Spotlight on Clinical Rotations: Comparative Theriogenology
Editor’s Note: In their fourth and final year of veterinary school, students are required to complete a series of two-week clinical rotations in the Lloyd Veterinary Medical Center. This article is one in a series that highlights those rotations.
Students in the Comparative Theriogenology clinical rotation had a variety of animals to work with.
And we do mean variety.
“Students in this rotation attend appointments in all species that present to the Theriogenology Service,” said Dr. Theresa Beachler, assistant professor of veterinary diagnostic and production animal medicine.
That means horses, cows, goats, sheep, camelids, dogs and cats – many of them back-to-back. Beachler said the students work on routine reproductive and semen evaluations to reproductive emergencies such as dystocia or difficulty giving birth.
The students even assisted with a calf who hadn’t begun to nurse from its mother.
“I really enjoyed the diversity of species I encountered during this rotation,” said Emily Bourque, a fourth-year student who recently completed the clinical rotation. “Having the opportunity to work with a wide range of animals from small companion animals to large livestock made the experience both engaging and educational.”
That was important for Bourque who plans to work in a few months at a mixed general practice.
“This rotation was very applicable to my career and has taught me a lot about species variation in reproduction management and helped simplify breeding management for me,” she said. “I particularly enjoyed learning about neonate care and applying that knowledge to real-life cases.
“I now feel much more comfortable working with sick calves and understanding the key developmental milestones necessary for their successful growth and recovery.”
This was accomplished by the many hands-on experiences Bourque and her fellow fourth-year students had in this rotation. She was able to perform ultrasounds and palpations and bottle feed calves among other clinical procedures.
“These experiences significantly improved my confidence in diagnostic and technical skills that are essential for my success in veterinary medicine,” Bourque said.
October 2025