June 24, 2025
Dr. Janet Donlin, Chief Executive Officer, AVMA
Isham R. Jones, III General Counsel, AVMA
Madeline Brezin, JD Assistant Director Division of State Advocacy, AVMA
RE: Letter of Support Regarding Lincoln Memorial University Lawsuit
Dear Dr. Donlin and AVMA Leadership,
On behalf of the Georgia Veterinary Medical Association (GVMA) and our membership, we are writing to express our strong support for the AVMA during the legal challenge initiated by Lincoln Memorial University.
The GVMA believes that maintaining rigorous educational standards is essential to our profession’s integrity and public trust. The AVMA’s accreditation requirements ensure that graduating veterinarians possess the competencies necessary to protect animal health and public safety.
While the GVMA recognizes workforce shortages in specific areas of veterinary medicine, we firmly believe educational quality must be maintained. Graduates must be prepared for the complexities of modern practice from day one. This can only be accomplished through the consistent high standards established by the AVMA Council on Education. Advancements in veterinary medicine are directly linked to research at the university level. Research capabilities within veterinary education advance our profession’s scientific foundation and ensure graduates have the evidence-based knowledge essential for effective practice.
Evidence-based medicine is a cornerstone of how veterinarians make daily clinical decisions and forms part of the minimum standards of care established by our State Board of Veterinary Medicine. This challenge to the accreditation process represents a direct threat to the veterinary profession’s ability to maintain standards through established processes that are fundamental to preserving public trust and professional autonomy. Such legal interference could result in permanent deterioration of veterinary professional standards.
The GVMA supports the AVMA’s role in veterinary education accreditation and believes that challenges to educational standards should be addressed through appropriate professional channels rather than litigation that could undermine the profession’s regulatory framework.
Sincerely,
Dr. Jaclyn Luckstone President, GVMA
Dr. Lee Jones, AVMA Georgia Delegate
Dr. Mike Zager, AVMA Georgia Alternate Delegate
Dr. Keri Riddick, Executive Director, GVMA
6050 Peachtree Parkway
Suite 240-381
Norcross, GA 30092
(678) 309-9800
gvma@gvma.net
