The MSU College of Veterinary Medicine’s Veterinary Technology Program received full accreditation renewal from the American Veterinary Medical Association Committee on Veterinary Technician Education and Activities (CVTEA), recognizing the high standards the Program has long held and continues to achieve.

This year, as the Veterinary Technology Program celebrates its 50th Anniversary, it also has been preparing for the accreditation process, which occurs every six years. It was the first of two programs in the country to be accredited by the CVTEA in 1973 and has retained full, unbroken accreditation to date.

The CVTEA accredits veterinary technology programs to ensure the quality of the educational experience and assessment of student knowledge and skills. To be accredited by the CVTEA, a program must meet 11 standards of accreditation including organization and communication; physical facilities and equipment; resources for clinical instruction; the curriculum and outcomes; and students, faculty, and staff. The accreditation process includes a written self-study and a site visit where members of the CVTEA tour the facilities and speak with faculty, staff, and students.

Taylor Epp, director of the Program, says preparing for the assessment was a team effort. “We all worked together to ensure not only the Program’s continued accreditation status, but its continued excellence in producing career-ready veterinary technicians.”

In their written evaluation of the Program, the CVTEA identified many of the Program’s strengths, including:

• innovative, dedicated, and experienced core faculty and staff;
• access to state-of-the-art laboratories and classrooms;
• the recent completion of the LeBlanc Clinical Skills Lab;
• integration of the clinical phase of the Program into work conducted at the Veterinary Medical Center;
• exceptional VTNE results;
• and dedicated, focused, and responsible veterinary technician students.

Fifty years in operation, the Program is an invaluable part of the College of Veterinary Medicine, bringing recognition to the College this year by earning MSU a third-place ranking for undergraduate veterinary programs across the country.

“Our Veterinary Technology Program faculty, staff, and students continue to strive for national prominence, making the College a leader in veterinary technology education,” says Dean Birgit Puschner.