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Vet School Sues Over ‘Gatekeeping’ Standards, Citing Antitrust Concerns

By  |  June 22, 2025

Lincoln Memorial University (LMU), home to one of the nation’s largest veterinary schools, has filed a federal lawsuit accusing the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) of leveraging its accreditation authority to limit competition and restrict the number of practicing veterinarians in the United States.

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    Filed Wednesday in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Tennessee, the lawsuit alleges that the AVMA has imposed excessive and unnecessary accreditation requirements, particularly concerning research standards. These requirements, LMU claims, violate federal antitrust laws by creating significant barriers for new and existing veterinary programs, particularly those without substantial financial backing. According to Reuters, the university contends that such practices ultimately reduce access to veterinary care and drive up costs for animal owners.

    The legal action follows the AVMA’s decision last year to place LMU’s veterinary program on probation, a move that has cast uncertainty over the future of its students and faculty. Per Reuters, LMU argued in the court filing that its research efforts are robust and that the AVMA’s expectations are disconnected from what is actually required to prepare students to become competent veterinarians from day one.

    “These insurmountable barriers to entry for new veterinary schools limit the number of available veterinary schools, which limits the number of graduates, which limits the veterinary options for pet owners in America,” said LMU President Jason McConnell in a statement included in the lawsuit.

    The AVMA, headquartered in Illinois, declined to comment on the lawsuit, citing the ongoing litigation. However, in a previous blog post from 2023, the organization noted that the veterinary field could potentially face an oversupply of professionals relative to demand, raising long-term concerns about sustainability in the sector, according to Reuters.

    LMU’s veterinary school, which began operations in 2014, currently has 225 students and is one of just 34 institutions in the U.S. offering a veterinary degree. The university also noted that its plans to expand its veterinary education program into Florida are now in jeopardy due to the AVMA’s accreditation practices.

    In its legal filing, LMU is seeking a court order to block the AVMA from enforcing what it describes as arbitrary and inconsistent research accreditation standards, arguing that such rules unfairly hinder schools that could otherwise contribute to addressing the nation’s veterinary workforce shortage.

    The case is docketed as Lincoln Memorial University v. American Veterinary Medical Association, No. 3:25-cv-00282-TAV-JEM.

    Source: Reuters