Student Leadership

Clubs & Organizations

Over 30 student specialty clubs and organizations dedicated to increasing leadership skills, involvement opportunities, service activities, and knowledge of the veterinary medicine profession.


American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine (ACVIM)
The mission of the ACVIM Student Chapter at UC Davis is to educate veterinary students about ACVIM specialization through residency training in cardiology, oncology, SA internal medicine, and neurology by engaging in Journal Clubs, Rounds, Wet Labs and Lunch Talks. Our goals are to inform students of the importance of interpreting current literature and to practice how to integrate lecture material into a clinical setting. We also aim to provide educational experiences that go beyond what is presented in the lectures and labs of our curriculum.


Association of Asian Veterinary Medical Professionals (AAVMP) UC Davis Chapter
The UC Davis Chapter of AAVMP was founded in March of 2022. The goal of the Association is to inspire, support, and increase the voice and visibility of Asians and Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders (AAPI) in the veterinary profession and to advocate for greater general diversity in the veterinary profession. As a student chapter, we are helping create a space at school for veterinary professionals and students to come together to support each other and to celebrate the AAPI experience within the veterinary world.


Avian and Exotic Animal Medicine Club
The Avian & Exotic Animal Medicine Club provides veterinary students with an opportunity to learn about exotic companion animal health, medicine, and surgery and to gain technical skills in working with these species. The club sponsors lectures and wet labs, along with an annual symposium for veterinarians, technicians, veterinary students, and interested members of the public. By helping interested veterinary students to become more familiar with exotic species commonly seen in private practice, we hope to promote better, more complete veterinary care for all companion animals.


Behavior Medicine & Animal Welfare Club
This group is for veterinary students at the UC Davis School of Veterinary Medicine and focuses on behavioral medicine and animal welfare. We believe that behavior is an important part of veterinary medicine and hope to encourage interest and awareness in our fellow students. We aim to help further the education of students interested in animal behavior and welfare through a variety of guest speakers and wet labs, ranging from canine cognition to positive reinforcement training in primates to clicker training chickens.


Caduceus Club
Caduceus is a social club designed to promote interaction between veterinary students and faculty/staff in the vet school. We throw on a TG (short for Thank God It's Friday) about once a month on a Friday where we invite veterinary students and VMTH staff and faculty to enjoy some delicious food, drink some beer or wine, and spend some time talking to friends and mingling with faculty. We want students to take a break from classes and spend some fostering relationships with our fellow students and faculty.


Canine Medicine Club
The Canine Medicine Club (CMC) is an organization run by veterinary students. The club and its members are dedicated to expanding the educational and service opportunities of veterinary students in projects related to canine medicine.


Christian Vet Fellowship
Christian Veterinary Fellowship is the UC Davis chapter of Christian Veterinary Mission. We are veterinary student-led and host Bible studies, social events, and more. ALL denominations welcomed. Suitable for Christians, non-Christians, and the curious!


Covelo Clinic at UC Davis
Covelo Clinic provides companion animal veterinary services to a remote underserved area of Northern California, Covelo, CA. We operate a weekend clinic two or three times yearly to provide wellness, sterilization surgeries, and other needed veterinary care in conjunction with the local rescue organization, BONES Pet Rescue. The clinic is coordinated by UC Davis veterinary students, with assistance of a team of faculty mentors.


Equine Medicine Club
The EMC exists to provide students in the School of Veterinary Medicine with hands-on, extracurricular exposure to equine medicine, surgery, and reproduction. We are a student chapter of the American Association of Equine Practitioners (AAEP). We believe in promoting the welfare of the horse through education for future veterinarians. We also believe in community education and strive to provide quality educational programs for horse owners, breeders, and riders.


FARM Club: Food Animal Reproduction and Medicine Club
FARM Club exists to provide extracurricular learning and networking opportunities for students interested in production medicine. We believe in providing utmost care for animals, while working to ensure a healthy, wholesome and safe food supply to benefit the world. We have the unique responsibility to bring sound scientific evidence to our future clients and to educate the consuming public about the food they eat. This mission begins in school and continues throughout our careers as food animal practitioners.


Feline Medicine Club
Our club is dedicated to advancing feline medicine through education of the public and veterinary professionals. Through our fundraising activities we are able to provide financial support to our sister-group, the Orphan Kitten Project in addition to aid we provide to local shelters. We also provide rounds discussions, special lectures and wetlabs to the veterinary student body.


Fracture Program Club at UC Davis School of Veterinary Medicine
The Fracture Program Club at the UC Davis School of Veterinary Medicine works closely with the UC Davis Fracture Program for Rescue Animals, which provides pro bono surgical treatment to shelter dogs and cats with orthopedic fractures. Our club helps the program by providing post-surgical care of those animals and raising money for the program, while also providing students with invaluable learning opportunities. Students involved in this club have the opportunity to foster these patients, learning about proper wound care, administering medications, and conducting physical therapy, while providing a quiet and loving home for the animal to recuperate in. Guest speakers talk to our students about different aspects of orthopedics and shelter medicine, and we provide wetlabs that range from canine orthopedic physical exams to bandaging the wings of birds.


