Latest Articles Include:
- A Farewell and Welcome to Managing Editors
Baker HJ - J Vet Med Educ 35(4):475 (2008)
- The Human-Animal Bond: Essential Elements in Veterinary Education
Beck AM Rowan AN - J Vet Med Educ 35(4):476 (2008)
- The Human-Animal Bond in Academic Veterinary Medicine
Rowan AN - J Vet Med Educ 35(4):477-482 (2008)
This article outlines the development of academic veterinary interest in the human-animal bond (HAB) and provides short summaries of the various centers currently studying the HAB at North American universities. Although most of these centers are at veterinary schools, the level of involvement by veterinarians is surprisingly low, considering how important a strong HAB is for the average veterinary practitioner (the stronger the bond, the more the client will be willing to pay for veterinary services). - Current Human-Animal Bond Course Offerings in Veterinary Schools
Beck AM Martin F - J Vet Med Educ 35(4):483-486 (2008)
The human-animal bond (HAB) is viewed as growing in importance for practicing veterinarians, veterinary students, and society in general. The fields and activities concerning the HAB are interdisciplinary and varied. There is widespread belief that HAB programs are important for veterinarians, although many practitioners feel that their instruction on this topic was not as complete as desired. Most activities associated with the HAB are conducted in specific centers, but only about half of the veterinary schools in North America have such centers, and the instructional programs they offer to students show much variation. The purpose of this study was to survey North American veterinary schools and to document the activities related to the HAB and HAB centers that are available to veterinary students. - The Benefits of Human-Companion Animal Interaction: A Review
Barker SB Wolen AR - J Vet Med Educ 35(4):487-495 (2008)
This article provides a review of research published since 1980 on the benefits of human-companion animal interaction. Studies focusing on the benefits of pet ownership are presented first, followed by research on the benefits of interacting with companion animals that are not owned by the subject (animal-assisted activities). While most of the published studies are descriptive and have been conducted with convenience samples, a promising number of controlled studies support the health benefits of interacting with companion animals. Future research employing more rigorous designs and systematically building upon a clearly defined line of inquiry is needed to advance our knowledge of the benefits of human-companion animal interaction. - Training Veterinary Students in Animal Behavior to Preserve the Human-Animal Bond
Sherman BL Serpell JA - J Vet Med Educ 35(4):496-502 (2008)
Knowledge of animal behavior is an extremely important component of modern veterinary practice. Appreciation of species-typical behavior helps to ensure that veterinary patients are handled safely and humanely, and plays a pivotal role in the diagnosis of health and welfare problems in animals, including the recognition of pain and distress. Veterinary students who acquire a good understanding of animal behavior will be better clinicians and will be best able to promote and repair the "human-animal bond," that important connection between people and their pets. Animal behavior problems can negatively impact this critical relationship, leading to abandonment, re-homing, relinquishment to an animal shelter, and sometimes premature euthanasia of the animal. Therefore, identifying, preventing, and treating behavior problems is important in maintaining the human-animal bond. Education in animal behavior should be an essential part of the veterinary curriculum; a board-certi! fied veterinary behaviorist should be an integral member of the veterinary college faculty. - Enhancing Human-Animal Relationships through Veterinary Medical Instruction in Animal-Assisted Therapy and Animal-Assisted Activities
Schaffer CB - J Vet Med Educ 35(4):503-510 (2008)
Instruction in animal-assisted therapy (AAT) and animal-assisted activities (AAAs) teaches veterinary medical students to confidently and assertively maximize the benefits and minimize the risks of this union of animals and people. Instruction in AAT/AAA also addresses requirements by the American Veterinary Medical Association Council on Education that accredited schools/colleges of veterinary medicine include in their standard curriculum the topics of the human-animal bond, behavior, and the contributions of the veterinarian to the overall public and professional health care teams. Entry-level veterinarians should be prepared to: (1) assure that animals who provide AAT/AAA are healthy enough to visit nursing homes, hospitals, or other institutions; (2) promote behavior testing that selects animals who will feel safe, comfortable, and connected; (3) advise facilities regarding infection control and ways to provide a safe environment where the animals, their handlers, ! and the people being visited will not be injured or become ill; and (4) advocate for their patients and show compassion for their clients when animals are determined to be inappropriate participants in AAT/AAA programs. This article presents AAT/AAA terminology, ways in which veterinarians can advocate for AAT/AAA, the advantages of being involved in AAT/AAA, a model AAT/AAA practicum from Tuskegee University's School of Veterinary Medicine (TUSVM), and examples of co-curricular activities in AAT/AAA by TUSVM's student volunteers. - TigerPlace: Training Veterinarians about Animal Companionship for the Elderly
