VetCats Sharpen Skills and Contextualize Learning at TRAK

First-year students at the University of Arizona College of Veterinary Medicine recently applied their skills hands on with the chickens, goats, and horses at the Therapeutic Ranch for Animals and Kids (TRAK), a local nonprofit organization that offers various programs and services involving therapeutic animals. Assisting the Tucson community for almost 15 years, TRAK’s mission is to “offer children with and without special medical or developmental needs the opportunity to serve their community through the joy of animal interaction.” Students examined the animals onsite and enhanced their practical understanding of veterinary medicine.

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College of Veterinary Medicine staff and faculty set up six stations through which groups of students rotated and practiced specific skills under supervision. Hands-on opportunities allow students to strengthen their knowledge of anatomy and gain greater exposure to the various areas of veterinary medicine. 

First, students examined chickens and identified important aspects of poultry anatomy. Then, CVM animal care staff led students in learning what to look for when examining and working with goats. The other four stations focused on equine medicine.

In the equine sessions, students started by examining x-rays of horses. Dr. Lara Shreve, an Assistant Professor of Practice, asked the students to identify what part of the horse’s anatomy the X-ray represented. Calling upon their knowledge of anatomy, students matched the X-rays to the corresponding area of the horse in front of them, providing useful context and a more holistic understanding of interpreting radiographs visually. 

Student Breanna Salvino shared how this real-world experience helps her prepare for veterinary practice. She said,

“Having the hands-on experience helps us bridge between what we're learning in class and how to do it on an animal. Right now, we're doing respiratory exams and dealing with X-rays, so being able to see the picture and then put it on the horse is helpful to get that mental picture and know exactly how it works on the animal.”

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In other sessions, VetCats learned about common equine ailments and where and how they physically present in the body. Faculty members who have devoted their careers to equine medicine, such as Dr. Gayle Leith and Dr. José Goñi, imparted vital knowledge about practicing equine medicine in the real world, giving practical insight into a career field some students hope to enter after graduation. 

Noah Gershoni, another first-year VetCat, shared how experiences like this one help him develop confidence ahead of his third-year clinical rotations. He shared,

“For me, being from the city, I didn't have many experiences or chances to work with large animals. And now that I am, I definitely feel a lot more confident, especially thinking about clinical rotations. I know that I'll be able to hold my own with the doctors and maybe other students that will be attending those rotations with me.”

As our veterinary students progress through the Doctor of Veterinary Medicine program, they encounter countless opportunities to build experiential knowledge through hands-on learning. Learning days like the one at TRAK expand students’ holistic understanding of veterinary practice, giving them confidence and directly applicable skills they can carry into their clinical year.