Texas A&M Study Suggests Clinical Rotations Change Veterinary Students’ Perceptions of Careers in Primary Care

By surveying Doctor of Veterinary Medicine students at 10 universities, researchers found that clinical rotations are crucial in recruiting future veterinary students into primary care, while also helping them see how diverse the field can be.

For many veterinary students entering their clinical year, expectations of general practice can seem limited to routine wellness checks. 

This perception can lead students to underestimate the complexity and breadth of disorders, surgical skills, internal medicine cases, and complex case management that define a primary care career, according to Dr. Stacy Eckman, associate dean for hospital operations at Texas A&M College of Veterinary Medicine & Biomedical Sciences.

Now, new research published in the Journal of Veterinary Medical Education reveals that although students study these disciplines, by the time they become immersed in their fourth-year clinical experience in specialty teaching facilities, they have historically struggled to connect their academic training with the realities of private practice.

However, the new research also identified a promising shift in student mindset, finding that primary care clinical rotations across veterinary teaching hospitals at multiple institutions changed students’ perceptions of the scope and clinical complexity of general practice.

“We were trying to decide if being in a primary care rotation in their fourth year, their clinical year, changed students’ perception of a couple of factors in the rotation: the complexity of what they see, the breadth of disorders that they see,” said Eckman, who is also the chief executive officer at the Texas A&M Veterinary Medical Teaching Hospital. “What is their perception when they come into those rotations, and then what is their perception when they leave those rotations?”

A New Perspective on Practice

Rather than relying on anecdotal evidence, Eckman and her colleagues sought quantitative data to understand the impact of academic primary care rotations. Because students experience survey fatigue from completing mandatory rotation evaluations, the researchers knew they might face a small sample size.

“We feel like we make a difference, but as academicians, we like data,” Eckman said. “We like numbers to support the theory.”

Working with 10 participating institutions, the team analyzed 442 pre-rotation survey responses and 83 paired post-rotation responses. Instead of simply gathering broad data, the study specifically paired the pre- and post-rotation responses to assess whether the curriculum actually changed what students thought about primary care.

Addressing The Complexity of Primary Care

The researchers found that the rotation successfully improved several perceptions simultaneously, revealing the true scope of general practice.

Many incoming students who already plan to enter companion animal general practice have preconceived notions of the field. However, practicing veterinarians recognize that primary care requires a broad, interconnected skillset, meaning that successful practice requires more than just wellness exams.

“When you’re on a primary care rotation, it’s puppies and kittens and vaccines and preventative care,” Eckman said. “But then there’s this whole other aspect of practice that actually pulls in your surgical skills, your critical thinking skills, or your cardiology skills.”

Moving Toward Future Curriculum

Beyond demonstrating the educational effectiveness of rotations, Eckman noted opportunities for curriculum changes at the Small Animal Teaching Hospital (SATH) as it transitions to a new facility in 2027. 

Before these changes are fully implemented, the faculty are preparing for an environment that more closely mimics private practice. Because the SATH Primary Care Service will remain in the current facility while most specialty services move to the Clark Small Animal Hospital, the now expanded Primary Care space will require students to manage cases more independently, without a specialist down the hall, fostering a more self-reliant approach to patient care, Eckman explained.

Having an on-site veterinary teaching hospital at Texas A&M, compared to a distributive model (which replaces university teaching hospitals with off-campus, third-party clinical sites for clinical rotations), has been a significant asset to students; accessibility to the VMTH as part of the standard curriculum set Texas A&M apart from others, and the new Clark Small Animal Hospital will only build on the unique opportunities Texas A&M already offers its students.

“One of our key takeaways is showing students how fulfilling general practice is as a career path,” Eckman said. “There is remarkable breadth and diversity of cases, skills, and opportunities that help build strong clinical expertise.”