All veterinarians have stories to tell of the days they spent in private practices as wide eyed eager students. It seemed to be a glimpse into the life of “the real veterinarian”. In recent years the time in practice has become a formal and essential part of student learning and occupies a large part of their final year of study. Universities rely on veterinary practices taking students for periods of 2, 3 or 4 weeks depending on the university program.