Johnson RA Rantz MJ McKenney CA Cline KM - J Vet Med Educ 35(4):511-513 (2008)
Students learn more effectively when they are actively engaged in the learning process. Therefore, case studies have become increasingly popular as a way to teach students about a representative subject. This article discusses the benefits of case studies, with a primary focus on how case studies can help veterinary medical students learn about the human-animal bond. The discussion is particularly aimed at veterinary medicine instructors and discusses how case studies can be used and why they are important. TigerPlace, a pet-friendly, innovative housing facility for older adults, is used as an example of a case study that can be used to teach about, and to study, the human-animal bond. In particular, the article addresses the special advantages of TigerPlace to students with respect to learning about older adults and the bond they have with their pets. - How to Teach Pet Loss to Veterinary Students
Cohen SP - J Vet Med Educ 35(4):514-519 (2008)
This paper covers the history of teaching pet loss, the skills new veterinarians should know, suggestions for who might teach those skills, and a sample curriculum. In the last 25 years, the veterinary profession has become more aware of the needs of clients who have lost pets and more skilled at meeting those needs. To maximize the ability of practitioners to handle pet loss, veterinary colleges and teaching hospitals can prepare students to do four things: explain a bad medical situation, assess the client, help a client to make a good decision, and support a client through their loss. These skills can and should be taught by a variety of experts, including veterinary faculty and practitioners, mental health professionals, clients, and peers. - The Human-Animal Bond in Veterinary Medical Education: Accessing Web-Based Information
Hart LA Wood MW - J Vet Med Educ 35(4):520-524 (2008)
Various aspects of the field known as the human-animal bond (HAB), or human-animal interactions, have expanded within veterinary medical education over the past quarter of a century. Using a variety of databases and informed search strategies, relevant information can be accessed, including recent articles, databases, journals, academic centers, societies and associations, programs, and key references. In this paper, methods for accessing resources supporting veterinary education on the HAB are organized into four subject areas: the HAB in veterinary school curricula; social work and support services for veterinary clients; the benefits of the HAB for human well-being, with applications of animal-assisted therapies, activities, and education; and companion animal behavior and welfare concerns. A related Web site can be accessed at http://www.vetmed.ucdavis.edu/CCAB/humananimalinteractions.html. - The Colorado State University Pet Hospice Program: End-of-Life Care for Pets and Their Families
Bishop GA Long CC Carlsten KS Kennedy KC Shaw JR - J Vet Med Educ 35(4):525-531 (2008)
While the concept of hospice care for humans has existed for decades and is an integral part of the dying process, providing hospice care for companion animals is a new and growing service. Veterinarians and pet-owners have recently recognized that there is a need and a demand to care for pets with terminal illnesses. The Colorado State University Pet Hospice program meets those needs through supporting pets, their owners, and veterinarians, and educating professional veterinary students in end-of-life care. Developed in 2003, Pet Hospice is a student-run program that trains veterinary students in animal hospice care, and matches them with the family and veterinarian of a terminally ill pet in the community. Since its inception, 101 veterinary student volunteers have been trained and provided support to 68 families. Continued expansion of the client base, enlargement of the network of veterinarians and volunteers, and positive program evaluations reflect the strong imp! act of Pet Hospice and its support from veterinary students, veterinarians, and the community. - Animal Welfare and the Human-Animal Bond: Considerations for Veterinary Faculty, Students, and Practitioners
Wensley SP - J Vet Med Educ 35(4):532-539 (2008)
Consideration of the human-animal bond typically focuses on the benefits of companion animals to human health and well-being, but it is essential that in realizing these benefits the welfare needs of the animals, both physical and mental, are also met. Positive emotional relationships with animals are likely to increase recognition of animal sentience and so help create positive attitudes toward animals at the societal level, but, at the individual level, the animals to which humans are bonded should also benefit from the human-animal relationship. A strong human-animal bond may benefit animal welfare (e.g., by motivating an owner to commit time and funds to necessary veterinary medical treatment), but may also be the source of compromised welfare. Highly bonded owners may, for example, be reluctant to permit euthanasia on humane grounds, and the anthropomorphic nature of many human-companion animal bonds can contribute to the development of problem behaviors and obesi! ty. The challenge for the veterinary profession is to ensure that widespread positive sentiment toward animals, which the human-animal bond generates, is translated in to human behavior and actions that are conducive to good animal welfare. This, it is suggested, can be achieved through adequate veterinary education in veterinary and animal welfare science, ethics, and communication. - The Contribution of Animals to Human Well-Being: A Veterinary Family Practice Perspective
