Important Contacts
• General Contact: CVM-ClinicalPrograms@liu.edu
• Dr. Jon Romano, Assistant Dean for Clinical Programs
o Jon.Romano@liu.edu | (516) 299-3697
• Dr. Gillian Angliss, Associate Dean of Academic Affairs
o Gillian.Angliss@liu.edu | (516) 299-3688
• Clinical Affairs Coordinator – Ms. Nan Du
o Nan.Du@liu.edu | (516) 299-3402
Before the Rotation
• Complete the Clinical Affiliate Training
• Review Student Learning Agreement & Orientation Checklist
• Familiarize yourself with the rotation syllabus and learning objectives (found in Clerkship Descriptions)
• Ensure a safe learning environment and orientation to site protocols
• Introduce student to staff and clarify expectations for role, schedule, and dress code
Daily Responsibilities
• Supervise all clinical activities performed by the student
• Provide real-time coaching and feedback
• Encourage active participation in diagnostics, treatment planning, and procedures
• Monitor progress toward clinical competencies (EPAs)
• Review and co-sign SOAP (Subjective, Objective, Assessment, and Plan) notes or relevant records where appropriate
Student Support & Safety
• Minimum 40 hours/week of supervised training (may be up to 55–60 hours)
• Ensure professionalism regarding phone/social media use
• Maintain confidentiality in medical records and client information
• Report any incidents or concerns to LIU-CVM promptly:
o CVM-ClinicalPrograms@liu.edu
Long Island University, Lewy College of Veterinary Medicine
• See contacts in handbook for site-specific support
Tips for Effective Teaching
• Set clear expectations and goals with the student
• Use “teaching moments” to discuss cases or decision-making
• Model professional communication with staff and clients
• Encourage reflective learning and curiosity
Teaching Moments
Time is often short in the clinical environment and teaching in addition to the normal workflow can feel unachievable. However, each day provides multiple moments and touch points for teaching.
Several key ideas will be shared here, but a resource for clinical educators in veterinary medicine is Smith, JR., Lane IF. Making the Most of Five Minutes: The Clinical Teaching Moment. JVME. 2015; 42(3). Please let us know if you need help accessing this or other references.
Tip 1: Skillful questioning 1
• Connect and motivate like a coach:
• Be present: make eye contact or use gestures
• Use the learner’s name
• Include visualization (“Imagine you are passing the needle cranial to the rib….”)
• Listen:
o Hold your questions until the student has completed an answer or case presentation
o Interruptions can be flustering to the learner
• Use open-ended questions to probe into mechanisms/principles or application of knowledge. These types of questions can:
o Ask a student to justify their reasoning: This demonstrates knowledge and comprehension. Ex: “Given the signalment and your exam findings, why are you prioritizing these two differential diagnoses?”
o Apply their knowledge to a hypothetical scenario: This challenges students with application of knowledge. Ex: “What would you recommend therapeutically for a patient that presents this way, and you are unable to perform diagnostics?”
o Propose an alternative/ “What if” scenario: explores decision-making and application Ex: “How would you approach your initial therapeutic plans in this patient if it was also azotemic?”
• Pause…a little longer: Wait at least 3 seconds after asking a question to allow students to develop a response.
• Meet the student where they are: Observe body language (e.g. anxiety, stress) and listen to the strength of student answers.
o If questions are too simplistic, start to increase the complexity of application through your next questions.
o If the questions are too challenging, start to decrease the complexity to allow students to demonstrate their knowledge and capacity.
o Learning is most effective with challenge, but not so much challenge that the stress overwhelms the opportunity to learn.
Tip 2: Model The Way 1
• Clinicians and all staff are modeling the professional veterinary environment throughout the student’s clerkship. The veterinarian’s modeling can:
o Demonstrate clinical reasoning and information processing within the professional environment, and
o Actively involve the learner in moments when time does not allow for a more student-directed approach.
• What do I model and how?
o Thought processes and reasoning : Talk aloud and take the student through your thought process by highlighting key factors.
o Before the interaction : Before communication, procedure, or other interaction, highlight to the student specific concerns or approaches that will guide the veterinarian’s behaviors and actions.
o Debrief : After a procedure or interaction emphasize key moments, behaviors, or actions in what occurred that can focus the student’s thoughts and learning.
o Reflection : We hope our students develop a healthy skill of personal reflection through their education to bring into their professional career.
This can reinforce the growth mindset and encourage lifelong learning. Consider sharing your reflections on decisions, actions, and communications that develop during your work together. We all struggle at times, and seeing veterinarians reflect on difficulties helps our students set appropriate expectations for their own performance and reflection.
Tip 3: Be Student - Centered
• Being student-centered means considering the individual student’s goals, knowledge, and areas for growth. It also charges the student with responsibility for their own learning.
• As a veterinarian, consider yourself as a catalyst in the student’s learning:
o Do not provide them with detailed information. However, facilitate their self-directed learning through open-ended questions and reflective feedback.
§ If they ask a question, consider whether it is best to ask the student to investigate resources for an answer before having a discussion later on what they have learned.
o You are there to help facilitate their personal learning trajectory, but the student should be driving.
Feedback & Evaluation
• Mid-Rotation Feedback: Schedule a check-in to review strengths, challenges, and goals.
• End-of-Rotation Evaluation: Complete required online evaluation form (via eValue). Include:
o Professionalism
o Communication
o Clinical Reasoning
o Technical Skills
• Assess Entrustable Professional Activities (EPAs) using LIU’s Critical Competency Rubric
Start of Rotation
Orientation tour of facility, introductions, expectations, setting goals
Teaching Moments skillful questioning, model processes and reasoning, student-centered
During Rotation
Ongoing Feedback support, reflective, growth and improvement
Mid-Rotation Feedback intiated by student, submitted by student
Clinical Compentency Evaluation (EPAs) student intiated, entrustability scale, submitted by supervising clinician
End of Rotation
Preceptor Evaluation of Student initiated by institution, rubric with comments, submitted by supervising clinician
Long Island University, Lewy College of Veterinary Medicine Clinical Education Toolkit