Generally, there are limited clinical experiences for graduate students who wish to further their practice skills in a residency or other settings. Graduate students attracted to discipline programs in departments of veterinary science may differ somewhat from those who are attracted to veterinary schools and colleges. Many of these individuals are excellent students while others have not carefully considered their professional choices. Students from the international community who know little about the institution may also seek graduate education in America. These individuals comprise a comfortable mixture of postbaccalaureate and post-DVM students, who are generally extremely strong scholars.
Some students choose departments of veterinary science because they like the geographical area.
Still others make a choice based upon the stipend provided for the study. Some students have identified a mentor with whom they wish to be associated. With the evolution of departments with fewer veterinarians on the faculty, a loss of commitment to training the veterinary graduate has been noted. Both are legitimate concerns. Other constraints involve enrichment factors like availability of a medical college in the immediate vicinity, limited library resources, limited clinical experiences, absence of a critical mass of faculty and students, and other missions of the colleges of agriculture.