Shelter Medicine Certificate Program: VetPAC

About the Program

Category: County Administration and Management (Best in Category)

Year: 2016

The Wake County Animal Center’s partnership with the North Carolina State University (NCSU) Pre-Veterinary Club provides students with 50 hours of hands-on animal husbandry, animal preventative medicine and veterinary medicine experience. This win-win program exposes university students to the Wake County Animal Center and the need for community involvement with homeless animals. By partnering students with shelter employees, we are able to give specialized instruction to the students and in return, we have an extra hand to get the job done. Some students in the program go on to become dedicated Wake County volunteers and serve as the next generation of North Carolina veterinarians. These future veterinarians enter veterinary school with an understanding of animal shelters and real-world experience with pet overpopulation. Since January 2014, 42 students have completed the certificate program for a total of 2,100 hours of hands-on experience. The spring 2016 semester has six students enrolled in the program. Students enter the shelter certificate program at varying times in their undergraduate training and, to date, 10 students have been admitted to veterinary school.