PROFESSIONAL STUDENTS (DVM)
DVM Class of 2026 Orientation
DVM Class of 2026 Orientation
The Texas A&M School of Veterinary Medicine & Biomedical Sciences (VMBS) has steadily expanded the size of the DVM class since the fall of 2017. With the addition of 18 students in our 2+2 Doctor of Veterinary Medicine (DVM) program at VERO, the VMBS now enrolls 180 DVM students each year. The VERO 2+2 program, the only 2+2 program in the United States with both program sites in the same state, allows students to complete the first two years of the DVM curriculum in Canyon, Texas, before making the move to College Station to complete the training. As one of the largest DVM training programs in the country, the VMBS provides a four-year postundergraduate curriculum based on building a solid foundation of scientific knowledge, experiential learning to master technical and professional skills, and development of competencies required for an entry-level veterinarian in any career path. Upon completion of the veterinary professional program, successful students will have demonstrated competency in each of the 37 domains outlined in the school’s New Graduate Outcomes (NGOs). The NGO document articulates the specific knowledge, skills, and attributes expected of students enrolled in our DVM program at the time of graduation. Faculty are dedicated to providing an inclusive and welcoming learning environment that provides state-of-the-art, comprehensive exposure to the art and science of veterinary medicine. Students begin their experience with the DVM program by participating in a three-day orientation program. Orientation is designed to introduce students to the culture and expectations of the program through experiential learning opportunities during which they begin to know their classmates. The first two years of the curriculum provide a foundation in medical science, clinical skills, critical thinking, and professional skills. Students begin to have elective course options in the second year of the curriculum that encourage exploration into areas they may have previously had little exposure. These courses include topics such as innovation and entrepreneurship, service-learning project development, rehabilitation of both small and large animals, medical Spanish, and exotic and wild game medicine. The third year emphasizes diagnosis, prognosis, and treatment. The students also begin structuring a personalized course selection to direct learning toward individual career goals, choosing between small animal species, mixed animal species, large animal species, food animal medicine, or alternate career tracks. The fourth year is a full 12 months in length and includes rotations through the VMTH and other venues, including the Houston SPCA, as well as a four-week externship experience at a location of the student’s choice. Unique clinical opportunities in the curriculum include client communication training, rotations focusing on primary care medicine, specialty-intensive experiences, disaster preparedness, and shelter medicine. As of May 2022, the school has graduated 8,758 DVMs.
Special Collaborations
DVM Class of 2026 Orientation 6 • 2022 VMBS Annual Report
2022 marked the ninth full year of the VMBS’ collaboration with the Houston SPCA to provide a clinical rotation for fourth-year DVM students in shelter medicine. When the HSPCA campus was renovated in 2019, housing for students was built to further enhance student participation on this important rotation. The VMBS also collaborates with the Texas Department of Criminal Justice (TDCJ), providing not only hands-on training for DVM students, but also veterinary care for animals at TDCJ agricultural units. The VMBS partnered with the Texas Veterinary Medical Association (TVMA) in the fall of 2022 to host the sixth annual Veterinary Job and Externship Fair. This
