Ross University School of Veterinary Medicine

Ross University
School of Veterinary Medicine
Ross University School of Veterinary Medicine logo.
Type Private, for-profit
Established 1982 (1982)
Location Basseterre, St. Kitts
Nickname RUSVM
Website www.rossu.edu/veterinary-school/

Ross University School of Veterinary Medicine (RUSVM), founded in 1982, is a college offering the Doctor of Veterinary Medicine degree. As of 2014, RUSVM began offering Master of Science and PhD degrees in public health, global animal health, conservation medicine, and other research areas supported by the school. The school is located in St. Kitts. Administrative offices are located in Iselin, NJ. RUSVM is accredited by the American Veterinary Medical Association Council on Education.

RUSVM students are almost all citizens or permanent residents of the United States,[1] who are eligible to apply for financial assistance under Title IV of the Higher Education Act.[2] As of 2015, the veterinary school has graduated nearly 4,000 physicians. RUSVM enrolls students three times per year.

History

RUSVM was founded in 1982 by entrepreneur Robert Ross, who also founded a separate institution, Ross University School of Medicine, in 1978.[1] Ross had a friend whose son was unable to secure admission to medical schools in the United States, and founded Ross University to give him and others an opportunity to become doctors.[3]

In 2003, RUSVM was purchased by DeVry Education Group.[4]

In 2014, RUSVM officially launched four distinct Research Centers,[5] the goal being to give students a research-informed learning experience and to expand RUSVM’s overall scientific research focus.

Accreditation

In 2011, RUSVM was accredited[6] by the American Veterinary Medical Association Council on Education (AVMA-COE)—the Department of Education's recognized accrediting body for veterinary education—effectively validating the quality and breadth of the school’s program.

RUSVM is also accredited by the St. Christopher & Nevis Accreditation Board Ministry of Education to confer the DVM to students who successfully complete the course of the program.[7]

The Ross University Veterinary Teaching Hospital has also received accreditation by the American Animal Hospital Association – the first teaching hospital to achieve this status outside the U.S. and Canada.[7]

In July 2014, RUSVM received accreditation for its Postgraduate Studies program from the St. Christopher & Nevis Accreditation Board, effective for five years. The Postgraduate Studies program offers Master of Science (MSc) and Doctoral (PhD) degrees in all research areas supported by RUSVM. Areas of emphasis are guided by RUSVM's themed Research Centers.

Faculty

RUSVM faculty have been recognized with various awards for teaching and research In February 2013, the Association of American Veterinary Colleges (AAVMC) awarded the Distinguished Teacher Award—the most prestigious national teaching award in veterinary medicine—to Mary Ann Thrall, DVM, a professor at RUSVM.[8] In addition, many faculty are top researchers in their specific fields and disciplines.[9]

Academics

The university’s DVM curriculum follows models used in U.S. veterinary schools. It covers seven semesters in St. Kitts, followed by a year of clinical education at one of the more than 20 AVMA-accredited veterinary schools in the United States or at the AVMA-accredited Atlantic Veterinary College in Canada. The preclinical program includes a series of "introduction to clinics" courses that provide small-group instruction and hands-on animal experience through community practice, ambulatory practice, or working with university-owned-and-maintained herds of cattle, horses, donkeys, and sheep.

Research

Leadership has brought a renewed focus on research to RUSVM. The school has established four distinct Research Centers, each strategically relevant to the concept of One Health in developing or tropical countries. The centers are:

Institutional faculty engage in research projects totaling $21 million from grant-awarding bodies, corporations, and governmental agencies. Faculty authored nearly 100 scientific papers in 2014 alone. Now, approximately 400 RUSVM students participate in research projects annually, and a course on the principles of veterinary research has been added to the school’s curriculum.

Internationalization

Recently, the university has expanded efforts to extend its global reach from both recruitment and research standpoints. In February 2012, RUSVM partnered with Moredun Research Institute to help generate collaborative scientific research opportunities, as well as training opportunities for research scientists and veterinary students alike.[10]

On the enrollment side, RUSVM recently has begun recruiting students in Singapore for special international research internship programs. In October 2014, RUSVM signed a memorandum of understanding with Ngee Ann Polytechnic, Singapore, to “develop mutually beneficial collaborations in education and research, as well as provide a pathway for Singapore students to obtain a veterinary degree[12].[11]

See also

References

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