Global Veterinary Alliance
Global Veterinary Outreach is committed to increasing worldwide access to quality veterinary care by facilitating global volunteerism among veterinary professionals, and improving the health and well-being of animals world-wide by providing services, resources, and education to communities in need.


Humane Society Veterinary Medical Association Student Chapter
The mission of the HSVMA student chapter is to provide a forum for veterinary students to get involved in animal protection issues, promote humane veterinary education, and participate in service opportunities. We aim to offer veterinary care to economically disadvantaged rural communities and provide training and clinical experience to UC Davis veterinary students interested in field services work.


Integrative Veterinary Medicine Club (IVMC)
Our goal is to increase awareness to medical modalities that are not considered conventional medicine, and to educate ourselves, the community, veterinarians, and technicians about these modalities so that we can make educated decisions. To this end, we organize speakers to give talks about the modalities they use to treat their patients. Some of these modalities include acupuncture, chiropractic, massage, herbal medications, homeopathy, and cold laser therapy.


Lab Animal Medicine Club (ASLAP)

The goals of the club are to develop the career path of students interested in laboratory animal medicine and to provide opportunities to learn more about the field to those who are interested. The club strives towards these goals through organizing wetlabs, seminars, journal clubs, and facility tours.


Latinx Veterinary Medical Association Chapter at UC Davis School of Veterinary Medicine

Launched in 2022, LVMA is one of the School's newest student organizations. It was created to form a community of Latinx excellence in veterinary medicine. Our community welcomes veterinarians, veterinary professionals, students, pet parents, and allies!


Mercer Clinic for the Pets of the Homeless
The Mercer Veterinary Clinic’s underlying philosophy is to stress the importance of preventative medicine and to reduce pet overpopulation in the Sacramento area by arranging spay/neuter operations free-of-charge for all of the animals seen at the clinic. We work to improve the human animal bond and treat the pets of the homeless in Sacramento by giving vaccines, and helping to decrease heartworm, fleas, and parasites, as well as other services as needed. At the same time, we train future veterinary students and undergraduate students interested in veterinary medicine.


Orphan Kitten Project
Orphan Kitten Project is a student-run non-profit organization at the UC Davis School of Veterinary Medicine. Orphaned and abandoned neonatal kittens under 4 weeks of age are taken in from the community and given a complete physical exam by the project coordinators. These kittens are then fostered by veterinary students or giving members of the community who bottle-raise them in their own homes. The kittens are weaned, vaccinated, FeLV tested, spayed or neutered, and dewormed vaccinations before they are put up for adoption, usually by 10-12 weeks of age.


Pride Student Veterinary Medical Community Chapter at UC Davis
Pride Student Veterinary Medical Community Chapter at the UC Davis School of Veterinary Medicine is a professional student organization that fosters acceptance, inclusivity, and leadership for veterinary medical students of all sexual orientations and gender identities through community development, professional advocacy, and personal empowerment.


Shelter Medicine Club
As the student chapter of the Association of Shelter Veterinarians, the Shelter Medicine Club provides veterinary students with opportunities to learn about supporting local shelters, promoting equity within veterinary medicine by supporting Access to Care programs, and becoming a shelter veterinarian. We organize lunch talks, wet labs, and field trips for our members. Additionally, we connect members to the National Shelter Rounds hosted by the University of Wisconsin-Madison School of Veterinary Medicine.


Specialties Club at UC Davis School of Veterinary Medicine

The Specialties Club at UC Davis SVM is a collaborative network of students interested in learning more about specialties currently underrepresented by a club. This organization aims to offer supplemental opportunities for all students to explore specialties as it mirrors our rigorous veterinary curriculum. We welcome students who desire to specialize later in their careers, as well as students planning to enter general practice, where they will encounter these specialties daily.


Student Chapter (UCD) of the American Veterinary Medical Association (SAVMA)
MISSION STATEMENT
A. To provide an opportunity for the members to gain professional knowledge through veterinary student clubs and opportunities made possible by club funding, individual scholarships, and the Professional Development Fund.
B. To provide a forum to discuss veterinary student-related concerns and to create a cohesive student body.
C. To demonstrate the value of an organized effort and to develop leadership skills through the training received in conducting the chapter’s affairs.
D. To make available to the students the opportunities offered by the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) and the Student American Veterinary Medical Association (SAVMA).


