U.S. News & World Report Ranks CSU the Nation’s No. 2 Vet School

Colorado State University’s Doctor of Veterinary Medicine Program has been ranked No. 2 in the nation by U.S. News & World Report, continuing the program’s decades-long reputation as one of the world’s best.

CSU’s vet school grabbed the No. 2 spot in the magazine’s 2023-24 Best Graduate Schools rankings, rising past its No. 3 ranking in 2019. The top spot went to University of California – Davis.

The Best Graduate Schools rankings are based on expert opinion about program excellence and statistical indicators that measure the quality of a school’s faculty, research and students, according to U.S. News. Those statistical and reputation surveys were conducted in fall 2022 and early 2023.

To gather the peer assessment data, U.S. News asked deans, program directors and senior faculty to judge the academic quality of programs in their field on a scale of 1

(marginal) to 5 (outstanding).

“It’s incredibly gratifying to be recognized by our peer institutions as a top-ranked veterinary program in the nation. This honor is a direct reflection of the exceptional reputation of our faculty, staff and students and is related to our broad accomplishments and world-class excellence in research, teaching and education at all levels,” said Dr. Sue VandeWoude, dean of the CSU College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences. “Of course, I am biased in thinking we are the best academic veterinary center in the world, and I am so proud to be affiliated with my CSU veterinary medicine and biomedical sciences colleagues, who are improving the health of animals, people and planet every day.”

Highly competitive DVM program

CSU offers a four-year DVM program that was founded in 1907. The highly competitive program receives over 4,000 applications a year to fill approximately 140 spots.

During the first two years, students receive comprehensive biomedical veterinary education and clinical experiences, including animal handling, ethics, surgical techniques and communication. In years 3 and 4, students work side by side with world-renowned clinicians through specialty rotations at the James L. Voss Veterinary Teaching Hospital and Johnson Family Equine Hospital, which together annually serve over 40,000 patients.

CSU’s College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences further distinguishes itself by providing training for approximately 80 veterinary interns and residents and hosting robust undergraduate and graduate programs. It is also the only veterinary medical center with an embedded medical education program, offered in partnership with University of Colorado’s Anschutz Medical Center.

Curriculum renewal

In the next several years, CSU’s veterinary program is embarking on a new era of growth and modernization. The college is launching a DVM curriculum renewal that expands hands-on training skills and focuses more heavily on mental and financial health and well-being, with full rollout starting in fall 2026. The new curriculum will make CSU’s veterinary program among the most progressive in the world, with many of the changes recommended by the American Veterinary Medical Association and in line with growing needs across the veterinary medical landscape.

Alongside the curriculum renewal, CSU has announced plans for major upgrades and expansions to its existing medical and education facilities. These include a new Veterinary Health and Education Complex that houses a primary care clinic. Other expected changes are the addition of a livestock teaching hospital, adjacent to the Johnson Family Equine Hospital, and an expansion, remodel of the existing James L. Voss Veterinary Teaching Hospital into an animal specialty hospital in support of both clinical education and service, and development of an innovative Biomedical Discovery Center to support basic science activities.