Timmins RP - J Vet Med Educ 35(4):540-544 (2008)
There is considerable evidence that humans can benefit both physically and emotionally from a relationship with companion animals, a phenomenon known as the human-animal bond (HAB). This has not only increased the demand for veterinary services to meet the needs of these non-human family members and their owners, but it has also transformed the nature of those services from reactive medicine and surgery to proactive prevention and wellness. The emotional component of the HAB requires the veterinarian to have a solid understanding of the nature of the attachment between client and pet, and an ability to educate the client about proper care of the animal in order to optimize the relationship. Paying attention to the relationship between client and patient also positions the veterinary family practitioner to refer the client to appropriate community resources for physical, emotional, or other needs of the client that may become apparent during the veterinarian-client inte! raction. By achieving physical and mental health objectives for patients and collaborating with human health care services, the veterinary family practitioner contributes to the well-being of both patient and client. This new face of veterinary family practice requires research and education in fields that have not traditionally been a part of veterinary training. - Bond-Centered Veterinary Practice: Lessons for Veterinary Faculty and Students
Ormerod EJ - J Vet Med Educ 35(4):545-552 (2008)
We are currently experiencing a paradigm shift in attitudes to companion animals, in part due to our greater understanding of the health and social benefits associated with the human-animal bond (HAB). Recent demographic changes, including smaller family size, increased longevity, and a higher incidence of relationship breakdown, have resulted in a greater dependence on pets for companionship and social support. It is therefore important for the veterinary profession to understand the HAB, keep abreast of knowledge in this field, and apply research findings to help our clients, their companion animals, and the wider society in which we live. How can veterinarians incorporate the HAB into their practices for the benefit of people and animals, and what are the effects of using a bond-centered approach? This article addresses this question, and arises from the experience of a veterinarian who introduced a bond-centered approach to her practice in the United Kingdom over 2! 0 years ago. - A Lifesaving Model: Teaching Advanced Procedures on Shelter Animals in a Tertiary Care Facility
Spindel ME Macphail CM Hackett TB Egger EL Palmer RH Mama KR Lee DE Wilkerson N Lappin MR - J Vet Med Educ 35(4):553-558 (2008)
It is estimated that there are over 5 million homeless animals in the United States. While the veterinary profession continues to evolve in advanced specialty disciplines, animal shelters in every community lack resources for basic care. Concurrently, veterinary students, interns, and residents have less opportunity for practical primary and secondary veterinary care experiences in tertiary-care institutions that focus on specialty training. The two main goals of this project were (1) to provide practical medical and animal-welfare experiences to veterinary students, interns, and residents, under faculty supervision, and (2) to care for animals with medical problems beyond a typical shelter's technical capabilities and budget. Over a two-year period, 22 animals from one humane society were treated at Colorado State University Veterinary Medical Center. Initial funding for medical expenses was provided by PetSmart Charities. All 22 animals were successfully treated and ! subsequently adopted. The results suggest that collaboration between a tertiary-care facility and a humane shelter can be used successfully to teach advanced procedures and to save homeless animals. The project demonstrated that linking a veterinary teaching hospital's resources to a humane shelter's needs did not financially affect either institution. It is hoped that such a program might be used as a model and be perpetuated in other communities. - Challenges of Service-Dog Ownership for Families with Autistic Children: Lessons for Veterinary Practitioners
Burrows KE Adams CL - J Vet Med Educ 35(4):559-566 (2008)
The purpose of this paper is to describe the challenges of service-dog ownership for families with autistic children. Through a qualitative interview process, this study has found that the integration of a service dog into a home environment is a highly dynamic and interactive process with numerous benefits and challenges. Public-access issues, learning to interpret dog behavior, the time constraints of increased social interactions, and the time of year the dog is placed into the family are important components affecting parental satisfaction. Parent, family, and child challenges included the dog being extra work, finding added time to maintain training, financing care for the dog, and the impact on family dynamics. These factors and challenges were appraised in order to understand the impact that they could have on the perceived success of the placement, parental satisfaction, and the dog itself. Despite the effects and consequences of these challenges, the parents o! verwhelmingly reported that having a service dog to keep their child safe and to provide companionship was well worth the many inconveniences of service-dog ownership. Most importantly, attention needs to be drawn to these challenges to promote the safety of both the child and the dog, minimize stress on the family, and encourage veterinary support of these highly dynamic relationships. - LIVE: The Creation of an Academy for Veterinary Education
