Eight students from the School of Veterinary Medicine will each complete two rotations at separate practice partner clinics to test all aspects of the inaugural clinical year.

In anticipation of the 2025 inaugural class from Texas Tech University's School of Veterinary Medicine to begin its clinical year in May 2024, eight students will participate in an in-depth, full “dress rehearsal” this summer. The beta test will allow an analysis of the trainings and complex systems that will be used during clinical rotations. 

The students applied and were approved to work in 16 practice partner clinics located in Texas and New Mexico. Each will complete two rotations in different locations – the first rotation June 12-30, the second July 3-21 – and provide critical feedback about their experience. 

“This is an opportunity for them to help us test, refine and develop the final year curriculum,” said Britt Conklin, the associate dean for clinical programs. “They're kind of our pioneering guinea pigs. We need to test how we intend it to work and identify areas to improve. Specifically, what it's like for students to travel within our network, to be in new veterinary practices, to use the software systems, and be evaluated on the competencies they learned on campus and are now applying in the clinical setting.”

In addition, the practice partner clinics will receive training on how to deliver clinical year instruction along with the most effective ways to give feedback and assess students based on their knowledge and skills. 

The rotations will fulfill a required set of core courses and electives that expand on specific areas of personal interest: equine, companion animal, production animal, mixed/community practice, and alternative tracks that include One Health, academics, and industry.

Once the students identified their elective interests, they were paired with the practice partner clinics accordingly. 

“We wanted them to have an opportunity to get some experience in their field of interest and in communities that align with our mission,” Conklin said.

For the past three years, Conklin has led a team in the Office of Clinical Programs that has built the structure for the final year of student curriculum.

“We have surveyed many other schools that have done similar things and we have gone through and found inspiration from the best of those places,” he said. “I think Texas Tech is going to have one of the most robust, top clinical years of any community-based model available today.”

Conklin has the eager practice partner clinics to thank – along with the pioneering students of the inaugural class. 

“They all have to have a little bit of an entrepreneurial spirit and a healthy dose of grit,” he said. “There's not a lot of apprehension with this group. They're ready to get out there and see what it's like.”

 

Meet the Eight Pioneers

 

 

Name: Conner Chambers 

Hometown: Henrietta, Texas 

Interest: Production Animal 

Practice Partner Clinics:

1.  Pioneer Vet Clinic – Winters, Texas 
2. Carson County Veterinary Clinic – Panhandle, Texas 

Future Plans: To become a mixed animal practitioner with a passion for show livestock 

 

 

Name: Dalton Deckert  

Hometown: Angleton, Texas

Interest: Equine  

Practice Partner Clinics:

1. 113 Equine – Millsap, Texas 
2. Brazos Valley Equine Hospitals – Navasota, Texas 

Future Plans: To become a mixed animal general practitioner

 

 

Name: Emily Lashaway  

Hometown: Springtown, Texas

Interest: Production Animal 

Practice Partner Clinics:

1. Hansford County Veterinary Hospital – Spearman, Texas 
2. Callahan County Veterinary Clinic – Clyde, Texas 

Future Plans: To become a mixed animal practitioner with emphasis on cattle medicine and feedlot consulting

 

 

Name: Hannah Shirley  

Hometown: Austin, Texas

Interest: Mixed/Community Animal  

Practice Partner Clinics:

1. Del Rio Veterinary Diagnostic Hospital – Del Rio, Texas  
2. Brock Veterinary Clinic – Lamesa, Texas 

Future Plans: To practice mixed animal medicine in the Hill Country 

 

 

Name: Brianna Stofas  

Hometown: Kerrville, Texas 

Interest: Small/Exotic Animal  

Practice Partner Clinics:

1. Double J Animal Hospital – Hobbs, New Mexico  
2. Animal Medical Center – Lubbock, Texas 

Future Plans: To become a mixed animal practitioner 

 

 

Name: Lacey Hodges  

Hometown: Godley, Texas

Interest: Small Animal 

Practice Partner Clinics:

1. Big Country Veterinary Clinic – Abilene, Texas 
2. Colonial Park Veterinary Hospital – Wichita Falls, Texas 

Future Plans: To practice mixed animal medicine 

 

 

Name: Lyric Waugh  

Hometown: Leonard, Texas

Interest: Large/Mixed Animal 

Practice Partner Clinics:

1. Mobile Veterinary Practice – Amarillo, Texas 
2. Salt Creek Veterinary Hospital – Olney, Texas 

Future Plans: To become a large animal practitioner  

 

 

Name: Samantha Woods   

Hometown: Cameron, Texas

Interest: Large/Mixed Animal 

Practice Partner Clinics:

1. Beard Navasota Veterinary Hospital – Navasota, Texas
2. Swann Animal Clinic – Amarillo, Texas 

Future Plans: To become a mixed animal practitioner 

 

Photo Gallery

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