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.
During their two-week clinical rotation in Internal Medicine, fourth-year College of Veterinary Medicine students gain invaluable experience from the diverse and extensive caseloads seen in the Hixson-Lied Small Animal Hospital.
Students work hand-in-hand with clinicians, residents and interns in diagnosing and treating a diverse array of diseases that impact both dogs and cats. Cases encompass conditions affecting the hematologic and endocrine systems, as well as ailments targeting the intestinal, urinary and respiratory tracts.
Students participate in and observe minimally invasive procedures such as diagnostic endoscopy, urethral stenting, ureteral stenting, laser lithotripsy, tracheal stenting, and laser ablation of ectopic ureters.
Unlike other services at the Hixson-Lied Small Animal Hospital, it is common for internal medicine patients to be hospitalized during the diagnostic and treatment processes. This provides fourth-year students a look at long-term medical care for dogs and cats.
March 2026