News related to Veterinary Capacity Program

Rumney chose to pursue her Doctor of Veterinary Medicine degree at U of G's Ontario Veterinary College (OVC) because of the world-class professors and industry experts that teach its curriculum.

"You really do see anything and everything, and so must quickly become confident treating all the possible problems of many species - small animals, horses, cows, sheep, goats, pigs; perhaps also birds, small mammals, and reptiles; and maybe even alpacas, camels, and any other animals people might choose to own. This variety, combined with the fact that you are often alone on farm calls and have access to limited equipment and medicines, means it takes an adaptable and capable person to succeed in this career path."

Hear from a veterinarian who chose the rural community practice (mixed) stream for her 2021 externship, allowing her to work with both small and large animals.

The Veterinary Capacity Program provides annual funding to OVC to help prepare veterinary graduates with an emphasis on animal agriculture, emergency preparedness, food security and animal-related public health.

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Leaving the city behind to start your career in small-town northern Ontario might seem like a path less travelled. But for Dr. Marialisa Laurella — a 2011 Ontario Veterinary College graduate — the North is exactly where she wanted to be.

She says the decision to move north was driven by the opportunity to hone her skills while tackling a wide range of challenging small- and large-animal cases.

The Alliance provides funding to the University of Guelph’s Ontario Veterinary College through the Veterinary Capacity Program (VCP). The VCP ensures an ongoing supply of rural and agricultural veterinarians who can support farming communities and monitor the health of animals in the food chain, as well as veterinarians with the skills and expertise to serve on the front line of disease surveillance.

Go behind the scenes with veterinary students who completed placements last fall. The externship is a component of the Veterinary Capacity Program, which is supported by the Alliance and places students in a veterinary practice that works with food animals, as well as companion animals and/or horses.