical management and surgery, reinforced by training with livestock at the Campus Agricultural Center. Third-year students complete clinical work and specialty rotations in practices across the country, with electives ranging from business to honeybee health.¹

Beyond the classroom, the college's research unit, led by Maggie O'Haire, PhD, professor and associate dean for research, advances human-animal well-being through studies that include the effects of service dogs on posttraumatic stress disorder symptoms in veterans and canine aptitude testing for working dogs.¹

"We aim to prepare our students to be day-one-ready in clinical practice, while also equipping those interested in research with a strong foundation," O'Haire said.¹

Reference

1. Burtch-Buus L. U of A College of Veterinary Medicine fetches full accreditation. University of Arizona News. July 9, 2026. Accessed July 10, 2026. https://news.arizona.edu/news/u-college-veterinary-medicine-fetches-full-accreditation