It is the opinion of the American Veterinary Medical Association that surgery performed for non-research purposes on any animal is the practice of veterinary medicine that requires extensive knowledge of anatomy, physiology, pathology, and medicine. Therefore, instruction of NON-VETERINARY students in surgical procedures is not advocated. If such instruction is provided, surgery should be performed only:

• within the context of a structured course of study administered by a post-secondary institution,
• under direct veterinary supervision (i.e. with the veterinarian physically present) and
• with prior approval of the appropriate Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (IACUC).