Jonathan Foreman, Chair, AAVMC Admissions and Recruitment Committee

University of Illinois

The admissions process and selection procedures vary substantially at veterinary institutions around the world.  Varying levels of emphasis on cognitive and non-cognitive characteristics are considered, with differing methods to assess these.  At North American Institutions the veterinary program is a post-graduate qualification.  This is in contrast to that of most programs in the UK, Australia, and New Zealand, where the veterinary degree is an undergraduate program that can be entered directly following high school.  Currently there is not a single source of information about the details of the admissions processes at veterinary institutions, and there could be benefits from collecting and sharing such information. The intention of this session is to use case studies to demonstrate some of the varying processes, to explore the benefits of capturing what is being done at various institutions, and to discuss experiences of successful admission process tools.

9:30 AM – 10:15 AM    Admissions and Affirmative Action: Summary and Update

Lisa Greenhill, AAVMC

In the 10 years since the Grutter decision, affirmative action in higher education still garners much attention thanks continued legal challenges.  This session will provide an update on the legal events of the last year including the Fisher vs. University of Texas-Austin case and the 6th Circuit ruling which found Michigan’s ban on affirmative action unconstitutional.

10:30 AM – 12:00 PM   Recruiting in Veterinary Medicine: Teaching an Old Dog New Tricks

Jonathan Orsini, University of Florida

 

An overview of the challenges facing the veterinary profession in regards to a stagnant applicant pool, limited diversity, and suboptimal high school and undergraduate advising, and how these factors are contributing to an unfavorable environment for veterinary colleges to recruit new students.  Following that will be a discussion about potential long and short-term recruiting objectives for veterinary colleges and the AAVMC to confront these important issues.