How veterinary students learn clinical skills has welfare implications for the animals used in training, and educational alternatives are transforming the field.
Veterinary education historically relied on causing procedures on live animals solely for educational purposes, including surgeries on healthy animals that were subsequently euthanized. The welfare cost of this approach — which affects thousands of animals per year in aggregate — was significant. The shift to simulation, cadaver-based learning, and clinical placements with client animals needing actual treatment has demonstrably maintained educational quality while eliminating unnecessary animal use. The remaining challenge is ensuring adequate clinical exposure without unnecessary harm to teaching animals.