Animal Instructors Program bridges community and veterinary education

At the Virginia-Maryland College of Veterinary Medicine, future veterinarians get hands-on experience with animals through an innovative program that benefits students and the local community. 

The Animal Instructors Program brings pets from Blacksburg and surrounding areas into the classroom to provide invaluable learning opportunities for veterinary students while offering health services to animals that are free of charge to their owners.

The Animal Instructors Program is part of the veterinary college's longstanding commitment to hands-on veterinary education. 

Virginia Edwards, collegiate assistant professor in the Animal Care for Education program, said it's important for veterinary students to learn these skills early.

"We get them touching dogs, horses, and cows within the first month they're at the college,” Edwards said. “We'll have folks who have grown up on a farm that haven't ever worked in a small animal clinical setting and are now learning how to restrain a dog appropriately and vice versa."

Structured learning and supervision

The Animal Instructors Program allows for a focused and structured learning experience with students working alongside experienced faculty members and licensed veterinarians, ensuring high-quality instruction and supervision. 

The program can be tailored to cover specific skills or procedures that align with the curriculum, providing a comprehensive and adaptable educational experience.

This approach helps students apply their classroom knowledge and build confidence in their skills. 

"It was really exciting because I got to apply what we've been learning in class,” said Abigail Childress, a first-year veterinary student from Danville. “I started to feel a little more real, and I enjoyed working with the pets."

A win-win scenario

The program relies on partnerships with local pet owners who volunteer their animals to serve as "instructors." In return, these pets receive free health services, including physical exams, vaccinations, and spay/neuter surgeries. 

"Most people will ask two or three times, 'Now, this doesn't cost me? This part doesn't cost me?” said Emily Lawrence, collegiate assistant professor in the Animal Care for Education program. “So I think they have liked and seen its benefit."

This collaboration provides valuable resources to pet owners and helps students develop crucial communication skills with patients and clients. 

"Our patients are our biggest educators, right?” Edwards said. “Part of our job is to figure out what they're saying and what they're telling us. Also, our clients are really good educators for our students when we are doing the spay and neuter surgeries, for example.”

The program offers both spring and fall sessions, allowing for year-round learning opportunities. This flexibility enables the college to integrate the program seamlessly into the curriculum and provides students with consistent access to hands-on experience throughout their education.

Join the Animal Instructors Program

As the Animal Instructors Program continues to grow, the veterinary college is actively seeking more volunteers to participate. 

With approximately 80 slots available for the neuter program and additional opportunities for physical exams and spay surgeries, the college is excited to expand its reach and impact.

If you are a pet owner in the Blacksburg area and would like to contribute to the education of future veterinarians while receiving free health services for your pet, consider joining the Animal Instructors Program. Visit the verterinary college's website to learn more.