This unique collaborative effort is making it possible for all senior, fourth-year veterinary students at Texas’ preeminent veterinary college, Texas A&M University College of Veterinary Medicine & Biomedical Sciences, to acquire clinical experience at the Houston SPCA, the largest and most comprehensive animal welfare organization in the Gulf Coast region.
The partnership between the Houston SPCA and the CVM allows this goal to be accomplished in a whole new way. The required, graded, two-week rotation, for all senior fourth-year CVM students provides an invaluable learning experience, exposing students to many different conditions, diseases, disorders, injuries, and treatment needs that affect diverse species. Students learn how to manage a high-volume caseload in a high-quality manner. As a result of the partnership, future veterinarians will be more knowledgeable about the full spectrum of animal treatment and welfare – including rescue and forensics investigations – and will thus be better equipped to respond to community needs.