Surgical procedures for nonveterinary students

It is the opinion of the AVMA that surgery performed for non-research purposes on any animal is the practice of veterinary medicine that requires extensive knowledge of anatomy, physiology, pathology, and medicine. Therefore, instruction in surgical procedures of NONVETERINARY students enrolled in an educational program at a post-secondary institution is not advocated. If such instruction is provided, surgery should be performed only:

• under direct veterinary supervision (i.e. with the veterinarian physically present) and
• with prior approval of the appropriate Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (IACUC) or with an equivalent scientific and ethical review for institutions that do not require an IACUC.