Clinical affiliates are those select A-State partners that provide veterinary clinical experiences to A-State fourth-year veterinary students. They play an important role in the professional training and education for veterinary students by providing an opportunity for them to work along side experienced veterinarians.
Clinical Affiliate Requirements
The following are requirements for practices and practitioners wishing to participate in the A-State College of Veterinary Medicine clinical year educational program:
- Practitioners must have a current, active veterinary license, free of adverse veterinary board sanctions.
- Doctors and staff must have a passion and personality for teaching with scheduling that allows sufficient time to instruct and mentor students.
- Requirement of veterinarians involved in teaching students to complete educational modules describing the A-State program and other materials. These may be delivered in person or electronically.
- A robust caseload for a rich and varied clinical education experience.
- Presence of reference resources (may be electronic). A-State will provide electronic library access.
- A clinical pathology laboratory on site or accessible.
- Diagnostic instrumentation and nursing care for inpatients are available by the accepted standard of care.
- Necropsy capabilities available or accessible. Written necropsy protocols required. May be provided by A-State.
- Comprehensive and retrievable medical records to support teaching, research, and service programs of the college with student access to medical records.
- Provisions for student interaction and discussion in the diagnostic evaluation of patients, including physical exam, diagnostic testing rationale, problem-oriented decision making, and case management decisions. This includes student contact with clients and history taking.
- An environment that promotes lifelong learning.
- An environment that allows supervision and monitoring of the student’s educational experience by AState CVM and feedback on student assessment
- Presence of an area for small group learning sessions on site – this may be an office or conference room.
- Wireless internet accessibility for students provided.
- Computer literacy with the capability to interact with AState CVM electronically. Including completing required student evaluations in a timely manner.
- The ability to have students at the facility on average every 6 months or more frequently, if providing a required educational experience. See the A-State Curriculum.
- If providing care for cases with infectious diseases, having isolation facilities onsite (or a protocol for handling such cases) with appropriate isolation signage and posted protocols.
- The ability to oversee and give feedback to students on a regular and routine basis.
- For Specialty Practice designation, must have on-site subject matter experts; these may be specialty college diplomates or other specialty designations.
- Physical facilities meet all federal, state and local safety standards for imaging, DEA, fire, OSHA, SDS and similar requirements.
- Physical facilities in compliance with AVMA-COE accreditation requirements.
- A requirement to allow A-State CVM personnel to inspect the physical facilities and complete rectification of any identified issues. These would be in accordance with federal, state and local veterinary regulations and AVMA-COE requirements.
- A requirement to allow, when necessary, AVMA-COE accreditation visits to the facility. These will be scheduled upon mutual consent, well in advance of any visit.
