Kristina A. Muise
Citation: American Journal of Veterinary Research 86, 5; 10.2460/ajvr.86.05.editorial
Johnny Altwal
Citation: American Journal of Veterinary Research 86, 5; 10.2460/ajvr.86.05.editorial
Ankita Gupta
Citation: American Journal of Veterinary Research 86, 5; 10.2460/ajvr.86.05.editorial
Brad Hogshead
Citation: American Journal of Veterinary Research 86, 5; 10.2460/ajvr.86.05.editorial
Kaitlyn Ritchey
Citation: American Journal of Veterinary Research 86, 5; 10.2460/ajvr.86.05.editorial
At present, many AVMA-accredited veterinary colleges do not include research in their core curricula, nor do they have comprehensive training into the peer-review process. Since there is a serious need for veterinarians in biomedical research and public health,1 there needs to be direct training for veterinarians in research. Currently, few veterinary schools in the US offer a 10- to 12-week summer research program for veterinary students.2–7 However, many of the students who partake in these summer research programs often follow clinical practice as opposed to a research-related career,8 indicating that many graduates continue to choose clinical career paths in veterinary medicine despite having experience in a research setting.
Additionally, many veterinarians graduate with little training in the peer-review process and will only be exposed if they undertake a postgraduate degree (eg, master’s or doctorate) either during or following their veterinary degree. While it is becoming more prevalent for mentors in the natural sciences to include early-career researchers (ie, postdoctoral researchers, PhD students or candidates) in manuscript reviews, there is little focus within veterinary medicine to do so. As a result, most veterinary students will have almost no exposure to the peer-review process.
The lack of formal education in the peer-review process led Dr. Lisa A. Fortier, Editor-in-Chief of JAVMA and AJVR, to establish a new program in 2022 and recruit veterinary students to join the journals’ Editorial Board as Associate Editors (AEs). The AVMA Board of Directors approved support for the initiative with overall enthusiasm. From here, the Student AE (SAE) program was established to provide selected veterinary students with the skills they need to succeed as independent researchers (how to perform a peer review, determine whether a manuscript is appropriate for publication, etc) and, notably, how to contribute to the peer-review process.
The SAE program initially started with 1 student (Dr. Jacqueline Chevalier) in 2022 to 2023 who paved the way for future students. The journals’ editorial team expanded with the additions of Drs. Jason Stull and Sarah Wright, who provided the appropriate support and training to 4 additional students (JA, KAM, AG, BH) in 2023 and 4 new veterinary students who just started in 2025. Four of the SAEs reflect on their experiences as they finish veterinary school:
Johnny Altwal: Being an SAE has been an incredible experience! The mentorship from the Editorial Board on best practices in peer review and editorial decisions has been invaluable for my growth as a researcher. The opportunity to work with amazing scientists and veterinarians across the world to publish their work has been extremely rewarding and enjoyable.
Kristina Muise: I highly value my experience as an SAE, as it gave me a valuable perspective on the entire peer-review process, from submission to final decision. While I’ve published manuscripts in other journals, I never fully knew the steps required behind the scenes. I also highly appreciate the efforts by all members of the AVMA journals team to fully educate us on every step and answer any questions that have arisen through the years.
Ankita Gupta: Thank you to the AVMA and the Editorial Board for making this position possible and training me to be an SAE! As a graduate student, I did not clearly understand what happens after a manuscript is submitted to a journal and what role the AEs play in the review process. This position has helped me better understand what the review process entails, helped develop my critical-thinking and decision-making skills, and allowed me to contribute to the scientific community.
Brad Hogshead: Being an SAE has been a rewarding experience, and I feel incredibly fortunate to have had the opportunity to work with the other AEs. Seeing the publication process from the inside has given me appreciation for what journals like JAVMA and AJVR go through to publish quality science. Additionally, this experience made me feel more like a colleague rather than just a student learning new skills. I was able to apply what I knew about veterinary science and contribute to the advancement of our profession.
In addition to the SAE program, the AVMA journals also included a Student Peer Reviewer program, which trains veterinary students to critically evaluate the scientific rigor of submitted manuscripts. At present, the journals have 13 active Student Peer Reviewers, one of whom reflects on their experience:
Kaitlyn Ritchey: Before becoming a Student Peer Reviewer, I had little to no idea how peer review worked. This program really opened my eyes to the whole process. It gave me the skills I need to be able to look at a paper and think critically about the study and how the authors drew their conclusions. Moving forward as a veterinarian, I will be much better equipped to evaluate papers as they are published and can use the skills I learned as a student peer reviewer to decide whether I should apply the findings to my clinical practice.
The AVMA is incredibly proud of the inception and success of the SAE and Student Peer Reviewer programs; there is nothing comparable in all of scholarly publishing. Both programs have instilled valuable skills that veterinary students can continue to use in their future careers.
Kristina A. Muise, MSc, BSc (Hons)
Royal Veterinary College
North Mymms, Hertfordshire, UK
Johnny Altwal, BS
College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, Colorado State University
Fort Collins, CO
Ankita Gupta, PhD
College of Veterinary Medicine, North Carolina State University
Raleigh, NC
Brad Hogshead, MS
College of Veterinary Medicine, The Ohio State University
Columbus, OH
Kaitlyn Ritchey, BS
College of Veterinary Medicine, Long Island University
Brookville, NY
References
- 1.↑
Rosol TJ, Moore RM, Saville WJA, et al. The need for veterinarians in biomedical research. J Vet Med Educ. 2009;36(1):70–75. doi:10.3138/jvme.36.1.70
- 2.↑
Summer Research Program. University of Illinois College of Veterinary Medicine. Accessed March 18, 2025. https://vetmed.illinois.edu/research/research-opportunities-for-dvm-students/summer-research-program
- 3.
Veterinary Research Scholars Summer Program. Purdue University College of Veterinary Medicine. Accessed March 18, 2025. https://www.vet.purdue.edu/veterinary-scholars
- 4.
Veterinary Scholar Summer Research Program. The Ohio State University College of Veterinary Medicine. Accessed March 18, 2025. https://vet.osu.edu/node/1025/veterinary-scholar-summer-research-program
- 5.
Summer Research Programs for Veterinary Students. University of Pennsylvania. Accessed March 28, 2025. https://www.vet.upenn.edu/education/research-training-opportunities/merial-veterinary-scholars-and-other-research-programs-for-veterinary-students
- 6.
Student Research Training Program. Tufts University, Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine. Accessed March 18, 2025. https://vet.tufts.edu/student-research-training-programs
- 7.↑
Veterinary Investigation and Leadership Program. Cornell University College of Veterinary Medicine. Accessed March 18 2025. https://www.vet.cornell.edu/education/other-educational-opportunities/veterinary-investigation-leadership-program-vilp
- 8.↑
Fraser DR, Parker JSL, McGregor DD. Differences in career paths of alumni of the Cornell Leadership Program from North American universities compared with those alumni from universities in other countries. J Am Vet Med Assoc. 2023;261(5):718–722. doi:10.2460/javma.22.10.0461
