Congress Investigates Alleged Abuse and Extreme Work Hours at U.S. Veterinary Schools
Veterinary medicine prides itself on resilience, grit, and service. But a new congressional inquiry is forcing the profession to confront an uncomfortable question. At what point does rigorous training cross the line into systemic abuse? On December 10, 2025, U.S. Representative Emanuel Cleaver II of Missouri formally raised concerns about allegations of widespread mistreatment at American veterinary schools. In a letter sent to 36 colleges of veterinary medicine nationwide, Cleaver requested detailed information on student protections, workload expectations, and safeguards against exploitation disguised as education. For veterinary professionals who trained under intense conditions themselves, the moment feels both familiar and unsettling.
The concerns outlined in the letter stem from reports describing extreme workloads and severe physical strain on veterinary students. Some accounts cite workweeks exceeding 100 hours. Others describe rapid weight loss tied to limited time for meals and basic self care. Even more troubling for clinicians is the suggestion that patient care may suffer when exhausted students are pushed beyond reasonable limits. Cleaver’s request focuses on how schools monitor student well being, how they prevent unpaid labor from replacing appropriate staffing, and how complaints are reported and addressed. The underlying message is clear. Academic rigor does not excuse conditions that jeopardize student health or animal care.
Veterinary medicine is already grappling with burnout, compassion fatigue, and workforce shortages. Millennials now make up a large share of the profession, and many are vocal about the need for sustainable career paths rather than survival at all costs. If training environments normalize exhaustion and fear of speaking up, the profession risks losing talented future veterinarians before they ever reach practice. There is also reputational risk. Public scrutiny from Congress can quickly reshape how veterinary education is perceived by applicants, clients, and policymakers.
This inquiry also echoes broader conversations in human medicine, where resident work hour limits were introduced after evidence linked excessive fatigue to medical errors and mental health crises. Veterinary medicine has largely avoided similar regulation, but that may be changing. The letter was sent to a wide cross section of institutions, including land grant universities, private colleges, and newer programs. Schools named include UC Davis, Texas A&M, Cornell, Ohio State, Purdue, North Carolina State, and many others across the United States and Puerto Rico. The scope signals that the issue is not isolated to a single campus or program model.
Cleaver is asking schools to provide transparency, not issuing mandates yet. However, responses could influence future policy discussions around accreditation standards, student labor practices, and mental health requirements in veterinary education. For practicing veterinarians, this is a moment to reflect. Many clinicians mentor students, supervise interns, or collaborate with academic institutions. The profession has an opportunity to help define what rigorous but humane training should look like in 2026 and beyond. Veterinary medicine depends on resilience, but it also depends on people who can thrive long term. Congress is now asking whether the system is helping or hurting that goal.
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