Information for Pet Owners
When your pet is admitted to the Small Animal Internal Medicine Service at the Mississippi State University College of Veterinary Medicine Animal Health Center, you and your pet are under the care of a hospital care team. This team includes boarded veterinary internists, graduate veterinarians, certified veterinary technicians and other health care professionals who are trained to provide your pet with the highest quality of care.
The MSU-CVM Animal Health Center is an academic medical center and veterinary teaching hospital. During a visit here at the Animal Health Center, your pet will be treated by a team of doctors including attending veterinarians, residents, and interns. Veterinary medical students will also assist the team.
Based on their training and function within the hospital care team, these veterinarians will typically be referred to as:
- Attending Veterinarian
A board-certified specialist veterinary internist and MSU-CVM academic faculty member (Assistant, Associate or Full Professor) who is responsible for your pet’s plan of care and leads your care team by overseeing the residents, interns and veterinary medical students.
- Resident and/or Clinical Instructor
Veterinarians who have received their veterinary medical degrees and had significant experience or training after graduation, and have then elected to pursue advanced training in the specialty of Small Animal Internal Medicine.
- Intern
Veterinarians who have received their veterinary medical degrees and are now pursuing the first step towards receiving advanced training.
- Veterinary Medical Students
Senior (final year) students will be involved in your pet’s care as part of their preparation to become doctors but will only work under the supervision of the attending veterinarian.
It is not unusual for your hospital care team to rotate, and for several doctors to be treating your pet. Even the attending veterinarian may change during your stay. As new veterinarians join the team, they will introduce themselves. Although the veterinarians may rotate, the quality of your care will not diminish because the entire hospital care team is tightly coordinated to provide you with the best possible care. Most clients find it reassuring to have such a large team of medical professionals attending to the care of their pets.
We also recognize the importance of providing you with as much information as possible about the care your pet will be receiving at the Animal Health Center. Your hospital care team is available to answer questions or concerns you or your family may have about your pet’s condition and treatment plans. During any of your consultations with any team member, please feel free to ask questions or seek clarification about anything you may not understand.
