“You spend four years learning all the sciences, anatomies, and pathologies, but so little time learning to communicate your knowledge to clients—the people who ultimately determine what care your patient will receive.”
A desire to help future veterinarians with client communications motivated Dr. Alyssa Kritzman to join the Medical District Veterinary Clinic, the Chicago-based primary care practice operated by the University of Illinois College of Veterinary Medicine. Her days as a full-time clinician at a busy, urban practice might seem like those of other veterinarians. However, all the doctors there routinely see cases with a veterinary student by their side.
Started With Students in Mind
Fifteen years ago, Illinois implemented a curriculum that increased students’ time on rotations from 48 to 72 weeks. That same year we opened our Chicago clinic as a real-life practice setting for students.
Growing from 3 to 5 doctors, the practice now boasts the fourth-largest caseload among free-standing primary care practices operated by a US veterinary college. Two doctors and 8 staff members are fluent in Spanish, the first language of many clients. Three of the current doctors at the practice had rotated there as students.
Illinois students may opt for a 1-week rotation at the clinic as a first- or second-year student or a 2-week rotation in their fourth year. About 30 students a year participate in the 1-week rotations and another 30 in the 2-week rotations.
Because the expense of staying in Chicago limited the rotation’s feasibility for students, we recently began offering students travel scholarships of $500 per week, through a gift from a generous donor.
Putting Knowledge Into Practice
Dr. Kritzman oversees rotations at the clinic, although students work with all the doctors during their time in Chicago.
“It’s like you graduate and you’re handed this large toolbox and you’re asked to build a house,” she says. “All the knowledge you’ve acquired constitutes the tools and the materials, but you haven’t really seen anyone use them. Client communications skills are especially difficult to learn in a classroom.
Fourth-year students Diana Saucedo and Naomi Esquivel at Medical District Veterinary Clinic in April.
Citation: Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association 262, 11; 10.2460/javma.24.09.0581
“That’s what I think we do best here: we show students how to build that house, use those tools in an efficient and productive way. Having students see how we are putting the same education they received into practice is, I feel, indispensable.”
Fourth-year students attest to the rotation building confidence.
“The Medical District rotation was helpful in letting me apply my knowledge in a more realistic clinic,” says Collin Dannheim. “The best part was being able to see appointments as my own, which allowed me to gain confidence in my knowledge and communication skills.”
Naomi Esquivel agrees: “Being able to take part in the workup and think like a doctor was very helpful. Plus the hands on experience: I assisted in a mass removal and feel confident in performing one on my own.”
