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College of Veterinary Medicine UNIVERSITY of FLORIDA
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UFCVM: COVID-19 Response

The University of Florida College of Veterinary Medicine and the UF Veterinary Hospitals remain open and are actively monitoring the COVID-19 situation. We are committed to patient and client safety, as well as to the safety and well-being of our entire college family – our faculty, staff, interns, residents and students. In accordance with federal, state and regional public health recommendations, as well as University of Florida guidelines, we are pleased to provide the following operational updates.

masks welcomed

UF Veterinary Hospitals Updates

Update: 4/8/2022

  • TEMPORARY UF SMALL ANIMAL HOSPITAL EMERGENCY SERVICE UPDATE: To continue to provide top-quality care for your pets, ensure the wellness of our staff and minimize wait times, we are temporarily limiting admissions through our small animal emergency service to critical patients in need of urgent hospitalization, and to patients from the immediate Gainesville area. Please call before bringing your pet into the clinic; at times that we are at capacity, we may direct you to other local resources to ensure care for your pet.
  • The UF Pet Emergency Treatment Services in Ocala has been extremely busy but is operating normally. 
  • The UF Large Animal Hospital is operating normally, including emergency referrals.

Update: 1/7/2022

  • TEMPORARY UF SMALL ANIMAL HOSPITAL EMERGENCY SERVICE UPDATE: To continue to provide top-quality care for your pets, ensure the wellness of our staff and minimize wait times, we are temporarily limiting admissions through our small animal emergency service to critical patients in need of urgent hospitalization, and to patients from the immediate Gainesville area. We anticipate this being in place through the month of January. Please call before bringing your pet into the clinic; at times that we are at capacity, we may direct you to other local resources to ensure care for your pet. Thank you for your support and we will keep you updated.
  • The UF Pet Emergency Treatment Services in Ocala has been extremely busy but is operating normally. 
  • The UF Large Animal Hospital is operating normally, including emergency referrals.

Update: 8/4/2021

  • The lobbies of the UF Veterinary Hospitals remain open for check-in and check-out. Clients may remain in the lobby during their pet’s visit, if they choose; UF Health requires clients to wear a mask at all times while in our veterinary hospitals.
  • Consultations will be performed by phone. Our veterinary professionals will call clients to obtain detailed history and make a plan for the visit.
  • We are experiencing a significant increase in demand for veterinary care. This may lead to some extended wait times. We appreciate the community’s understanding and patience as our staff work hard to provide the best care possible.

Update: 6/3/2021

  • Effective Monday, June 6, 2021, lobbies are open as normal. Consultations in examination rooms resume; we request a limit of two owners/clients per consultation. Phone consultation continues to be offered to clients who prefer not to come into an examination room.
  • Within UF Health hospitals or other patient-facing clinical facilities, including veterinary hospitals, masks continue to be required.

Update: 2/26/2021

  • The UF Veterinary Hospitals remain fully operational.
  • Lobbies for all facilities remain open for check-in/check-out only. Veterinary clinicians continue to administer consultation and discharge communications via phone rather than face-to-face. Free parking is available directly in front of the UF Small Animal Hospital, UF Large Animal Hospital and UF PETS in Ocala.
  • To protect all faculty, staff, students and clients, the University of Florida’s masking policy will be enforced at all times. 

Update: 9/24/2020

  • The UF Veterinary Hospitals remain fully operational.
  • Lobbies for all facilities remain open for check-in/check-out only. Veterinary clinicians continue to administer consultation and discharge communications via phone.
  • The University of Florida’s updated masking policy requires all UF Veterinary Hospitals visitors to wear a face covering. Please note masks with exhalation valves or vents allow air to be expelled and are prohibited because they do not provide protection to others; neck gaiters and bandanas should not be worn unless no other face covering is available. You are also required to wear a face covering while outside the UF Veterinary Hospitals unless a distance of 6 feet or more is maintained at all times.

Update: 7/10/2020

  • The UF Veterinary Hospitals are open for routine appointments and procedures in addition to emergency services.
  • The lobbies for the Small Animal Hospital, Large Animal Hospital, PETS Clinic in Ocala and Equine Acupuncture Center in Reddick are open for check-in/check-out only.  Consultation and discharge with our veterinary clinicians will occur by phone rather than face-to-face to help maintain the safety of our faculty, staff and students.
  • Face coverings are required while visiting UF Health facilities, including the UF Veterinary Hospitals.

Update: 5/1/2020

  • The UF Veterinary Hospitals have remained open throughout the coronavirus pandemic and will continue to take urgent and emergency cases. We will carefully and gradually resume operations under the guidance of executive orders issued for Florida. We plan to accommodate as many patients as safely possible and we are contacting clients who have graciously waited to have their patient examined. We will continue with curbside service for our clients.
  • UF Pet Emergency Treatment Service clinic in Ocala remains staffed to handle urgent/emergent care for patients.
  • UF Equine Acupuncture Center will resume appointments May 18.

