We expect students to treat each rotation as a full-time job. Students will spend a minimum of 40-50 clinical contact hours each week, excluding breaks, working with an on-site veterinarian treating cases and between 10-20 hours researching, creating reports, and completing additional required materials necessary for evaluation. The expectation for the week is a minimum of 8 hours of clinical contact time per day across a 4-5-day work week. 

Our network has affiliate clinics in 49 states, with the majority located in the southwestern United States. All core courses are completed at sites in Arizona. VETM 832 Shelter/Primary is in Phoenix, Arizona, and VETM 834 Necropsy/Large Animal Ambulatory is based in Tucson/Oro Valley, Arizona.

Students are responsible for all expenses incurred during the clinical year, such as housing, travel, food, and clinic-specific requirements (e.g., PLIT, vaccines, background checks, etc.). Clinical affiliates may offer stipends or housing to offset these expenses; however, this is not guaranteed and is site-dependent.

During their second year, students will participate in a lottery process where they can rank clinical sites within our network to create their clinical year experience. Additionally, externship opportunities for clinical sites outside of our network or that have competitive applications for any DVM student are also an optional component for students to supplement their clinical year learning. All students meet with the clinical year team before the lottery for individualized guidance and support to build a schedule that supports their interests and career goals.  

Students are eligible to participate in the Veterinary Internship & Residency Matching Program (VIRMP) during their clinical year and will work with the Clinical Year team for individualized assistance once an internship confirmation has been received. Students may also opt to apply for an internship not participating in the Match.

Clinical affiliates should be able to host a minimum of six students per clinical cycle. We will confirm with clinics that they can host the number of students enrolled before finalizing schedules once the lottery has concluded.  

It depends. We believe mutual investment benefits both the student and the practice. We encourage all sites to get to know our program and learning outcomes for students and for their DVMs to become on-site veterinarians based on their own availability and interest. We engage and train on-site veterinarian(s) who have indicated interest in teaching to participate and mentor students. Additional resources to support student learning are easily accessible on our U of A CVM Clinical Portal. 

One of the most significant benefits for clinics is the opportunity to interact with soon-to-be veterinarians before they graduate. This allows them to help shape the future of veterinary medicine and informally ‘interview’ potential future job candidates. 

Your comfort level with each student is key. Use the learning agreement at the start of the rotation to assess their skill level and goals. Some students may be ready for surgeries and client interactions, while others may need more time on clinical skills. Allow students to participate only in areas where you feel comfortable and communicate these expectations with the student. 

Students are evaluated throughout the clinical year against the AVMA COE competencies in different assessments by the clinical site and the clinical year team. As a hands-on learning experience, the clinical site will provide constant feedback during a rotation. The on-site veterinarian is provided with training to explain the pre-clinical teaching standards and process the college uses as well as recommendations on feedback methods, and guidance on completing each evaluation. Additionally, evaluations will outline how to assess each student.

Our course overview page explains in detail the courses taken in our pre-clinical curriculums (years 1 and 2 of our program).

Courses

Yes! Several teams are available to support clinics and students during their rotations. Students are encouraged to work closely with their Clinical Year Mentors (CYMs) for content expertise, addressing questions, assignments, and other needs that arise. Clinical Affiliates are encouraged to reference clinical year resources through their clinic portal. Additionally, they can contact CVM-ClinicalYear@arizona.edu at any time for further assistance!

Email our clinical year team

Clinics must meet AVMA COE standards and requirements outlined in our U of A CVM confirmation survey, which addresses training, expectations, and access to clinical year resources. Once approved, a confirmation email will be shared, and a formal onboarding process commences with an affiliate agreement between the affiliate and the university.  

Yes! Students can attend one rotation with a clinical site outside of our network. This opportunity is student-driven, and an agreement between the student and site must be signed to acknowledge the requirements that must be fulfilled, such as providing formal feedback. Please note, sites must confirm they are not a current affiliate or subsidiary to any affiliate of the U of A CVM network.