Virtual Clinics: A Student-Led, Problem-Based Learning Approach to Supplement Veterinary Clinical Experiences.

This article focuses on the development and evaluation of virtual clinics for senior clinical veterinary students at the University of Wisconsin—Madison and the University of Tennessee during the COVID-19 pandemic. Utilizing a problem-based learning (PBL) model, students alternated roles as clients and clinicians to design and work through clinical cases via virtual platforms, fostering self-directed learning, clinical reasoning, communication, and peer-to-peer teaching skills. Focus group feedback from students and facilitators highlighted the virtual clinics as engaging, student-centered, and valuable for transitioning from classroom to clinical practice, though both groups noted the lack of hands-on experience and real client communication as significant limitations. While virtual clinics are not a substitute for in-person clinical training, the approach may serve as a useful adjunct in pre-clinical education to enhance critical thinking and professional skills.