The Midwestern University College of Veterinary Medicine (CVM), Arizona's first veterinary college to offer a doctor of veterinary medicine degree, has received full accreditation from the American Veterinary Medical Assn. (AVMA) Council on Education (COE), the university announced.

"It is an incredibly good feeling to accomplish something this difficult," CVM dean Dr. Thomas K. Graves said. "It was a true team effort and a very rewarding one. We look forward to continuing our growth with a full focus on program quality."

Accreditation status certifies that an institution is compliant with AVMA standards in various categories, including finances, facilities, clinical resources and curriculum, among others. Achieving full accreditation is the culmination of a painstaking, five-year process that typically concludes following the graduation of a college's first graduating class. During the process, CVM performed self-studies and hosted several COE site visits that monitored the college's adherence to AVMA standards, the university explained.

According to the Dec. 7 announcement, the final decision certifying CVM's compliance and awarding full accreditation took place at the end of September 2018 during the COE meeting at AVMA's headquarters in Schaumberg, Ill.

The college is the 29th U.S.-based institution to receive this status from AVMA's COE.

The Midwestern University CVM was founded in 2012 and offers a four-year curriculum that prepares future veterinarians to provide animal care and have an impact on the world by improving animal and human health through research, scholarly activity and service to the public. At its location in Glendale, Ariz., the college also operates the Midwestern University Animal Health Institute, which is comprised of the Companion Animal Clinic, the Equine & Bovine Center and the Diagnostic Pathology Center and offers community veterinary health care and hands-on clinical experience for third- and fourth-year students.

The 70,000 sq. ft. Midwestern University Equine & Bovine Center is a center for veterinary education, research, large animal veterinary services and pathology, with hired faculty who are engaged in scientific discovery to benefit Arizona’s livestock producers and horse owners, according to the school's website.