6 Steps for Reforming the Council on Education

Mark Cushing of the Animal Policy Group outlined six urgent reforms needed to modernize veterinary school accreditation in a recent Animal Health News and Views article. He argued that the Council on Education (COE), currently embedded within the AVMA, must become independent to ensure unbiased oversight.

Cushing’s proposals include relocating COE operations, hiring a CEO to lead engagement, ending the overemphasis on costly research infrastructure, and giving equal footing to distributive education models. He also critiqued the COE’s prescriptive standards and called for a more flexible, outcomes-based approach to evaluating schools.

These reforms, he argues, are vital to easing the veterinarian shortage, lowering student debt, and encouraging educational innovation. Cushing called on the profession to welcome open dialogue and embrace diverse pathways to train the next generation of veterinary professionals.