Houston SPCA Launches Veterinarian Training Program Amid Texas Shortage

Veterinarian Dr. Roberta Westbrook knows that demand for veterinarians in Texas is growing. But she also understands that becoming a professional veterinarian is a long and expensive journey.

So she created the Houston SPCA’s latest teaching program, Vet Track.

Westbrook, who is the animal welfare manager at the Houston SPCA, said she created the Vet Track program to equip undergraduates early in their careers with a hands-on learning experience they can take when it’s convenient for them.

“The program was born out of necessity,” Westbrook said. “We want more people to join the veterinary field.”

The program’s first class of 10 students began in June, working full-time and paid at the Houston SPCA campus. Students have the opportunity to work in a variety of areas of veterinary practice, including adoptions and general animal care, small animal and equine veterinary services, and wildlife rehabilitation.

The Vet Track program was modeled after the SPCA’s partnership with the Texas A&M School of Veterinary Medicine, where fourth-year veterinary students participate in a two-week graduated rotation and gain hands-on experience in surgery, emergency care, triage, cruelty and forensic rescue, disaster relief and more.

The two programs interact in a way that mirrors the relationship between a veterinarian and a veterinary technician. While fourth-year students learn to perform surgeries and interpret tests, Vet Track students learn to assist them by performing tasks such as drawing blood and giving injections.

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Although students in the program learn how to perform the duties of a veterinary technician, many of them hope to become veterinarians in the future, and Westbrook said they will be prepared to do so.

“The most rewarding thing is hearing from students how much they learned and enjoyed their training,” she said. “Because that’s exactly what we want. We want them to enjoy their training. We want them to learn, we want them to get the hours they need to be competitive and be able to go to veterinary school.”

Sarahi Sautedo applied to Vet Track to gain hands-on experience, and while she’s not sure what type of veterinary care she wants to practice, she said the program is helping her figure it out.

“I thought I knew what I wanted to do, but being here makes me a little confused,” she said. “I really enjoyed the triage … but there’s also the calmness of the wild animals.”

Beyond training the next generation of veterinary professionals, the program provides the Houston SPCA with additional help in areas it desperately needs, Westbrook said.

“We have a 24-hour daycare, which typically runs from March to August, and that requires a lot of extra staff,” she said. “And now we have additional students who can help bottle-feed the kittens and hand-raise them during kitten season.”

After Hurricane Beryl left more than 1,000 animals orphaned and injured in the care of the Houston SPCA, Westbrook said Vet Track students gained unique hands-on experience caring for wild animals, such as opossums, squirrels, blue jays and mourning doves.

“They often have no hands-on experience with wildlife,” she said. “Being able to help, even if it’s just cleaning and feeding, is a big part of what we do and they’re very grateful.”

Currently a student at Sam Houston State University, Isabel Sabate said she wants to become a veterinarian specializing in equine care. The Vet Track program helped prepare her to achieve that goal, including developing her leadership and teamwork skills.

Most importantly, Sabate said, the program helped her build self-confidence.

“I am very grateful to have been able to do this internship,” she said. “I gained a lot of knowledge.”

Westbrook said she wants to continue expanding the apprenticeship programs offered by the Houston SPCA. Applications for the Vet Track 2025 program will open in March.

Westbrook said she would encourage students to apply to the program if they are looking to advance toward a career in veterinary medicine.

“We are an institution that loves to teach,” she said. “We want to be able to impact people to help them achieve their dreams.”