Accreditation with the American Veterinary Medical Association
The Faculty of Veterinary Science at the University of Melbourne was pleased to receive notification on Tuesday 3 October 2006 that full American Veterinary Medical Association accreditation had been granted to the Faculty for a period of seven years. The next site visit for the Faculty is scheduled for 2013.
Accreditation from the AVMA assists in allowing graduates from the Bachelor of Veterinary Science (BVSc) degree at the University of Melbourne to easily work in North America.
The benefit of achieving a veterinary science degree from a University with AVMA accreditation is probably best evidenced by a comment from graduate of the BVSc, Kristen Hennessy, who is originally from Boston Massachusetts, she said: “The accreditation is a huge advantage, it has meant that I could return to my home town and immediately start working as a veterinarian. I’m currently working as an intern at the Angell Animal Medical Centre in Boston, however I could quite literally work anywhere in the world as the course is also accredited by the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons (UK) and the Australasian Veterinary Boards Council Inc.”
“I would recommend studying at Melbourne to anyone. It’s a huge investment, but when you consider what else you gain from this, there is no question of value. The whole experience has changed me. I’m more confident and wiser to the world outside of America. Australia is also a very easy transition from America. It is foreign enough to feel new and exciting, yet familiar enough to ease you into a new lifestyle.”
The Faculty of Veterinary Science joins an elite group of veterinary schools outside of North America which have already achieved this status, and are only one of three veterinary schools to achieve this standard in Australasia.
The accreditation comes from the AVMA's Council on Education, which is recognised by the US Department of Education and acts as the accrediting agency for some 30 faculties of veterinary medicine in the United States and Canada.
Additional information on the American Veterinary Medical Association can be found at: www.avma.org.