THE COLLEGE OF VETERINARY MEDICINE
AT WESTERN UNIVERSITY OF HEALTH SCIENCES, POMONA, CALIFORNIA
A WORK OF HEART
Veterinarians provide care to many animal species, including dogs, cats, horses, cattle, pigs, sheep, goats, birds, fish, marine mammals, zoo animals and wildlife. They also play prominent roles in public health, food safety, international movement of animals, and the spread of zoonotic diseases that pass from animals to humans.
Most veterinary students complete college degrees in sciences such as biology, zoology, or animal science before applying to four year Colleges of Veterinary Medicine. Graduates of accredited veterinary colleges are eligible to take national and state licensing examinations and to begin practice immediately after graduation.
Western University of Health Sciences opened the newest College of Veterinary Medicine (CVM) in the U.S. in 2003. The College is the 28th veterinary college in the country, and the first new veterinary college in more than 20 years. It is located about 35 miles east of Los Angeles. The College was established with a vision of providing innovative veterinary education that is cost-effective, in an interactive community of diverse faculty and students.
Student-Centered, Self Directed Learning
Graduate veterinarians work in their fields for up to 40 years after graduation. At graduation, they must not only have entry level competence in veterinary practice, but they must also have a strong foundation in self-directed learning skills. The latter help them stay abreast of rapidly changing diseases, diagnostic tests, therapeutics, and medical technologies. Western University CVM Students spend their first two years in a Problem-Based learning curriculum, learning basic sciences in small group discussions of patient cases. There are very few lectures. An important goal is that students learn how to learn on their own.
Reverence for Life
Animals are not killed nor harmed in the WesternU CVM curriculum. Anatomy cadavers are acquired through WAVE (Willed deceased Animals for Veterinary Education), a willed body program. Students learn many clinical skills (such as venipuncture) on models before applying them to living animals. Students bring pet volunteers for campus for clinical laboratories such as bandaging. The College endeavors to extend its Reverence for Life commitment to its human interactions, focusing on respect for others.
Strategic Partnerships and Alliances
The CVM partners with the College of Agriculture at California State Polytechnic University, Pomona, and with veterinary institutions in a community-based teaching model. Students have clinical experiences in regional, national and international pet, equine and food animal practices, in zoos, laboratory animal facilities, and other universities. The CVM is a college without walls, offering individually tailored educational experiences to each of its students.
Accreditation Status
The Western University CVM enjoys Provisional Accreditation from the Council on Education of the American Veterinary Medical Association.
Contact Us
The College of Veterinary Medicine
Western University of Health Sciences
309 E Second St, Pomona CA 91766 USA
909-469-5628
http://www.westernu.edu/xp/edu/veterinary/home.xml
Applications for admission are due October 1st.
