The Texas Tech School of Veterinary Medicine has officially received full accreditation from the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA), marking a major milestone in a project that has been a decade in the making. The achievement transitions the school from a developing program to a nationally recognized institution, confirming that its students, staff, and faculty meet — and exceed — national standards for veterinary education.
The journey toward accreditation began in November 2015, when leaders within the Texas Tech University System first met to launch the effort. Since then, the program has faced challenges, including skepticism from those who doubted whether a new veterinary school in West Texas could meet the rigorous standards set by the AVMA.
“We had our first real meeting as a collective getting ready to launch the effort in November of 2015. So, quite literally, over the last decade, it’s been all hands on deck to make this particular day the milestone that it is,” said Dr. Tedd Mitchell, chancellor for the Texas Tech University System.
A Nationally Recognized Milestone
Accreditation from the AVMA is a critical benchmark for any veterinary school, ensuring that its graduates are trained to the highest professional standards in animal care, communication, and client service. For Texas Tech, this recognition cements its place among the nation’s top veterinary programs and validates the work of hundreds of faculty, students, and administrators who have built the school from the ground up.
“Today’s a day of just a huge win and it shows the success of what comes when we pull together and we pull off something that many people said you weren’t going to get done here,” said Amarillo Mayor Cole Stanley, celebrating the announcement.
Teamwork and Perseverance
The accreditation process required extensive collaboration across departments, community partnerships, and multiple review stages by the AVMA’s Council on Education. For Dean Guy Loneragan, the milestone reflects a shared sense of purpose.
“Accreditation is a team effort. It took everyone, every student, every staff, every faculty member. It took everyone to achieve this. And so what it means to all of us is that we were all working in the same direction with a common goal, and we achieved something. We achieved it together,” Loneragan said.
Dr. Mitchell emphasized how far the program has come despite early skepticism. “It was only a decade ago that we were being told, this is impossible. This will never happen. And, as I said to the group earlier, those folks that say something is impossible very often need to just get out of the way of the people that are actually doing it,” he said.
Looking Ahead
The school also received two additional commendations from the AVMA related to its partnerships with veterinary practitioners and its methods for tracking progress and outcomes. These distinctions further demonstrate the program’s commitment to continuous improvement and real-world impact.
Located in Amarillo, the Texas Tech School of Veterinary Medicine was founded with the goal of addressing critical shortages of veterinarians, particularly in rural and agricultural communities across Texas. With full accreditation now secured, graduates of the program will be eligible for licensure and employment nationwide, expanding opportunities for service and leadership in animal health.
