“Founded in 1919 as the Instituto de Veterinária.” That’s the year that echoes as we stand before the Faculdade de Medicina Veterinária e Zootecnia. This institution is a cornerstone of veterinary medicine and animal science in Brazil. It began as part of the Secretaria da Agricultura do Estado de São Paulo. Initially the course lasted three years.
Let’s journey through time. In 1928, the Instituto de Veterinária transformed into the Escola de Medicina Veterinária. The course expanded to four years. It was supervised by the Diretoria de Instituto de Indústria Animal.
A significant shift occurred in 1934. The Escola de Medicina Veterinária moved to the Secretaria de Educação. Later that year, it returned to the Secretaria da Agricultura. Governor Armando de Salles Oliveira then incorporated it into the Universidade de São Paulo. It officially became the Faculdade de Medicina Veterinária.
The Faculdade de Medicina Veterinária’s first regulations were approved in 1935. Professor Altino Augusto de Azevedo Antunes became its first director. By 1938, the first class of veterinary doctors graduated. The Faculdade de Medicina Veterinária has shaped over 2.696 professionals.
The Faculdade de Medicina Veterinária e Zootecnia achieved a significant milestone in 1997. The Ministério de Educação e Cultura evaluated its undergraduate program. It received an “A” level. It was one of only five institutions in the country with this distinction. Since 1996, it has consistently earned 5 stars from the Guia do Estudante Abril.
In 2017, the Conselho Federal de Medicina Veterinária granted it accreditation. This accreditation was valid until 2022. The Faculdade de Medicina Veterinária e Zootecnia celebrated 100 years of its undergraduate course in 2019. This milestone recognized the initial activities of the Instituto de Veterinária.
The Faculdade operates on two campuses. One is in São Paulo, within the Cidade Universitária. The other is in Pirassununga. The São Paulo campus houses departments of surgery and medical clinic. Also on this campus are the departments of pathology and animal reproduction. The Hospital Veterinário serves the public. The Pirassununga campus includes departments of nutrition and animal production. There is also the department of preventive veterinary medicine and animal health. This campus features the Centro de Biotecnologia de Reprodução Animal. It also houses the Centro Experimental em Pesquisas Toxicológicas.
The Faculdade publishes the Brazilian Journal of Veterinary Research and Animal Science. The FMVZ library, Virginie Buff D’Ápice, holds over 130.000 works. The Museu de Anatomia Veterinária and the Museu Histórico are located on the São Paulo campus. The Faculdade also promotes practical courses. These are some of the many reasons why the Faculdade de Medicina Veterinária e Zootecnia is among the top veterinary schools in the world.