College of Veterinary Medicine

A message from Professor Peter Irwin, Principal of the College of Veterinary Medicine.

Murdoch’s College of Veterinary Medicine was the first in Australia to be built as a purpose-designed veterinary teaching and research facility, and this is reflected today in the wealth of integrated, on-site facilities providing animal, clinical and research exposure for undergraduates. Veterinary science was a foundation course of Murdoch University, with the first class graduating in 1979, and since then over two thousand veterinarians have been trained at the university. Murdoch was also the first veterinary school in Australia to be awarded accreditation by the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) in 2002, in addition to its accreditation by the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons (RCVS) in the United Kingdom and the Australasian Veterinary Boards Council (AVBC) for Australia and New Zealand. The College is also a member of Veterinary Schools of Australia and New Zealand.  In keeping with our focus on providing the very best education our Vision for the College of Veterinary Medicine is: “Integrity and Excellence in Veterinary Science”.

The mission of Murdoch University College of Veterinary Medicine is to promote and integrate the health, welfare and productivity of animals, people and environment through partnership in Education – enabling graduates’ lifelong professional success; Research – engaging national and international stakeholders in impactful discovery and innovation, and; Clinical Service – advancing excellence in veterinary science through leadership in the community and the profession.

Uniquely for a suburban campus, an on-site farm allows production animal handling and clinical skills training within the main university site. Additionally, facilities include spacious multi-purpose teaching laboratories and lecture theatres, a multi-user microscopy teaching facility, an in-house histology and immunohistochemistry laboratory, purpose-designed anatomy and pathology dissection suites, and a world-class anatomy museum. With support from the Veterinary Trust we have recently established a clinical skills centre that will enable our students’ ample opportunity to practice the manual skills and techniques that are required by practicing veterinarians. The Veterinary Trust is also in the process of facilitating the fit out of the space and purchasing equipment to make it fully operational. The Veterinary Clinical Sciences building in the heart of the School houses The Animal Hospital which has divisions dealing with Primary Care, Small Animal Referral, Large Animal Referral, Farm Animal Veterinary Services and Emergency & Critical Care, and a superbly appointed Surgical Teaching Facility. Staff in the Conservation Medicine Program train our students in wildlife, exotic pet and conservation medicine at a teaching facility located at nearby Perth Zoo. The establishment of this wildlife teaching facility by the College of Veterinary Medicine and one of Australia's leading zoos represents an innovative collaborative educational venture, which is unique world-wide.

The College maintains its own dedicated library and learning common for student use, and a common room that acts as a social hub for the students enrolled in veterinary science. The Murdoch Veterinary Students’ Association (MVSA) organises social events and supports a wide range of Special Interest Groups (SIGs) that encourage further interest in various domestic animal species and wildlife, and engagement with the veterinary profession and industry.  Additionally, DVM students are each involved in a research project during the fourth and fifth years. These research projects cover a wide range of topics from animal welfare to studying diseases of companion animals, horses and production animals.

Admission to Veterinary Science

The College of Veterinary Medicine is committed to the admission of high quality students, evaluated as having a high likelihood of success within the veterinary course and as a graduate veterinarian, by identifying academic and personal merit and potential, whilst ensuring an open and fair selection process. Selection is based on academic and personal achievements and potential, without bias and regardless of background. Admitted students must possess the intellectual and physical capacity to participate in all aspects of the curriculum and to attain the standards of theoretical and practical competence required by the College and accrediting organisations. Students must possess high-level observational, communication, motor, intellectual, behavioural and social skills, and be capable of participating actively and in an independent manner in all classes.

Professor Peter Irwin