Pirkelbauer B Pead M Probyn P May SA - J Vet Med Educ 35(4):567-572 (2008)
The purpose of this paper is to introduce a new educational development and research program; to describe the vision which created the LIVE Centre for Excellence in Teaching and Learning (CETL) at the Royal Veterinary College, University of London, UK; and to give details of the educational developments and research that have been pursued in LIVE since 2005. LIVE's purpose, to act as an "incubator" to help support all those interested in veterinary teaching and learning, and associated research, is discussed. The paper describes how the aims of the initial funding bid are being realized through the development of a multi-layered strategy. The discussion concludes by suggesting that new faculty models such as the US Academy Network for Medical Educators or veterinary hubs such as LIVE could act as catalysts for the development of a new breed of clinical teachers and educational researchers, empowered by innovative teaching and learning methods relevant to both medical a! nd veterinary education. - Modern Veterinary Graduates Are Outstanding, But Can They Get Better?
May SA - J Vet Med Educ 35(4):573-580 (2008)
Despite periodic debate implying that modern veterinary graduates are less competent than their predecessors, analysis of educational inputs and learning outcomes suggests that they continue to qualify with an excellent knowledge and skill set. However, increased public expectations of veterinarians have led to the need for better-designed, more integrated curricula with increased attention to communication and other professional skills and to elements of individual specialization. The need for revision of curricular content will continue. A more overriding reason for reducing content, however, is the effect this has on students' learning. Content overload in all disciplines leads to a superficial acquisition of facts, which overwhelms any drive toward understanding and extracting meaning. Unfortunately, many modern assessment methods permit replication to masquerade as problem solving, leading to short-term gains in grades at the cost of the development of informatio! n sourcing and application and other lifelong learning skills. All involved in education must be clear that our task is to develop the independent professional person. Such a person is much more than the possessor of a collection of facts and a set of individual competences. To facilitate the development of this overall capability, educators must pay as much attention to students' engagement in the learning process, and to how they understand and make meaning of our discipline, as to the specific scientific and species content of their school's individual degree programs. - Adult Learning in Veterinary Education: Theory to Practice
Dale VH Sullivan M May SA - J Vet Med Educ 35(4):581-588 (2008)
This paper argues the case for the increased application of adult learning principles to veterinary education. It encapsulates evidence from the United Kingdom, Europe, North America, and Australia to explain why it has taken veterinary schools so long to transform their curricula to best facilitate the development of lifelong learning skills, such as independent and self-directed learning, problem solving, and critical thinking. Despite the variation in training programs in these different regions, the paper identifies common issues--conflicting educational paradigms and the need for faculty development--and ultimately concludes that professional and continuing education should be viewed as a continuous process, supporting the adult learner's cognitive development and facilitated through experiential learning. - Interactive Clinical Cases in Veterinary Education Used to Promote Independent Study
Allenspach K Bell J Whittlestone KD - J Vet Med Educ 35(4):589-594 (2008)
This study set out to encourage veterinary undergraduates to adopt independent and deep approaches to their study in a five-week third-year course on the alimentary system by incorporating problem solving and decision analysis. We were interested in exploring the effectiveness of two implementations ofonline interactive case scenarios and the amount of staff time required to develop, deploy, and support their use by students. The majority of students who responded to our questionnaire attempted all the cases available and were able to work with very little tutor input. Cases that prompted students to type an answer before allowing them to progress were rated by all students as making them think more. The realistic nature of the cases, the way they stimulated students' interest, and the need to apply existing knowledge gained in lectures were cited as three of the five characteristics that students most liked. These characteristics map to a range of learning processes t! hat are considered to form a fully developed deep approach by research in this field over the past 40 years. While resource implications are still high, this use of these case scenarios did engage the vast majority of students in independent and deep approaches to their study. - Contextualized Simulation and Procedural Skills: A View from Medical Education
