As a veterinary clinician and educator for 30 years, I totally support veterinarian supervised experiences by students enrolled in a veterinary curriculum with consent from owners. The more practical experience a student has during their educational career, the better they will be at the practice of veterinary medicine upon graduation.  

With the proposed new curriculum at VMCVM integrating students into clinical clerkships at the end of their 2nd year of veterinary medical education, it is vital that these students have as much real world experience with practicing veterinarians as possible so that they will be able to use their clinical years of their educational experience to effectively develop the skills necessary for day one competency as a veterinarian.  Our students and the citizens of the Commonwealth deserve this.

J. Phillip Pickett, DVM, DACVO

Professor, Ophthalmology

VA-MD CVM