On the surface, Wendy Blickensderfer’s examination of Rio the American Staffordshire terrier seems like any other pet checkup, but the appointment represents a new chapter of clinical education at the University of Minnesota. 

Blickensderfer, ’26 DVM, is a recent graduate who was among the first cohort of students to see patients in the University of Minnesota College of Veterinary Medicine’s new Companion Animal Teaching Clinic (CATC), which opened to the public this month. Students have long been part of care teams at the college’s other hospitals and clinics, but CATC puts them in the driver's seat when it comes to managing patients. 

“Students, with supervision and coaching of veterinarians, are responsible for all client communication and are gaining direct, hands-on experience with procedures,” says William Frahm-Gilles, executive director of the teaching clinic. “As closely as we can, we’re trying to mimic the caseload of a general practice where they may do a bit of everything. So they will be getting experience in areas such as case management, surgery and dentistry.”

The goal is to increase student comfort and confidence with leading cases so they can be ready to practice immediately after graduation. To this end, the clinic focuses on the concept of “spectrum of care,” 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.

Spectrum of care (SOC) has long existed in veterinary medicine, but, up until recently, hasn’t been formally taught as part of curricula, Frahm-Gilles says. 

An adaptable approach

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

For Blickensderfer, training at the new clinic offers the opportunity to hone skills that impact how she provides care and how that approach can change with every client. 

“It is vital to practice thinking through all the care options we can offer,” she says. “I think the new spectrum of care rotation will help veterinary students apply an open-minded approach to clinical medicine that we can carry with us throughout our other rotations and into practice.”

Students working in the clinic take the lead on appointments. They review records, build medical histories, and examine patients. Once they’ve gathered information from their patients and clients, they consult with on-staff veterinarians to confirm diagnosis, treatments and other next steps.  

Expanding clinical services 

CATC is located on the first floor of the Ben Pomeroy Learning Center on the University’s St. Paul campus. Construction on the clinic began in Fall 2025 after the college was awarded a $5 million gift from the Stanton Foundation.

The creation of the clinic aligns with the college’s goal to expand spectrum of care in its Doctor of Veterinary Medicine program curriculum and experiential learning opportunities for its students that allow them to build the knowledge and skills necessary to jump straight into the workforce as practice-ready veterinarians.

The clinic is the newest addition to the college’s expansive Veterinary Medical Center (VMC) facilities, which include the Lewis Small Animal Hospital, Large Animal Hospital, the Leatherdale Equine Center, and West Metro Equine Practice. 

The VMC is one of the busiest veterinary teaching hospitals in the country, seeing approximately 32,000 to 35,000 cases each year. 

While a variety of species walk through the doors of the college’s other facilities, the teaching clinic focuses on dog and cat patients and offers physical exams for well and sick pets, vaccinations and preventative care, diagnostic testing, select surgical procedures, and end-of-life support.

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.