Kneebone R Baillie S - J Vet Med Educ 35(4):595-598 (2008)
Simulation offers an attractive solution to the profound changes affecting traditional approaches to learning clinical procedural skills. Technical developments in physical models and virtual-reality computing make it possible to practice an increasing range of procedures "in vitro." However, too narrow a focus on technical skill can overlook crucial elements of clinical care such as communication and professionalism. Patient-focused simulation (the combination of a simulated patient with an inanimate simulator or item of medical equipment) allows clinical procedures to be practiced and assessed within realistic scenarios that recreate clinical challenges by placing a real person at the center of the encounter. This paper draws on work with human clinical procedures, exploring the parallels with veterinary practice and highlighting possible developments in client-focused simulation. The paper concludes by arguing for closer collaboration and dialogue between the medica! l and veterinary professions, for the benefit of both. - I'll Show You Mine If You Show Me Yours! Portfolio Design in Two UK Veterinary Schools
Mossop LH Senior A - J Vet Med Educ 35(4):599-606 (2008)
Portfolios are an attractive addition to the veterinary curriculum because they add to the assessment of competencies, are flexible, and encourage the development of reflective and lifelong learning skills. Veterinary schools at the University of Liverpool and the University of Nottingham, UK, have both recently introduced portfolios for year 1 undergraduate students. The key difference between the two institutions is that one uses the portfolio as a summative assessment, while the other allows formative assessment only. Advantages of assessing the portfolio include engagement in the process and the ability to examine the key professional skill of reflection. Advantages of using the portfolio for formative assessment only are a facilitation of honest self-criticism and that this approach encourages students to view the portfolio as a valuable professional and personal activity. Both portfolio systems will need to be closely analyzed in order to assess these perceived ! advantages, and the two institutions are learning from each other's experiences. Whether or not the portfolio is summatively assessed, student and tutor training and support are essential. Feedback from these stakeholders must also be analyzed and used to support and shape the portfolios as they become a central part of both veterinary curricula. - Assessment: Cinderella or Sleeping Beauty? Evolution of Final Examinations at the Royal Veterinary College
Pead MJ - J Vet Med Educ 35(4):607-611 (2008)
Teachers of veterinary medicine frequently regard assessment as a Cinderella subject. Consciously or unconsciously, they allow assessment systems to become faithful slaves, brought out and dusted off when required, out of sight and out of mind at other times. This often means that assessment is last on the priority list when educational development is considered. Pedagogical literature is full of references to the power of appropriate assessment systems and the role that they can play in shaping and driving the learning environment. "Assessment drives learning" and "Students respect what is inspected" are the headlines associated with such references, and this viewpoint places assessment much more in the role of a Sleeping Beauty, requiring only a simple touch to become a vehicle for modernizing an educational system. This article uses an example of change to a UK veterinary final examination to present the tensions between these contrasting views, and some solutions f! or them, in an effort to fuel the debate on improving the use of assessment. - Veterinary Students' Attitudes toward the Assessment of Clinical Reasoning Using Extended Matching Questions
Tomlin JL Pead MJ May SA - J Vet Med Educ 35(4):612-621 (2008)
For the purposes of assessment, clinical expertise has been broken down into three broad components: scientific and clinical knowledge, clinical reasoning, and practical or technical skills. This structure can be used to define the tools used for assessment of clinical students. Knowledge can be assessed through a variety of written formats, and skills through various practical assessments, including the objective structured clinical examination. The assessment of clinical reasoning is more of a challenge, and, partly in order to address this challenge, the Royal Veterinary College recently introduced veterinary clinical-scenario-based extended matching questions. A questionnaire was used to collect students' perceptions of the new format. Surprisingly, this questionnaire also delivered important insights into the students' understanding of the process of clinical reasoning itself that could be crucial in future curriculum design. Despite a theory course that introduce! d students to the nature of expertise and the importance of pattern recognition to experienced clinicians, some final-year students could not recognize this approach as relevant to them and objected to the way in which some of the questions were driving them to think. This may relate to the variety of methods of case management that students observe during their practical experience and the different attitudes of clinicians to the way students work up cases. Overall, the students perceived this question type as an appropriate way to test clinical reasoning and as relevant to the experience they had gained during their clinical rotations, both within the college and in veterinary practices outside it. - Attitudes of Veterinary Faculty to the Assessment of Clinical Reasoning Using Extended Matching Questions
