Authored by Douglas Mefford in College Education
Published on 12-02-2009
When choosing the best veterinary college in the United States one has to realize that the premiere source of information, the Association of American Veterinary Medical Colleges (AAVMC) does not recognize any ranking system. According to Dr. Andrew Maccabe, its associate executive director, “All 28 vet schools are American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) accredited and meet the same standards, so all will provide a quality education.” The U.S. News & World Report does, however, set up a ranking system that is widely accepted as the best assessment of program quality among this type of educational institutions.
Consistently ranking as the overall best veterinary college in the U.S. is Cornell University. Their College of Veterinary Medicine distinguishes itself with a long history of research, service and education in the field of veterinary medicine. As well as veterinary care, Cornell University excels in public health issues and biomedical research.
Tied for second place in the U.S. News & World Report’s national ranking for the best veterinary medical colleges, are Colorado State University and the University of California – Davis. The College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences (CVMBS) at Colorado State University offers a diverse and comprehensive course of study in diseases, treatments, and animal health care. It is the most highly funded by federal grants of all the peer universities that focus on animal health issues.
U of C – Davis is undisputedly the largest veterinary school in the United States. In partnership with the state’s departments of health, agriculture and environmental sciences, U of C – Davis encompasses the entire state in both research and practical application of animal health care both for domestic livestock and California’s diverse wildlife populations.
The University of Pennsylvania School of Veterinary Medicine places fourth in this ranking system. A major difference in the University of Pennsylvania’s School of Veterinary Medicine is that it is a part of their Medical School. The emphasis is on the concept of the essential blending of both animal and human health systems from a single medical understanding. Research is a primary focus in their flexible curriculum.
In the fifth place rankings by the U.S. News & World Report are four schools that still score highly in the comprehensive system used to determine a quality veterinary medical education. The North Carolina State University, Ohio State University, Texas A&M University – College Station, and the University of Wisconsin – Madison all rank highly in their curriculum of service and research in veterinary medical education.
While Michigan State University College of Veterinary Medicine places ninth in the U.S. News & World Report ranking, it is not for lack of expertise but rather because they are more specialized in their focus. Concentrating on only an approximate one hundred students per year, the emphasis is on training working Doctorates. The impetus is in the diagnosis, treatment and prevention of disease in animals and the subsequent teaching of this field to all veterinarians.
Ranked tenth best in the United States is the University of Minnesota College of Veterinary Medicine. Rather than confine their study to the classroom and laboratory, the University of Minnesota compliments their research and training with a twenty-four/seven outreach and extension program to help benefit both humans and animals in need.
