Colorado State ranks 2nd in the nation for Veterinary Medicine

The veterinary medical program, which awards doctor of veterinary medicine degrees, has consistently ranked among the top veterinary programs in the country. In the latest survey, Colorado State was ranked No. 2 behind Cornell University and tied with the University of Pennsylvania. Colorado State was last assessed in 1997 and ranked fourth.

"We like to be known as the best college of veterinary medicine in the country," said Dr. James Voss, dean of the College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences. "Our goal always has been--and continues to be--to prepare our students to be the best in their profession: insightful, confident, caring and with sharp decision-making skills. The veterinary students who graduate from Colorado State's professional program are members of an elite group who are prepared to meet the challenges of modern veterinary medicine."

"The veterinary school is clearly among the crown jewels of Colorado State University, and indeed it is a state treasure and a tremendous source of pride for all Coloradoans," said Colorado State University President Albert C. Yates. "This latest ranking confirms our own belief in the quality of the program and its extraordinary attention to service."

Students in the College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences can enroll in a variety of academic programs, including undergraduate, graduate and the professional veterinary medical programs, as well as internships, residencies and post-doctoral activities. The college includes 536 professional veterinary students and 140 professional veterinary faculty.

The Veterinary Teaching Hospital also houses the Animal Cancer Center and the Argus Center for Human-Animal Bond Resources. Animal Cancer Center veterinarians and staff use the latest technology, chemotherapy and radiation to treat companion animals and have pioneered the use of limb-sparing surgery and hypothermia therapy, among other treatments. Some of these techniques have been transferred successfully to treat human cancer patients.

The Argus Center operates counseling services for pet owners and education for professional veterinary staff seeking a holistic approach to veterinary medicine that treats not only an animal's disease and pain, but recognizes the special relationship with a human family.

Each year, U.S. News & World Report re-evaluates graduate programs in five major disciplines: business, education, engineering, law and medicine. The rankings are achieved by using objective measures, such as entering students' test scores and faculty-student ratios and reputation ratings drawn from inside and outside of academia. Deans, program directors and senior faculty are asked to judge the overall academic quality of programs in their field on a scale of 1 (marginal) to 5 (distinguished).

Colorado State also has been ranked in the top third of the 100-best public universities, in terms of quality of education and affordability by Kiplinger's Personal Finance Magazine. In addition, the Templeton Foundation has designated Colorado State as a "character building" institution.