Tomlin JL Pead MJ May SA - J Vet Med Educ 35(4):622-630 (2008)
For assessment purposes, clinical expertise is often divided into three broad components: scientific and clinical knowledge, clinical reasoning, and practical/technical skills. This structure can be used to define the tools used for assessment of clinical students. Knowledge can be assessed through a variety of written formats and skills through various practical assessments, including the objective structured clinical examination (OSCE), but the assessment of clinical reasoning has proved to be far more challenging. A companion paper (Tomlin JL, Pead MJ, May SA. Veterinary students' attitudes toward the assessment of clinical reasoning using extended matching questions. J Vet Med Educ 35:612-621, 2008) reports on the identification and implementation of a valid and reliable method to assess clinical reasoning using clinical-scenario-based extended matching questions (EMQs) in the final examinations at the Royal Veterinary College and looks at students' response to the! new examination format. Although EMQs were generally well accepted, many students were concerned about the implied encouragement of pattern recognition, a non-analytical form of clinical reasoning that results from recognition of familiar clinical situations. This paper addresses the attitudes of the teaching faculty to the EMQ format. The students' concerns about promotion of pattern recognition, was also explored in more depth. Overall, faculty perceived EMQs as an appropriate way to test clinical reasoning and as relevant to the experience that students would have gained during their clinical rotations. However, faculty felt that EMQs were difficult to write and that poorly written questions tended to promote pattern recognition. Almost half reiterated the students' concerns that pattern recognition may be an inappropriate reasoning strategy for undergraduates. - Problem-Based Learning in Veterinary Education
Lane EA - J Vet Med Educ 35(4):631-636 (2008)
Problem-based learning (PBL) replicates life experiences to stimulate learning, the integration of knowledge, and lifelong learning skills, all of which are requirements for veterinary medical education. As the curricular content of veterinary schools expands to immense proportions following advances in medical knowledge and biotechnology, it becomes impracticable to ensure that all students at the beginning of their careers have such a wide knowledge base. Students who are faced with vast amounts of information to learn by rote, much of which may seem irrelevant to their prospective career, may become disillusioned with their chosen course, hence the temptation to convert to a PBL curriculum. The PBL strategy of teaching is becoming increasingly popular in veterinary faculties worldwide, encompassing both curriculum content and a process of learning. In PBL, clinical cases are carefully selected to provoke deep student learning by the acquisition of both basic scienti! fic and clinical knowledge critical to the case; cultivate problem-solving abilities; and encourage the development of team-building, self-directed learning, communication, and self- and peer-assessment skills. Problem-solving skills, understanding of the basic sciences, and clinical performance are all improved by the PBL process. The aim of this paper is to review a decade of literature pertaining to the inclusion of PBL in veterinary and medical curricula. - Vertically Integrated Educational Collaboration between a College of Veterinary Medicine and a Non-profit Animal Shelter
Snowden K Bice K Craig T Howe L Jarrett M Jeter E Kochevar D Simpson RB Stickney M Wesp A Wolf AM Zoran D - J Vet Med Educ 35(4):637-640 (2008)
The College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences (CVMBS) at Texas A&M University (TAMU) has developed a multifaceted program in partnership with the Brazos Animal Shelter to provide teaching opportunities with shelter animals during all four years of the professional curriculum. In the first three semesters of the professional program, students working in small groups spend two hours per semester at the shelter performing physical examinations, administering vaccinations and anthelmintics, completing heartworm or FeLV/FIV testing, and performing simple medical treatments. In an expanded fourth-year program, groups of six students spend 16 contact hours at the shelter during two-week rotations, completing similar tasks. Through this program, each student practices animal-handling skills and routine procedures on an average of 150 to 200 dogs and cats. In addition, during third- and fourth-year surgery courses, student teams spay or neuter an average of 12 to 1! 8 dogs or cats each week. More than 800 animals are spayed/neutered annually through this program, and each student directly participates in 12 to 15 spay/neuter survival surgeries. The program represents a creative approach to veterinary training that conscientiously uses animal resources in a positive fashion. We believe that this is a successful partnership between a state-supported veterinary college and a non-profit shelter that benefits both agencies. We encourage other veterinary colleges to explore similar partnership opportunities to provide optimal training for professional students while using animal resources efficiently.
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