Description
Veterinary Student Clinical Placement
Murray River Animal Hospital
Dear Clinical Placement Coordinator,
We are writing on behalf of Murray River Animal Hospital in Wodonga, Victoria, to express our interest in becoming a clinical placement host for veterinary students.
Murray River Animal Hospital is a privately owned small animal practice serving a large and diverse catchment across North East Victoria and Southern New South Wales. We are passionate about supporting the next generation of veterinarians and providing students with meaningful clinical experience in a supportive, collaborative learning environment.
While students joining our practice gain exposure to the breadth of modern small animal practice—including medicine, surgery, dentistry, emergency care and complex diagnostic investigations—our greatest point of difference is behavioural medicine.
We would particularly welcome students who are curious about behaviour, animal welfare, Stress-Free practice, or the human-animal bond, and who want to explore how these principles can be integrated into everyday veterinary medicine.
Students will experience a busy and varied caseload encompassing preventative healthcare, complex medical investigations, soft tissue surgery, dentistry, emergency presentations and advanced diagnostics. Our clinicians regularly perform in-house pathology and cytology, digital radiography, dental radiography, abdominal ultrasonography and echocardiography.
We also see many complex medical and behavioural cases where patients have not responded to previous treatment or where owners are seeking another opinion. These cases challenge students to think critically, refine their clinical reasoning and appreciate the value of approaching each patient with curiosity rather than assumptions.
Alongside this, students will see how behavioural science influences everyday veterinary practice. Although dedicated behavioural consultations are primarily managed by one veterinarian, our entire team applies Stress-Free principles to improve patient welfare, diagnostic quality and clinical outcomes. Students will observe how thoughtful handling, environmental modification and effective client communication can reduce fear, anxiety and stress while making veterinary care safer and more successful for both patients and the people caring for them.
Depending on their placement dates, students may observe dedicated behavioural consultations, but more importantly they will see behavioural principles applied throughout routine appointments, hospitalisation, diagnostics and surgery. They will learn practical techniques for recognising fear, anxiety and stress, adapting handling to the individual patient, and working collaboratively with owners to achieve realistic, welfare-focused outcomes.
Our veterinarians and nurses enjoy teaching and encouraging students to actively participate in case discussions and clinical decision-making. We place particular emphasis on evidence-based medicine, patient advocacy and helping students understand not only what we recommend, but why.
Regional practice offers students exceptional opportunities for hands-on learning, and we believe our combination of high-quality clinical medicine and genuine commitment to behavioural wellbeing provides an experience that is both unique and increasingly relevant to contemporary veterinary practice.
We would welcome the opportunity to discuss placement opportunities and how Murray River Animal Hospital can support your veterinary students.
Thank you for considering our expression of interest. We look forward to the opportunity to help inspire and develop the next generation of veterinarians.
Yours sincerely,
Dr. Leanne Bailey BVSc
Practice Owner
E: Leanne.Bailey@mrah.com.au
Lily Thomas
Practice Manager
E: Lily@mrah.com.au
Murray River Animal Hospital
Certified Stress Free Clinic
12B Moorefield Park Drive, Wodonga
P: 02 6054 1838
E: info@mrah.com.au
W: www.mrah.com.au
Expert Vets, Calm Customised Care
