The Antitrust Lawsuit Against the AVMA

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The Antitrust Lawsuit Against the AVMA

Lincoln Memorial University (LMU) has filed an antitrust suit against the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) in federal court in Tennessee, alleging that the AVMA’s Council on Education enforces “unreasonable” research‐related accreditation standards that cap the number of new veterinarians entering practice. LMU contends these requirements disproportionately favor well-funded, endowment-rich institutions while making it prohibitively difficult for newer or less-resourced schools to gain or maintain accreditation.

According to the complaint, by insisting on extensive research facilities, faculty, and output—elements LMU argues are unrelated to core clinical training—the AVMA effectively suppresses competition in veterinary education, limits graduate output, and drives up the cost of animal care. This, LMU claims, creates an artificial bottleneck in the supply of veterinarians, even as many rural and underserved areas report difficulty securing basic veterinary services.

But at the heart of the dispute lies the question: Is there truly a veterinarian shortage? Last year, the AVMA warned that veterinary school expansions risk producing more graduates than the job market can absorb, potentially diluting job quality and economic stability for practitioners. While LMU insists its 225-student cohort graduates as “day-one-ready” clinicians, the AVMA’s cautious stance reflects concerns about balancing workforce supply with sustainable employment opportunities.

Notably, LMU itself was placed on probation last year, and its planned Florida campus now hangs in the balance—all while the university argues that its students achieve excellent clinical outcomes despite having fewer research resources. The lawsuit seeks an injunction to block what LMU calls “arbitrary and inconsistent” research standards, a ruling that could lower barriers for new programs to open or existing ones to expand.

As this case unfolds, its outcome could reshape the accreditation landscape—and with it, the flow of new veterinarians into practice. Yet if the market really is nearing saturation, loosening accreditation standards may not answer access concerns and could instead risk oversupplying a profession already wrestling with employment balance. We’ll be watching closely to see whether the AVMA’s gatekeeping proves prescient or overly restrictive in the long run.

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Veterinary Pride Celebrations and Resources

We’ve been thrilled to see the veterinary community show up in a big way this Pride Month. But just in case you need any reminder on why this is important (you shouldn’t), it’s almost a guarantee that many of your colleagues, employees, and clients either identify as LGBTQ+ or have loved ones who do. Creating a safe space for them to be their authentic self is critical to team cohesion, morale, and individual happiness.

Oh, and perhaps most importantly… animals are part of the LGBTQ+ community. Same-sex behaviours have been observed in over 1,500 species, and as early as 100 years ago. So the next time you hear someone say that same-sex behaviour isn’t natural you can tell them off with science:

Plus, here are some our our favorite links, resources, posts, and podcasts:

PrideVMC

PrideVMC is a fantastic organization advocating for equity and inclusion for the LGBTQ+ veterinary community. As a leading voice in the community, we highly encourage you to check out their resources including:

• A history of LGBTQ+ people in the veterinary profession

• The Gender Identity Bill of Rights (GIBOR)

• Allyship toolkit, which includes over 45 links to reputable resources within vet med and beyond

• Gender Diversity Guide

The AVMA’s Brave Space Certificate

AVMA’s Brave Space Certificate Program is “a self-paced learning curriculum that teaches participants how to gain deeper understandings of the people around us and create healthier, safer, more inclusive veterinary teams, practices, and organizations.” This CE offering has two modules — Identity and Understanding and Inclusion and Support — and offers a clear path for practices to become not only a safe space for the LGBTQ+ community but a brave space.

The AAHA

The AAHA published their own list of year-round resources for your team to acknowledge and celebrate Pride.

Some of our recommendations include:

• 10 Ways to Celebrate Pride Month at Work from BambooHR

• The Cultural Competency Toolkit from the AAHA

• A Guide to Making Your Practice More Inclusive for LGBTQIA+ Clients and Staff from the AAHA

The Soap Box Podcast

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Quick Hits

Here are some of the other stories that caught our eye and we're following this week from around the veterinary world and animal kingdom: