Hey EquiVet.
I interviewed at Western also. I talked to some of my colleagues who are veterinarians and they have varying opinions of the vet school. Most of the vets in CA are careful to outwardly criticize the program because in the end, vets are vets no matter where you get your degree. To me, what personally matters is whether someone is: 1) genuinely committed to the profession, 2) sufficiently competent to manage a case (or to have the self-awareness to defer), 3) proficient in the skills to properly manage such a case, and 4) communicates well, and is able to work/get-along with co-workers and colleagues.
About my impressions of the school, I liked Western. I have my reservations, like everyone applying and interviewing there, but overall I think Western is going to be a good school in the future. My biggest concern centers around the uncertainty of the school's "newness." The things I would settle my anxiety would be a more establish faculty, a centralized teaching hospital, and tried and proven curriculum. From what I can surmise about the curriculum based on anecdotal evidence is that the Problem Based Learning (PBL) process is the "en-vogue" way to teach and learn. It has has been very effective for some people (i.e. those who work well in groups) but may not be the best learning environments for others. It is also interesting to note that PBL is being taught in a variety of school from high school to other professional schools.
Regarding the lack of a centralized teaching hospital, I think its a double-edged sword. With experience in a variety of local clinics, students may be well prepared for the "art" of veterinary medicine (i.e. the varying methods and protocols for different vets/clinics) upon graduating, however it could also serve as a void/hinderance for vet students who seek to learn about rare and unique cases. It would be nice to have clinical faculty however Western vet students will have to take the initiative to connect with clinicians in the field who could serve and mentor them.
In summary, the school is essentially set up to produce "traditional" veterinary medical doctors who aspire to work-in/manage/own a private practice. From my limited perspective, Western U is going to help alleviate the problem of shortage of vets in Los Angeles/SoCal area. If you're solely interested in being the "traditional" veterinarian, Western should be an option for you. I personally feel because of the abundance of resources in CA, particularlly LA, and the variety of experiences available in the Los Angeles/SoCal area, Western will be a good option for applicants who want to be traditional vets in the future.
I often think of my 91yo family friend who was in the second graduating class of UCLA's undergrad, he always reminds me that there were only 4 building on campus when he graduated, now UCLA is bascially a city of its own.
But thats just what I think... 🙄
