The American Association of Veterinary Medical Colleges Spectrum of Care Initiative: supporting spectrum of care preparation in veterinary education programs

Spectrum of care (SOC) practice acknowledges that there are multiple acceptable care options in any given case, with care options tailored to the unique context and goals of each patient and client. The American Association of Veterinary Medical Colleges (AAVMC) has developed and implemented an evidence-based strategy to support veterinary education programs seeking to enhance how their students are prepared for SOC practice. This paper describes how the AAVMC used the Ecosystem Model of Systemic Change Leadership as a guiding framework to advance the Spectrum of Care Initiative (SOCI) and to create the SOC Implementation Strategies Guide, which is a comprehensive set of resources for programs seeking to make program-level curricular changes to enhance SOC pedagogy. This initiative offers a replicable model for managing large-scale educational change and addresses a critical societal need through thoughtful, evidence-informed approaches.