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WesternU / College of Veterinary Medicine / Clinical Experience

Clinical Experience

WesternU’s DVM program offers the unique opportunity to begin hands on training in the first year, with extensive third year clinical experiences. You will receive a list of skills you will be expected to master during each year of the curriculum-skills we help you acquire by providing a wide range of clinical experiences.

Reverence-For-Life Philosophy

In keeping with our reverence-for-life philosophy, animals are not harmed for educational purposes. You will learn anesthesia and surgery through use of inanimate and dynamic models, computer simulations, and apprenticeships. Cadaver exercises are supplied through WesternU’s Willed Deceased Animals for Veterinary Education (WAVE) program.

You will practice and ultimately demonstrate mastery of clinical skills under the guidance of clinical faculty before performing these procedures on live animals. Once you have mastered these techniques you will gain substantial experience utilizing these skills on live animals with real medical conditions.

Elective and Advanced Elective Rotations

Length Setting
1 week Introduction to Practice Management
6 weeks Small Animal Mixed Practice
4 weeks Livestock Mixed Practice
4 weeks Equine Practice
4 weeks Surgery/Anesthesia
2 weeks Population Health & Production
2 weeks Diagnostic Laboratory and Pathology
2 weeks Laboratory Animal & Research
2 weeks Zoo Animal & Wildlife
2 weeks Veterinary Public Health
2 weeks Food & Feed Safety
2 weeks USDA Accreditation, Foreign Animal Diseases & International Veterinary Medicine
VetMed student holding a labrador

Clinical Sites

An extensive choice of top clinical sites in southern California and beyond gives you a broad range of experiences in your third and fourth years.

Small Animal

Equine

  • Chino Valley Equine Hospital, Chino Hills, CA
  • Dr. Sylvia Greenman, Inc – Track Veterinarian, Monrovia, CA
  • East County Large Animal Practice, El Cajon, CA
  • Equine Health Management, Murrieta, CA
  • Los Caballos Veterinary Hospital, Temecula, CA
  • San Dieguito Equine Group, San Marcos, CA
  • Winners Circle Equine Clinic, Hemet, CA
  • Mark Secor, DVM, Inc., San Juan Capistrano, CA

Laboratory Animal & Research

  • City of Hope, Duarte, CA
  • Loma Linda University, Loma Linda, CA
  • University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, C

Livestock, Zoo Animal & Wildlife and Diagnostic Lab

  • Antech Diagnostic Laboratories, Irvine, CA (Diagnostic Lab & Pathology)
  • Los Angeles Zoo, Los Angeles, CA (Zoo Animal & Wildlife)
  • Lander Veterinary Clinic, Turlock, CA (Livestock Dairy)
  • Univ. of NE – Great Plains Veterinary Education Center, Clay Center, NE (Livestock Meat & Fiber)
  • Chino-Corona Veterinary Services, Chino, CA (Livestock Dairy)
  • Mid-Valley Large Animal Services Inc., Turlock, CA (Livestock Dairy)
  • Sierra View Animal Health, Escalon, CA (Livestock Dairy)
  • Westside Veterinary Services, Los Banos, CA (Livestock Dairy)

By the time you graduate, you will possess the scientific knowledge and technical skills you need to pass the NAVLE national board exam and enter the workforce. You will also have strong communication skills that will enable you to become a compassionate advocate for the animals you serve.

For more information on clinical experiences, please feel free to contact Dr. Paul Gordon-Ross.