For three years, veterinary medicine students spend most of their time at Iowa State in Patterson Hall, attending classrooms and working in labs all with the purpose of preparing them to become veterinarians.
The fourth and final year of their education is completely different and a third-year course is designed to help them make the leap from didactic instruction to clinical instruction in the Lloyd Veterinary Medical Center.
A portion of “Introduction to Clinics” requires third-year students to complete eight mini rotations during the spring semester.
“These mini rotations are used to introduce students to the faculty and staff of the Lloyd Veterinary Medical Center and help them become more familiar with hospital operations,” said Megan Jedlicka, student services specialist III.
Rotations in pharmacy and emergency services/ICU are required. Students can choose the remaining six rotations from a variety of services in the Hixson-Lied Small Animal Hospital and the Large Animal Hospital, but with a twist.
“Students are encouraged to participate in rotations where they feel less comfortable to help them feel more prepared for the clinical year rotations,” Jedlicka said.
Content for the rotations varies by the service unit. Students are given a tour of the facilities and shadow a case or rounds during their time in that unit.
The third-year students are paired with a fourth-year student and are encouraged in interact with clinicians and technicians to help prepare them for their fourth year in the clinics.
“This year, equine services has teamed up to provide a more in-depth equine handling and physical examination portion in the mini-rotations to help students who haven’t had much experience with horses to feel more comfortable working around these animals,” Jedlicka said.
March 2025