Mission Statement
At Penn Vet, we aim to lead and train the leaders of the veterinary profession. Our discoveries in basic, clinical and translational research, which are built upon our strength and expertise in the sciences, lead to new disease prevention and treatment methods. The mission of the University of Pennsylvania School of Veterinary Medicine is three-fold:
Education
- Training veterinarians at entry and post-doctoral levels for advanced clinical practice and research;
- Communicating new advances to graduate veterinarians through continuing education; and
- Educating the public and the government about links between animal and public health.
Research
- Producing new knowledge necessary to improve animal and public health through research at all levels, from fundamental biomedical investigation through study of disease; and
- Creating innovative healing and teaching methods and discovering new clinical interventions and diagnostic methods, thereby translating fundamental discoveries into health benefits for all species.
Service
- Providing direct service to society to support the first two missions of improving the health of agricultural- and laboratory-animal populations and of individual animals through service in the teaching hospitals and field services.
Penn Vet is a premier institution in training veterinarians to lead in academic and public-policy arenas. We have an eminent history, producing graduates who increase the impact of the veterinary profession—by acquiring new knowledge that enables us to provide exceptional animal healthcare, by participating in advancing human healthcare, and by partnering with other health professionals to shape public health practice and policy in the context of the animal-human ecosystem. Our teaching hospitals are internationally recognized centers of excellence for pioneering clinical service and training, and for providing off-site services including field service, shelter medicine and field investigation units throughout the Commonwealth. We consider this commitment vital to all three components of our mission.