RAVS veterinary students will be a part of a team of veterinary professionals, both volunteers and RAVS staff, providing free, high quality veterinary care in a rural, field clinic setting. These clinics are held in locations that are in communities impacted by systemic inequity and clients often have no other access to veterinary care outside of annual RAVS clinics.
Veterinary students will rotate through clinic assignments of receiving, anesthesia and surgery. While on receiving students will perform physical exams, administer treatments (including but not limited to vaccinations and parasitic treatments), develop a list of differential diagnoses and treatment plans under the supervision of a veterinarian. Students will also manage client communication for medical and surgical cases including surgery discharges. During their time in anesthesia students will practice clinical skills such as administering injetions, placing intravenous catheters, intubation and monitoring of anesthesia as well as applying tools such as multimodal analgesia, and techniques for maintaining anesthesia in a safe manner. Students will also monitor patients in recovery. In surgery students will scrub into multiple surgical procedures one on one with a licensed veterinarian and develop an understanding of common surgical procedures such as canine and feline spays and neuters and techniques to accomplish these surgeries and minimize complications. Students will also assist in patient and surgical pack preparation and aseptic technique. Students will be closely supervised in all areas of the clinic by veterinarians and credentialed technicians. Rounds will be held to review cases to further apply knowledge and skills in medicine, surgery and anesthesia.
RAVS field clinics are also an opportunity for students to learn to practice incremental care and with a spectrum of care approach due to the lack of diagnostic testing available in the field. Students will build skills and knowledge necessary to provide high quality care in a low resource setting. Students will also develop client communication skills and a hands on understanding of the importance of practicing with cultural humility.
Student learning objectives:
• Build and strengthen clinical skills- physical exam, anesthesia, surgery
• Develop client communication skills- during wellness exams, pre-surgical and surgery discharge communications, and in discussing treatment plans with clients
• Understand common surgical and anesthetic complications and ways to prevent and manage them.
Students are mentored by experienced staff and professional volunteer veterinarians and veterinary technicians from all over the country. Clinics teams include 10 DVMs, 10 CVTs, and additional 4-6 support personnel. We provide MASH-style field clinics in geographic locations where clients and patients have limited to no access to veterinary care. Clinics require set up and breakdown for each location, but clinic make up consists of an intake area, anesthesia area with 3 induction tables, 5 surgery tables, and species-specific recovery areas. Animals can be hospitalized temporarily if needed. Anesthesia uses multimodal protocols and can be maintained on isoflurane at each induction and surgery table. Students are trained in aseptic technique for surgery and are expected to gown and glove. All surgery pack are autoclaved. Strict COVID protocols are in place and updated regularly.
RAVS provides a safe learning environment for students participating. Each area has a staff point person who is available to answer questions and provide mentorship. Students rotate through the 3 main areas of the clinic each day - intake/receiving, anesthesia, surgery. There are assigned staff and professional volunteers in each area to provide mentorship. Although students are encouraged to think independently and come up with treatment plans, there are safety nets in place to ensure consistent and successful patient care. In surgery students are paired one-on-one with a surgeon to be able to focus on different aspects of surgery. The days are long (about 14 hour days) but the rewards are great.
Food will be provided during the clinics beginning on the evening of the first day through lunch on the last day. Housing during the clinics will be indoor camping in a building within the communities where the clinics are held. There is no charge for this housing. Students will need to provide their own transportation to and from the clinics and during the clinic week(s).