New Texas A&M VERO Faculty Member Brings Passion For Rural Medicine, Mentoring Students

Story by Logan Hansen, VMBS Marketing & Communications

August 14, 2025

Dr. Audra Jones, a clinical assistant professor and experienced rural veterinary practitioner, has joined the faculty at the Texas A&M College of Veterinary Medicine & Biomedical Sciences’ (VMBS) Veterinary Education, Research, & Outreach (VERO) campus in Canyon.

For her new position in the Department of Large Animal Clinical Sciences, Jones will play a vital role in expanding opportunities for students to get hands-on experience with large animals in the Texas Panhandle community.

Discovering Dreams

With an upbringing surrounded by orchards and animals, Jones fell in love with rural living while growing up in a small farm town in Northern California. Spending time with the beef cattle on her family’s farm also allowed Jones to gain a fascination with livestock.

“I grew up showing cattle and just fell in love with animals from an early age,” Jones said.

Throughout her childhood, Jones’ passion for animals evolved into an interest in veterinary medicine. When it was time for her to begin college, she left her farm town but carried her veterinary dreams with her.

“I went to New Mexico State first and then transferred to West Texas A&M (WT), where I graduated with my pre-veterinary animal science degree in 2018,” Jones said.

Jones then moved north to begin veterinary school at Kansas State University, going on to graduate in 2022. Her fond memories of WT led her to return to the Texas Panhandle for her first job post-graduation.

“I had the opportunity to work at Muleshoe Animal Clinic, a mixed animal practice handling mostly dairy cattle and small animals,” she said. “I was always cattle focused, but I discovered that I like feline medicine a lot as well.”

Following a return to the Golden State for two years — during which time she worked at Lander Veterinary Clinic in Turlock, another large animal practice, and worked as a small animal relief veterinarian — she found herself drawn back to the Lone Star State and set her sights on Texas A&M’s VERO campus.

“I knew combining my interests in rural mixed practice and mentoring students would be a perfect fit for me,” Jones said.

Circling Back To Texas

Her past experience with the Texas Panhandle landscape and people during her time at WT allowed Jones to quickly feel at home in Canyon.

“Already knowing what the people are like and what it’s like to be a professional in a small community made my transition smooth,” she said. “I’ve always loved the Panhandle and the people here — they’re just genuinely nice.”

Jones also enjoyed being wholeheartedly welcomed into the veterinary community at VERO, which often collaborates with WT’s animal science department. 

“I’m working alongside some of the best doctors, professors, and advisors in the world,” she said. “The fact that I get to work with people who taught me is just spectacular.”

Jones’ main responsibility in her new role will be helping run the rural medicine rotation for fourth-year Doctor of Veterinary Medicine (DVM) students; these two-week experiences give Aggie veterinary students the opportunity to work in real rural veterinary practices and gain experience with actual cases and clientele.

“Our goal is to expand opportunities for students to come up to the Panhandle and work in more rural practices, which will not only benefit them but also the Panhandle community,” Jones said.

Jones will also be teaching VERO’s 2+2 DVM program students about bovine and feline medicine; helping lead fourth-year feedlot and dairy rotations; and assisting with pre-veterinary advising for WT undergraduates.

With a background in rural areas, Jones is able to share her personal experiences and express to students the immense responsibility — as well as the many benefits — of acting as a veterinary professional in a small community.

“It’s so neat to have so much support around you,” Jones said. “Everyone just looks out for each other, and, for young veterinarians especially, it’s nice to know that people have your back.

“I’m a pretty recent graduate myself, so being able to give these students that perspective in a professional role is something that I hope they don’t take for granted — and I do strive to be a really good mentor to these students,” Jones said.

Pursuing With Purpose

With her new role allowing her to both teach students and treat patients during the rural medicine rotation, Jones is delighted to have the best of both worlds — and Texas A&M is all the better for her arrival.

“I saw such a neat opportunity to come back and work in an area that I already loved and had a community in,” Jones said. “Being a part of VERO and the Texas A&M community fit my goals of being a good mentor and will also help me grow in my professional development.”

Outside of work, Jones is an avid reader and particularly enjoys studying history. She also enjoys travelling and lifting weights at the gym.

While lounging at home, she is surrounded by her cats — Vader and Duchess — with Captain Jack Sparrow, her fish, not too far from the party.

Having gone from an ignited passion in a small farm town to the chance to share that passion with students, Jones’ new position at VERO is everything she could have dreamed of.

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For more information about the Texas A&M College of Veterinary Medicine & Biomedical Sciences, please visit our website at vetmed.tamu.edu or join us on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.

Contact Information: Jennifer Gauntt, Director of VMBS Communications, Texas A&M College of Veterinary Medicine & Biomedical Sciences, jgauntt@cvm.tamu.edu, 979-862-4216

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