The professional veterinary medical curriculum is focused on study of normal animals and those with disease. Courses in anatomy, physiology, pathology, surgery, and medicine often use live animals or animal cadavers to teach veterinary students the intricacies of structure, function, and surgical procedures. Live animals and animal cadavers are obtained from USDA approved sources. Live animals are humanely cared for by the College during the educational process.
Students are required to complete all required courses in the veterinary curriculum and may have "hands-on" experiences with procured animals. Students must use the animals the College provides and perform the procedures of the required courses or an approved alternative. The faculty believes that the optimum education is achieved with the humane use of live animals.
During the third and fourth years of the veterinary curriculum, students are assigned rotations to the various divisions and services in the Veterinary Teaching Hospital. Emergency services are offered to the public on a 24-hour basis, seven days a week. Student assignments in the clinical blocks are time-demanding, requiring students to spend time at night, weekends, and holidays in health care delivery. Hospital operations continue seven days per week and students are responsible for their assigned tasks regardless of time of day or day of week.