Full Accreditation: AVC Hits the Mark on Excellence Again
The Atlantic Veterinary College (AVC) of the University of Prince Edward Island (UPEI) has, again, received Full Accreditation status. The American Veterinary Medical Association Council on Education (AVMA-COE) recently voted unanimously to give AVC the highly-esteemed seven years of Full Accreditation. The College has been fully successful in each of their reviews since it was first eligible for accreditation in 1990 with the graduation of their first class of veterinarians.
"Attaining the maximum accreditation of seven years is a testament to the excellence of AVC's programs and people. UPEI's Veterinary College is on par with the best Vet Schools in the world," says Wade MacLauchlan, President of UPEI.
Part of the accreditation process included a visit by a team made up representatives from the AVMA, Canadian Veterinary Medical Association, COE , PEI Veterinary Medical Association, and two guest observers. Visiting last September, the team verified the College's self study report by visiting physical facilities including the Veterinary Teaching Hospital, and interviewing faculty, students, College and UPEI administrators.
"Full Accreditation fuels our international reputation. It helps us to continue to recruit and retain top quality people. The review recognized the quality of our faculty, staff and students, and their ability to work together," says Dr. Tim Ogilvie, Dean of AVC. He says the strength of the College is due in part to the respect and support AVC receives from UPEI and the larger Island and regional communities. "They are absolutely essential to our success."
The AVMA-COE is the accrediting body for veterinary colleges in North America, and have accredited educational veterinary institutions in Europe as well as Australia, and New Zealand. The youngest of Canada's four veterinary colleges, AVC provides undergraduate, graduate, and continuing education in the field of veterinary medicine; conducts research to promote animal health, productivity and welfare, and to protect human and environmental health; and provides services for the management of the health and well-being of animals.
AVC has two Canada Research Chairs, in clinical pharmacogenetics and shellfish, a privately-funded Research Chair in animal welfare, and an industry-funded Research Chair in swine health. The College is also home to the Lobster Science Centre, Centre for Aquatic Health Sciences, Population Health Research Group and Atlantic Centre for Comparative Biomedical Research. AVC has established the only North American OIE Reference Lab for Infectious Salmon Anaemia and is the regional node of the Canadian Cooperative Wildlife Health Centre, with responsibility for monitoring the West Nile virus. The Sir James Dunn Animal Welfare Centre continues to provide funding for projects that contribute to animal health and welfare.
