A new venture between the UC Davis Weill School of Veterinary Medicine and PetSmart Charities will equip veterinary students to pursue impactful careers in community veterinary medicine. The PetSmart Charities Veterinary Fellowship program provides financial support, mentorship, and professional development during veterinary school, and for up to four years following graduation for fellows who work in qualifying community medicine practices. These practices will deliver affordable, accessible veterinary care designed to meet the needs of pet families who might otherwise go without care.

UC Davis is one of five veterinary schools participating in the partnership. Three Class of 2028 DVM students—Gloria Becerra-Cortes, Juhee Goyal, and Jennifer Oliva—were selected (15 total nationwide) to begin the fellowship this fall. With gradual annual increases, PetSmart Charities projects 115 veterinarians will graduate through the program by 2032, generating more than 550,000 additional community medicine veterinary visits each year.

“Community medicine veterinarians are deeply committed to providing high-quality care, while navigating the barriers often faced by pet parents in need,” said Dr. Robyn Jaynes, director of veterinary affairs at PetSmart Charities. “This fellowship program is designed to better prepare future veterinarians with the skills and support they need to deliver compassionate, flexible care, which includes consideration of the financial barriers of families along with pets’ needs. This program also serves to elevate community medicine as a rewarding, long-term career option.”

For Oliva, the foundation for this fellowship hits close to home.

“I have memories of my family not being able to afford veterinary care for our beloved pets,” said Oliva. “It did not reflect our love for them, but rather my mom not having the income to pay for lifesaving procedures. This broke our hearts. Families have to choose between putting food on their tables or giving medical care to their pets when there are not accessible veterinary services available.”

Oliva has seen this occur throughout her community in Los Angeles due to the rising costs of living and veterinary care. This experience inspired her to be rooted in access to care work. She envisions a career path where she can work in community medicine while providing greater access to care educational efforts working with community leaders, veterinary practitioners, and upcoming students.

“My veterinary medicine path is centered on supporting vulnerable communities and their animals and uplifting underrepresented communities within veterinary medicine,” Oliva stated.

Access to veterinary care remains a growing challenge across the United States. PetSmart Charities estimates 50 million pets in the U.S. lack access to veterinary care, forcing many families to make difficult decisions. At the same time, the veterinary profession is facing increasing workforce shortages, compounded by a gap between how veterinarians are trained and the real-world needs of pet families, who struggle to afford the full cost of care. A 2025 PetSmart Charities-Gallup State of Pet Care Study revealed 52% of pet parents declined or skipped recommended veterinary care due to financial concerns.

In 2023, PetSmart Charities announced a $100 million commitment to improve access to accessible veterinary care. The PetSmart Charities Veterinary Fellowship is part of that strategy. The new fellowship program aims to identify veterinary students who demonstrate commitment to pursuing careers in community medicine and support them as students and early career veterinarians with training, mentorship, and financial assistance. By providing a viable pathway to excel in community medicine, this program helps prepare students to deliver high-quality, accessible care to pet families and communities who need it most.

“This fellowship reflects what’s possible when academic institutions and mission-driven organizations work together toward a shared goal,” said Dr. Emily McCobb, PetSmart Charities Endowed Chair in Accessible Veterinary Care at UC Davis. “We’re proud to be a partner in building a generation of veterinarians who are not only clinically excellent but equipped to meet the real and growing need for accessible, affordable care.”

Through this fellowship, participants receive:

• $10,000 per year in tuition support while completing their veterinary education
• Training in leadership, communication, and Spectrum of Care to better align care with client needs
• Dedicated hands-on mentorship in community medicine
• Continued professional development and networking opportunities
• Continued financial support during the first four years following graduation when working in approved community medicine clinics

Oliva sees this opportunity as a means to connect with a like-minded community and assist in building a working framework on community medicine.

“For me, accessible care is giving all community members an equitable opportunity for their pets to access veterinary care,” Oliva said. “It also means creating broader educational opportunities for underserved community members by expanding pathways of veterinary access and veterinary education so that these same community members can enter the field of veterinary medicine.”

Since beginning veterinary school, Oliva has made it part of her core mission to serve in access to care clinics and student organizing that creates equity within the student body and veterinary access to underserved communities. She has volunteered at the Mercer Veterinary Clinic (serving the unhoused population), as well as UC Davis Accessible Veterinary Care (AVC) programs Knights Landing OneHealth Clinic (serving a high Spanish-speaking population) and Covelo Clinic (serving the remote town of Covelo in Northern California and the Round Valley Indian Reservation). In addition, she has volunteered at Champions of Pet Health Weekend performing wellness examinations and vaccines for more than 200 pets. Lastly, she served as an event coordinator for Diversity Week, PRIDE, Latinx Veterinary Medical Association, and the campus Wellness Committee with the focus of creating programming to promote inclusion, equity, diversity, and access to care for the UC Davis student body and larger underserved communities.

UC Davis was selected as a partner institution based on its leadership in community medicine through its existing AVC programs and its commitment to prepare veterinary students to meet the evolving needs of their communities.

In 2024, PetSmart Charities established the inaugural PetSmart Charities Endowed Chair in Accessible Veterinary Care at UC Davis with Dr. McCobb being named to the chair. The role was permanently funded by a $6 million grant, the single most sizeable grant in PetSmart Charities 30-year history. Part of the responsibility of the endowed chair at UC Davis is to help support all fellows nationwide and the charities team with project development.

By investing in veterinary students earlier and more comprehensively, the fellowship program helps build a stronger pipeline of professionals prepared to serve in community medicine settings. The program also supports long-term retention in the field by fostering mentorship, professional development, and a sense of community among participants.

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