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The Caring Pathways Clinical Rotation Program

A Strategic Investment in Yourself

This elective rotation provides immersive exposure to veterinary hospice and palliative medicine in a home setting, emphasizing quality-of-life assessment, pain management, caregiver communication, interdisciplinary care coordination, and humane end-of-life support. Interns, residents, and student externs gain practical experience delivering medical care within the context of the human–animal bond, caregiver capacity, and ethical decision-making.

frequently asked questions

Interested in a clinical rotation with Caring Pathways? 

Please fill out this interest form, and someone will be in touch with you soon.

Eligibility

  • Final-year veterinary students (with institutional approval)
  • Veterinary interns (rotating or specialty internships)
  • Veterinary residents (all disciplines)
  • A valid veterinary license in the state of practice is required for any primary case responsibility

Clinical Experience

Students and House Officers will participate in supervised:

  • In-home hospice and palliative care consultations
  • Pain and symptom management visits
  • Quality-of-life assessments and care planning
  • In-home euthanasia appointments (observation with graduated participation if skills and rotation duration allow)

Clinical responsibility for house officers increases progressively based on learner experience and preceptor assessment.

Educational Components

  • Curated asynchronous CE modules covering hospice principles, pain management, quality-of-life tools, ethics, and caregiver support
  • Case-based discussions with CHPV and CHPT preceptors
  • Exposure to interdisciplinary hospice team roles and systems-based practice considerations

Learning Objectives

By the end of the rotation, participants will be able to:

  • Assess quality-of-life and symptom burden in patients with advanced or chronic disease
  • Contribute to individualized, comfort-focused treatment plans
  • Communicate effectively with caregivers facing complex end-of-life decisions
  • Apply ethical frameworks to hospice care and euthanasia decision-making
  • Integrate hospice and palliative care principles into general or specialty practice

    Evaluation 

    Learners receive formative feedback throughout the rotation, addressing:

    • Medical knowledge and clinical reasoning
    • Communication and professionalism
    • Ethical decision-making and engagement

    Written evaluations or letters of completion are available for home institutions.

    DVM 360 Article:

    Why should I consider a clinical rotation in end-of-life care as a primary care, emergency, or specialty veterinarian?

    Read the Article Here

    Here’s what Past Externs had to Say About Their Caring Pathways Experience

    Ethan Y. Ontario Veterinary College of Medicine c/o 2024

    “During the one short week I spent with Caring Pathways I had the luck to shadow 5 different doctors. It was very valuable to see the different approaches to the anesthetic/euthanasia protocols, as well as excellent communication and client care to help ease the owners’ grief.”

    Alex H. Colorado State University c/o 2023

    “I absolutely LOVED my Caring Pathways experience.  I gained SO MUCH valuable experience with CP.  I chose to do this because I don’t feel that we get enough euthanasia experience as a student, and I was so glad I chose to do this to gain more of that.  I truly feel that the shadowing that I did during this externship will help me immensely as a doctor.  Not only the communication skills that I observed, but the dosage/medication protocols and body care afterwards were so invaluable.”

    Genevieve C. Cornell University c/o 2023

    “I loved finally getting to see end-of-life care appointments in person, especially in the homes of clients. There are not many practices that will allow a veterinary student to travel with them to shadow these appointments so I was grateful for the opportunity to do so with Caring Pathways.”

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