Clinical professor Christoph Mans leads a lesson on rabbit handling during a small mammal handling lab.
A revised Doctor of Veterinary Medicine (DVM) curriculum will usher in a new era at the School of Veterinary Medicine (SVM) this fall, offering students an education that is more clinically relevant, student-centered, and skills-focused to ensure they are prepared to be successful practicing veterinarians on day one.
The update reflects a faculty-led effort informed by data and research, as well as input from veterinary professionals, teaching specialists, and SVM educators. The new curriculum retains essential core content while transforming how that knowledge is delivered and applied across four academic years, or phases, of study.
While much of the existing content will remain, significant changes will reshape how it is taught, practiced, and assessed — shifting to a more systems-based structure that integrates basic science with clinical concepts. Students will also encounter expanded opportunities for self-directed learning and real-world problem-solving.
“Led by their passion for student success, our department chairs, faculty, and instructional staff are working diligently to continue to provide SVM’s legacy curriculum for students, while at the same time, dedicating time and effort to implement OnWard,” says Associate Dean for Professional Programs Peggy Schmidt.
The SVM sought suggestions to give the new curriculum a dedicated name, providing a lasting identity and a consistent frame of reference while marking the evolution of the program. Nearly 200 students, faculty, and staff voted, and “OnWard” was chosen. Submitted by student Deborah Liu (DVMx’26), the name highlights the advancement of the program and honors UW’s “On, Wisconsin” motto.
Faculty and instructional staff organized, reviewed, and created content. These activities varied from organizing already created content into new courses to updating content from lecture-based courses into pre-work formats. Those include recorded topic videos and curated readings to create new activities where students apply what they learned in a clinically contextualized way. Instructional specialists created new online courses that will help students navigate content and manage expectations in the new curriculum.
“We had tiered deadlines to give faculty flexibility to create materials when it best fit in their busy schedules,” says SVM Dean Jonathan Levine. “For students, this gives them a road map for their learning across the semester and balancing proximity of learning to application with the flexibility to fit in the pre-work when it works best for them.”
In phase one, subjects such as anatomy and physiology are presented in tandem. This early phase emphasizes interactive, application-based learning — reducing reliance on traditional, classroom-based lecture formats.
The SVM’s recent building expansion supports this shift, with updated instructional space, state-of-the-art technology, and advanced clinical equipment enriching the learning environment.
Phase two focuses on animal disease and dysfunction, building on first-year knowledge to prepare students for the complexities of disease across species. In phase three, students will shift focus to multisystemic, complex and co-morbid diseases, applying cumulative knowledge to real-world case scenarios. Finally, phase four will consist of full-time clinical rotations and features an expanded eight weeks for additional primary care medicine and surgery experiences.
Developing professional skills is another central pillar of OnWard. Topics such as communication, teamwork, leadership, ethics, wellbeing, and financial literacy will be taught through a combination of online modules and in-person activities.
Across all four phases, students will take increasing responsibility for their learning through reduced lecture time, greater emphasis on problem-solving, and expanded use of independent study and case-based scenarios.
“OnWard aims to train veterinarians who are clinically prepared, adaptable, and equipped with essential professional skills immediately upon graduation,” Levine says. “By aligning educational structure with the realities of veterinary practice and emphasizing applied learning from the start, the program prepares students for success in our complex and evolving field.”
To support instructors as they prepare to teach within the OnWard curriculum, SVM’s curriculum and educational support team will offer a range of materials and services. They will help acquire resources, maintain online courses, and provide real time support during learning activities. Additional educational specialists will assist in the development of instructional materials and assessments, coaching for new and seasoned educators wanting to advance their teaching skills, and guidance in educational best practices.
Many faculty had already started transitioning to flipped or blended models over the past few years in anticipation of the changes ahead. In fact, the SVM’s early adoption of flipped classrooms during the 2020 shift to online learning provided valuable insight into what strategies work. These experiences laid the groundwork for more widespread use of active and hybrid teaching methods across the curriculum.
By Simran Khanuja