How Texas A&M University is Empowering the Next Generation of Veterinarians with CLSI VET09

Texas A&M professors Dr. Virginia Fajt, Clinical Professor of Veterinary Physiology and Pharmacology and Chair-Holder of the CLSI VET09 Working Group, and Dr. Sara Lawhon, Professor and Director of Clinical Microbiology in the Department of Veterinary Pathobiology, share how they’re preparing the next generation of veterinarians with the approaches outlined in CLSI VET09. 

How CLSI VET09 is Used in the Classroom 

To emphasize the importance of veterinary AST testing, Dr. Fajt and Dr. Lawhon have integrated CLSI VET09 into their curriculum. This practical guide is used during laboratory work, case analyses, and clinical rotations, ensuring that students gain hands-on experience and a deep understanding of the subject. 

Dr. Lawhon’s students are challenged to apply what they’ve learned to real-world scenarios. They decide which diagnostic tests to run, whether a culture is necessary, and which empiric antimicrobial therapy they would recommend based on the specific situation. This approach builds their confidence and prepares them to make informed and effective treatment decisions in their future careers. 

“The students are challenged to evaluate whether, based on the MICs the organism has, their therapeutic choice would likely be effective, or not,” said Dr. Lawhon. “CLSI VET09 is a great place for them to go and evaluate the dosing regimen they chose and how it relates back to the breakpoint.” 

For laboratory work, students often use CLSI VET09 alongside CLSI VET01 | Performance Standards for Antimicrobial Disk and Dilution Susceptibility Tests for Bacteria Isolated From Animals, and freely available microbiology resources provided by CLSI. They walk through understanding susceptibility testing results and are given challenging cases like mastitis and urinary tract infections. CLSI VET09 proves to be a valuable teaching tool, especially in situations where commercial panels don’t list breakpoints for every drug, especially in complex cases like mastitis, prompting students to think critically and apply what they’ve learned to make informed decisions.

“That’s where documents like CLSI VET09 really come into play. It has excellent species-specific chapters, which help guide students through scenarios like mastitis,” said Dr. Lawhon. “I ask them based on what they’ve read in CLSI VET09, how they’d approach the case, what they’d need to consider, and where they’d go from there.” 

Access to CLSI VET09 is even available for veterinary residents at Texas A&M, helping to continue the impact outside of the classroom. "Virginia bought [CLSI VET09] for residents last year. That moment was meaningful because the resident will shape the education of every veterinary student they work with,” said Dr. Lawhon. 

Why CLSI VET09 Matters to Students 

Students are introduced early to AST, building confidence and competence in proper treatment methods across species. With the growing concern of antimicrobial resistance, teaching these concepts early gives veterinarian students a significant advantage, equipping them with a skill that will serve both them and their patients throughout their careers.   

Although AST is emphasized in CLSI microbiology documents and practiced by leading laboratories, it is not yet a universally accepted practice. However, Dr’s Fajt and Lawhon are committed to expanding this knowledge. Their goal is to ensure that veterinary patients receive the precise and effective care they deserve. 

“Susceptibility testing can be a tough sell for mid-career veterinarians. That’s why we focus on weaving it into education early, when students are first learning about antibiotics and how to make decisions around them,” Dr. Fajt said. “It’s softer ground than trying to change the behavior of seasoned practitioners.” 

Another factor that makes CLSI VET09 so valuable at the academic level is its user-friendly design and vetted information from CLSI subject matter experts. This benefits both the teacher and student, as they navigate the complexities of AST. What sets CLSI VET09 apart is its ability to break down the antimicrobial decision-making process and connect it directly to real-world clinical use. Instead of just providing information, CLSI VET09 shows students how to apply the fundamentals of AST in practical scenarios, making it an essential tool for hands-on learning and critical thinking. 

“One of the smartest things Virginia did in assembling the committee, for both the first and second editions, was bringing so many practicing clinicians to the table,” said Dr. Lawhon. “She asked, ‘what do you really do in practice?’ and that shaped the document into something truly usable.” 

That practicality is part of what makes CLSI VET09 so effective in the classroom. “I really like that it brings everything together in one place, pharmacology, clinical microbiology, even epidemiology, and ties it all back to veterinary medicine,” said Dr. Lawhon. “Those are challenging subjects for students, but this resource integrates them in a way that makes them easier to understand and apply.” 

CLSI VET09 delves into concepts that are often overlooked or only briefly mentioned in other textbooks, such as the idea that AST can be crucial in determining the appropriate antibiotic course. This document goes much further by effectively bridging the gap between classroom learning and clinical application. It serves as a practical resource that helps the end-user make well-informed and confident choices, taking the guesswork out of antimicrobial selection. By providing detailed guidance and real-world examples, CLSI VET09 ensures that students and practitioners alike can apply the fundamentals of AST with precision and reliability. 

“Pharmacology textbooks don’t really cover microbiology or susceptibility testing, they just list antibiotics. Internal medicine books mention susceptibility testing but don’t explain how to interpret it. There wasn’t a good resource that brought all this information together, until CLSI VET09,” said Dr. Fajt. 

Pathway to Excellence in AST