As a veterinarian who was educated in a state where all veterinary students were allowed to gain practical experience while directly supervised and a current new veterinary educator in Virginia, I strongly support these changes. Basic "looking, listening, and feeling" skills are best when experienced as early as possible and reinforced as frequently as possible.  Owner knowledge and consent for anything medical is always key, but I have found in my experiences at the Veterinary Teaching Hospital that many of our owners come because they enjoy being a part of the teaching/learning experience.