Student Chapter of the Society for Theriogenology at UC Davis School of Veterinary Medicine

The Theriogenology Club provides veterinary students with additional knowledge in the areas of normal and abnormal reproductive systems, reproductive management and therapy, and new reproductive technology and research; provides veterinary student members with opportunities to improve skills through hands-on laboratories and clinical rounds; increases public knowledge and awareness as to the importance of theriogenology; makes available to student chapter members an affiliation with the Society for Theriogenology; • To enhance leadership characteristics in its members through the organization as a student club; • To promote camaraderie among veterinary students with an interest in animal reproduction; • To act as a liaison between practicing theriogenologists and veterinary students at the University of California, Davis. • To promote responsible reproduction in all animal species.


Students for One Health (SOH)
SOH was established to create a platform for graduate and master's students interested in public and environmental health to share their ideas on current issues and to develop a synergistic approach to medicine and conservation.


Student Veterinary Emergency Critical Care Society (SVECCS)
MISSION STATEMENT SVECCS strives to bring students into the diverse and exciting field of emergency and intensive care medicine. We support both the small and large animal services, and we aim to provide continuing education to local practitioners and technicians. The club aims to offer a variety of opportunities to our student body, guided by the UC Davis faculty, residents, and interns, to aid students in applying the knowledge gained in the classroom to real world situations. Examples of the opportunities we aspire to bring to our student body are case rounds, hands-on labs, volunteer shadowing in the small animal emergency department, journal article discussions, and guest speakers. SVECCS will fundraise in order to provide these opportunities for our student body. We also seek to give back to the UC Davis emergency and intensive care departments when financially feasible in the form of necessary supplies and equipment to increase the quality of patient care.


Student Veterinary Emergency Response Team (sVERT)
As members of the Student Veterinary Emergency Response Team (sVERT), we strive to be educated, trained, and experienced in the art and science of emergency animal rescue.  We work to master the skills that enable us to respond and assist emergency agencies in the event of an animal emergency or natural disaster.  We look to educate the public about the complex nature and need for animal rescue training through public demonstration and community education.  We understand the value of training, recognizing that we are only as effective as we are trained; there is no substitute for training or education. Finally, we are committed to incorporating these skills into our veterinary careers to further train and develop colleagues and future veterinarians with skills as valuable in an emergency as they are in a clinical environment.


Veterinarians as One Inclusive Community for Empowerment (VOICE)

Increase awareness and sensitivity to socio-cultural issues in the field of veterinary medicine; celebrate multiculturalism within the profession of veterinary medicine; provide a campus environment that embraces diversity; promote the importance of cross-cultural awareness in veterinary medicine in order to meet the needs of our diversifying clientele; to promote the veterinary profession, provide LEADERSHIP and MENTORSHIP to any youth.


Veterinary Business Management Association (VBMA)

The UCD School of Veterinary Medicine's chapter of the VBMA is dedicated to increasing business acumen and providing networking opportunities to veterinarians and veterinary students. Through their involvement in this organization, veterinary students develop communication, customer service, negotiation, leadership, and managerial skills that enable them to elevate their careers and our profession as a whole.


Veterinary Medicine Surgery Club
The Veterinary Medicine Surgery Club at UC Davis is an organization run by veterinary students. The club officers are dedicated to promoting the education of veterinary students in the field of surgery. We host lectures pertaining to the knowledge of surgical procedures and techniques, and we also provide information about externship and internship opportunities. In addition, Surgery Club offers basic and advanced wetlabs in which students from all classes can learn how to glove and gown for surgeries, do hand and instrument ties, and expand their tissue-handling skills by practicing on cadavers. In the spring, we also host a fun but competitive Surgical Olympics event that measures participants' speed, dexterity, and surgical knowledge as they tackle many exercise stations.


Veterinary Pathology Club
A club that introduces students to careers in veterinary pathology and further develops pathology-related skills, such as performing a necropsy and participating in slide reading labs.


Veterinary Radiology Club
Diagnostic imaging plays a significant role in Veterinary Medicine. Proper image interpretation requires students to hone pattern recognition skills. The goal of the Radiology Club is to provide students with additional opportunities to discuss clinical cases and perform scans with veterinary radiologists, residents, and technicians. By seeing a wider range of normal and abnormal radiographs and ultrasounds, students will acquire the skills necessary to interpret diagnostic images confidently and accurately.


VetMed Health & Wellness Club
We aim to improve the health and well-being of veterinary students by encompassing all its aspects: physical (nutrition and exercise), mental (psychological and spiritual), and emotional (work-life balance and social). We will deliberate about practicing self-care as a community and improving accessibility to self-care resources as we move through this veterinary program together.


Wildlife and Aquatic Animal Medicine Club (WAAM)
We welcome student members who are interested in pursuing a career in or are interested in wildlife/zoo/aquatic animal medicine. The Club hosts speakers to educate students on different topics of zoo/wildlife medicine. WAAM holds wet labs and field trips for students to gain hands-on experience in various aspects of zoo and wildlife medicine. WAAM also connects students to different zoos and organizations to further student members' careers in wildlife and zoo medicine.