Update: 3/21/2020

  • Effective immediately, the UF Veterinary Hospitals have suspended all elective appointments. The hospital remains open and will take urgent and emergency cases only for all species for a minimum of two weeks. We will continue to assess the situation and make adjustments to this timeline as needed going forward.
  • Our hospitals in Gainesville and the UF Pet Emergency Treatment Service clinic in Ocala will be staffed to handle urgent/emergent care for patients in need.
  • Those with appointments are in the process of being notified. All inpatients will be cared for as usual until their normal discharge is indicated.
  • We are currently screening clients for illness and travel history. We have also closed our lobby and are therefore providing curbside service to allow social distancing for our clients and minimize exposure to hospital personnel.
  • The UFVH Pharmacy is actively working to take care of your pets and animals. We offer in-state shipping for our hospital patients. Please call the pharmacy 352-294-4614 if you are unable to pick up at this time and would like your medication shipped to you.
  • If you have questions or concerns, please contact us: UF Small Animal Hospital: 352-392-2235; UF Large Animal Hospital: 352-392-2229; UF Pet Emergency Treatment Service (Ocala): 352-512-0886.

College of Veterinary Medicine Updates

Update: 6/24/2021

  • Our traditional sophomore professional coating ceremony for the Class of 2023 (May 13) and commencement for the Class of 2021 (May 29) were successfully held in person at the UF Phillips Center for the Performing Arts and the UF O’Connell Center respectively this year with limitations on guests and social distancing guidelines adhered to.
  • The college will welcome 130 students in the class of 2025 in August, and will return to in person orientation and didactic classes.
  • The class of 2023 is currently engaged in clinical rotations throughout our hospitals until January 2022.
  • The college has completed a review of the curriculum, and is gathering feedback from faculty, staff, students and alumni on proposed changes for the curriculum in the future.

Update: 2/26/2021

  • All classes of veterinary students have been back on campus since August. In January, we welcomed small cohorts of students back into our classrooms for in-person lectures with synchronous Zoom for the online group. We continue to teach our students in the first- through third years in a hybrid model .  
  • Our fourth-year students (Class of 2021) returned to clinics in early January, while our third-years returned to didactic instruction after seven months in rotations.
  • Our traditional sophomore professional coating ceremony for the Class of 2023 (May 13) and commencement for the Class of 2021 (May 29) will be held in person at the UF Phillips Center for the Performing Arts and the UF O’Connell Center respectively this year with limitations on guests and social distancing guidelines adhered to.

Update: 9/16/2020

  • Our third-year veterinary students (Class of 2022) returned to campus July 13 to begin hands-on learning in their clinical rotations.
  • Orientation for our incoming freshmen (Class of 2024) took place on Aug. 10, and included a first- year leadership experience online during August 11-12.
  • All other UFCVM veterinary students began classes on Aug. 17. We are delivering our curriculum in a hybrid of online and face-to-face education in small groups.
  • Nearly all of the research in the UFCVM has now resumed through the Research Resumption Plan implemented through the university’s Office of Research. This means we have been able to re-engage in research activities that were interrupted as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Update: 5/29/2020

  • We  presented our Senior and Staff Awards ceremony virtually on May 22, and held a virtual commencement celebration for the Class of 2020 on May 23 at 2 p.m.
  • Third-year veterinary students (Class of 2022) and our offshore students have begun a shared virtual experience that will consist of four rotations of two weeks each. They will return to the UF campus on July 13 for hands-on learning.
  • Working closely with University leadership, we are developing a plan to safely and thoughtfully bring all UFCVM students back to campus by fall semester

Update: 3/21/2020

  • Effective March 16, all lecture-based courses for our first, second and third-year D.V.M. students began online delivery.
  • Students in clinical rotations and externships were released from clinic duty at 8 a.m. on March 17.  Clinical students will begin online learning on March 23.
  • Students with laboratory sessions will be notified by course coordinators for changes in their courses.
  • In accordance with State University System mandates in response to recent, unprecedented events, the college will not be holding any face-to-face events at least through May:
  • Open House, previously scheduled for April 18, will not take place.
  • The format and timing of Commencement for the UFCVM Class of 2020 will need to be altered substantially.

Additional Resources

All of us at UFCVM will continue to fulfill our mission of teaching, research, service and patient care to the best of our abilities despite the challenges we all now face. We thank all of you — our clients, our alumni, and our many friends and stakeholders — for the trust you have in us, and for your ongoing support, patience and compassion in this challenging time.