Virginia-Maryland Regional College of Veterinary Medicine marks 25 years of hospital accreditation
The Virginia-Maryland Regional College of Veterinary Medicine is earning recognition for practicing the gold standard of veterinary medicine at its Small Animal Hospital for 25 consecutive years.
Since 1988, the veterinary college has voluntarily submitted itself to the American Animal Hospital Association (AAHA) Standards of Accreditation. Achieving accreditation by AAHA is an important milestone to delivering quality pet care.
“I would like to congratulate the Virginia-Maryland Regional College of Veterinary Medicine on its 25th anniversary of being accredited by the American Animal Hospital Association,” said Dr. Michael Cavanaugh, AAHA executive director and chief executive officer. “Choosing to be AAHA accredited and maintaining that for a quarter century demonstrates true commitment to veterinary excellence by the entire practice team. Pets and their people receiving care from an AAHA-accredited hospital can rest assured they are receiving the highest quality veterinary care from a practice team dedicated to delivering their very best each and every day.”
The Small Animal Hospital is one of two teaching hospitals that comprise the college’s Veterinary Teaching Hospital on the Virginia Tech campus. The hospital provides primary, specialty, and emergency patient care to small animal clients within a 35-mile radius of Blacksburg and referral service to practitioners in the mid-Atlantic region.
Only the top 15 percent of small animal hospitals in the United States and Canada have achieved accreditation. To maintain accredited status, the veterinary college must continue to be evaluated regularly by AAHA.
“This recognition further demonstrates our commitment to providing top-quality veterinary care to our small animal patients,” said Dr. F. William Pierson, director of the Veterinary Teaching Hospital. “As a teaching hospital, we not only provide veterinary students with valuable, hands-on learning experiences, but also offer the latest in services and technology to our patients.”
AAHA is the only organization in the United States and Canada that accredits companion animal hospitals based on standards that go above and beyond state regulations. Established in 1933, the association is well-known among veterinarians for its leadership in the profession, high standards for veterinary practices and pet health care, and most importantly, its accreditation of companion-animal practices.
The AAHA Standards of Accreditation, viewed as the standard of veterinary excellence, contain more than 900 individual standards, divided into 19 sections. These areas of focus include: patient care and pain management, surgery, pharmacy, laboratory, exam facilities, medical records, cleanliness, emergency services, dental care, diagnostic imaging, anesthesiology, and continuing education.
