The Department of Veterinary Medicine at the National Taiwan University has been established for 65 years since 1942. Veterinary clinical sciences have become very important parts for veterinary education in the university. The veterinary graduate school started to set up clinical divisions for advanced clinical training of veterinary graduate students twenty years ago. Graduate studies combining with residency training started in the divisions of small animal surgery and internal medicine ten years ago. In this combined program, the graduate students of surgery and internal medicine will be awarded master degree and certificate of residency training following completion of three to four years of clinical training as well as master's study. The Graduate Institute of Clinical Veterinary Science was established in the College of Bio-Resources and Agriculture on 1 August 2007.
The Institute of Clinical Veterinary Science consists of divisions of companion animal medicine, farm animal medicine, and exotic animal medicine. Annually, 10 vet school graduate students are admitted to the graduate school to receive advance clinical and research training. There is a separate 3-year full-time small animal residency program offered by the National Taiwan University Veterinary Hospital. Graduate students are encouraged to enroll into resident program to complement their clinical research training. There are currently 9 clinical faculty members in the Graduate Institute. Adjunct faculty from the NTU medical and dental schools are also involved in the clinical teaching and training at the institute.
The aims of future development of the institute are to provide advanced clinical training for clinical graduate students / residents being more competitive in the veterinary profession. Besides, we also select promising senior veterinarians to be trained as clinical faculty. Because only well organized veterinary residency program has been developed to date, we will help other veterinary schools / departments to develop in Taiwan veterinary residency training system in the future. In addition, the schools will also contribute to continuous education for practicing veterinarians and establishment of veterinary specialties in Taiwan.