Interested Students

Priority 4 Paws allows students much more autonomy in the care of the animals in our care who are generally quite healthy but do need basic medical and surgical care. The care we provide is often very similar to what will be provided in general practice after graduation.

You’ll get extremely valuable, hands-on animal care experience, both medically and surgically.

You'll feel like the true doctor on the case under the guidance of a practicing veterinarian.

On a typical 3-week P4P rotation, you’ll typically perform 20-40 procedures. Many vet students graduate with only a handful of spay and neuter surgeries under their belt. 

You'll  gain confidence that you can do something that is, at first, very hard and very scary. Your confidence will spill over into other aspects of your veterinary practice.

You’ll also get invaluable medical experience by performing thorough pre-operative physical exams and discussing case management and treatment plans.

Your veterinary knowledge base will be expanded and solidified, particularly regarding pharmacological and anatomical knowledge.

You’ll also get to  see firsthand the crucial importance of having a complete veterinary team. You’ll see a veterinarian working very closely with, communicating with, and relying on their technician team without the distraction of interns, residents, and students all in the same room.

Learn the importance of being a philanthropic veterinarian - an important and helpful member of the community.

What's Next?

Interested students should email us at sheltermed@purdue.edu for more information.