Distance Education Public Comment

Comments Sought By January 13, 2025

The AVMA Council on Education (AVMA COE) is seeking feedback from the veterinary community regarding potential changes to how education can be delivered to students pursuing DVM or VMD degrees at COE Accredited programs. Based on current federal regulations, including distance education in veterinary medical educational programs would require a substantive change to the scope of recognition for the AVMA COE as a programmatic accreditor recognized by the United States Department of Education. Any potential expansion of scope would require development and federal approval of policies, procedures, and Standard(s) of Accreditation to include evaluation and assessment of student education delivered through technology.

Seeking approval for an expansion of scope to include educational delivery through the use of technology to students who are separated from the instructor and to support regular and substantive interaction between the students and the instructor or instructors, either synchronously or asynchronously, requires broad input from across the veterinary community. The federal definition of distance education can be found here: https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-34/subtitle-B/chapter-VI/part-600/subpart-A/section-600.2

To better understand the perspectives of the community, please provide your comments below regarding the potential use of distance education to deliver education, in whole or in part, to veterinary students seeking a DVM/VMD (or equivalent) degree.

The COE is committed to ensuring the highest quality education for students to maintain a strong veterinary profession, and to engaging with those who share these goals.

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