Two-year-old Sadie is no stranger to veterinary exam rooms or helping others. The Aussie-lab-poodle mix is a regular blood donor, and her recent appointment at the University of Minnesota’s newest veterinary clinic benefited not only Sadie’s health but the training of multiple veterinary students. 

The Companion Animal Teaching Clinic opened to the public this month, and with it, a robust student-driven learning opportunity at the University’s College of Veterinary Medicine. At this clinic, fourth-year students lead veterinary appointments. They speak with pet owners, perform examinations and routine procedures, and develop treatment plans. 

Sonny Carey, ’26 DVM, a recent graduate who completed a rotation at CATC this spring, notes that the level of autonomy this teaching model encourages has been extremely valuable for her intended career path in emergency medicine. 

“The teaching clinic has made me a better veterinarian by allowing me to independently work up cases with the support of my attending veterinarians, and come up with my own therapeutic plans, which helps best prepare me for the future,” she says. 

The student experience at CATC is structured as a clinical rotation—a type of short-term, hands-on opportunity for students to put their skills into practice. The clinic’s rotation will now be part of the more than 60 offered at the college that focus on various animal species and care specialties. 

Often on these rotations, students are part of patient care teams at the college’s Veterinary Medical Center hospitals and clinics, as well as off-site locations such as community veterinary clinics. At CATC, veterinary professionals are on hand to assist and advise, but students take the helm when it comes to case management.

“We’re trying to bring it back to: What is the core of general practice? And that is medicine that handles a little bit of everything,” says William Frahm-Gilles, executive director of CATC. “Another big piece is teaching students how to handle a busy caseload and manage their time effectively, which includes how to work with technicians, and how to get charting done as they go.”

Tailoring patient care

Another key part of this experience is the opportunity to practice a concept known as spectrum of care (SOC), which refers to the wide range of care options veterinarians can provide that takes into account medical evidence and consideration of each patient’s circumstances and each client’s resources, goals, and ability to provide medical care for their pet. The approach has long been part of veterinary medicine, but only formalized as part of curricula in the past several years. 

For Sara Kelly, ’26 DVM, a recent graduate who completed a six-week extended rotation at the clinic this spring and plans to pursue a career in small animal medicine, the opportunity to practice spectrum of care is incredibly important.

“Working with specialists for a majority of our clinical training can give us a false sense of security about how many tests we will have to assess or the finances that may be available to our clients,” she says. “This clinic gives us the unique opportunity to provide care in a more primary, general practice setting alongside faculty who have been specifically trained to teach us.”

At CATC, care focuses on dog and cat patients. Students perform physical exams for well and sick pets, vaccinations and preventative care, diagnostic testing, select surgical procedures, and end-of-life support.

A new chapter in education

Preparing students like Carey and Kelly to be practice-ready veterinarians is a goal of the college’s Doctor of Veterinary Medicine program, which is currently undergoing a revitalization.

The creation of the clinic also aligns with the college’s goal to expand spectrum of care in its curriculum and in learning opportunities for its students. About half of the college’s veterinary graduates pursue advanced training, such as internships and residencies, and the remaining half go straight into the workforce. 

Training new graduates in SOC principles ensures that upon entering the workforce, they can provide high-quality care that is tailored to patients and clients, and help meet an increased demand for veterinary services.

“This clinic will absolutely increase access to veterinary care, but the most important way it will do this is in graduating confident and flexible providers who can implement spectrum of care approaches and have more comfort with hands-on procedures out of the gate,” Frahm-Gilles says. 

While fourth-year students currently work in the clinic, Frahm-Gilles hopes to see the facility play a larger role in education across all years at CVM. Then, by the time students arrive at CATC for their clinical rotation, they’re already familiar with the building and its operations. 

The clinic is currently undergoing a phased opening, and appointments are only available to the University of Minnesota employees and students at this time due to limited capacity. A public grand opening is planned for Fall 2026.