Comment now: Educational curriculum standards
The AVMA Council on Education® (AVMA COE®) has proposed changes to its educational standard governing the curriculum for veterinary medical schools and is accepting comment on the proposal through April 29, 2024.
Under the proposed change, all accredited veterinary schools would be required to “provide at least 130 weeks of instruction that is directly supervised. Direct instruction must include a minimum of 40 weeks of hands-on clinical education involving the prevention, diagnosis, treatment, and mitigation of disease related to animal health.”
The current standard requires “a period equivalent to a minimum of four academic years, including a minimum of one academic year of hands-on clinical education.”
The council explains the rationale for the proposed change this way: “Increasing variability in the calendar length of veterinary educational programs requires standardization of requirements in terms of weeks of instruction to ensure students are able to participate fully in the didactic, required, and elective education necessary for their development. “
How to comment
Comments on the proposal must be submitted directly to the COE in writing (email or surface mail). Here are instructions for submitting comments, as well as more detail on the proposed change.
Comments
comment on new standard for length training
think the change from academic year to weeks is good. Seems like direct needs a definition.
Change from years to weeks required.
Obviously this makes sense so VMCs have more flexibility. The most important part of that sentence is the "directly supervised".
Standard 9
A minimum number of weeks of directly supervised instruction makes sense, however there is a disconnect between that and competency-based veterinary education. Some students will take longer than others to reach day-one competency in necessary skills.
Changes to curriculum
I apologize for the tangential comment, but I wish students would be required to fulfill a portion of their hours in a shelter setting. It would make them more well rounded, lend an understanding to the challenges we face in animal welfare, and provide much needed services to underfunded shelters.
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