WSU CVM Diagnostic Challenge

10/16/2026

❤ Our second-year veterinary students have presented their Diagnostic Challenge cases, and now we want to give a big thank-you to the clients and facilitators who helped make this week possible.

From serving as simulated animal owners to guiding students through complex cases, your time, expertise, and willingness to be part of the experience helps make the Diagnostic Challenge the valuable learning opportunity that it is. We’re grateful to everyone who continues to make this tradition happen.

10/16/2026

10/16/2026

That Day 3 of Diagnostic Challenge feeling! Three days of complex cases, teamwork, and our second-year veterinary students are almost ready for the big reveal!

Tomorrow, the teams take the stage for Grand Rounds, presenting their cases and sharing what they’ve learned along the way. We will see you all there!

10/15/2026

WSU alumni returned to Pullman this week to mentor veterinary students through one of the College of Veterinary Medicine’s longest-running traditions, but they didn’t come alone.

Several brought family members to role-play as simulated clients in a series of clinical cases known as the Diagnostic Challenge, giving them and their parents the chance to train the next generation of WSU veterinarians together.

Now in its 35th year, the tradition brought back alumni Dr. Brianna Brandt (’18 DVM) and her mother Kathy, Dr. Michelle DeCourcey (’13 DVM) and her mom Patti, and Dr. Larisa Estrada (’21 DVM) and her mother Alisa.

Read the full story: https://news.wsu.edu/news/2026/10/15/coug-tradition-brings-alumni-and-their-moms-back-to-veterinary-school/

10/15/2026

✅ Cookies
✅ Consultations
✅ Canine abscesses
✅ Clinical reasoning

📸: A look back at all Day 2 activities form DC1!

10/14/2026

📚 Day 1 of the Diagnostic Challenge is in the books! The week kicked off with students diving into the details of their cases, gathering clues from physical exams, and beginning to piece together the puzzle behind each of their patient’s conditions.

For some second-year veterinary students, it’s their first time working through a complex clinical case, providing an opportunity to put their knowledge to the test, sharpen their problem-solving skills, and learn to think like practicing veterinarians. We'll be here all week!

10/09/2026

🎉🐾 Meet the DC1 Starting Lineup!
As we celebrate 35 years of the Diagnostic Challenge, we’re excited to welcome an incredible group of 24 volunteer facilitators to campus for DC1!
And there’s something pretty special about this year’s lineup…
❤️ Every single DC1 facilitator is a WSU College of Veterinary Medicine alum!
They’re coming back to Pullman to share their time, experience, and expertise with our second-year students—asking questions, encouraging clinical reasoning, supporting teamwork, and helping guide students through the challenges ahead.
For many, it’s also a full-circle experience: returning to the place where their own veterinary careers began to help prepare the next generation of Coug veterinarians.
👏 Please help us welcome our 2026 DC1 Starting Lineup and thank these 24 alumni for giving back to our students and the WSU CVM community!
35 years of DC. 24 volunteer facilitators. All Cougs. ❤️🐾

10/07/2026

❤️🐾 Words of Encouragement for Our Second-Year Students

DC1 starts next week! 🩺

As our second-year veterinary students get ready to take on their first Diagnostic Challenge of the year, we’d love to send them into the week with a little encouragement from the DC community.

Former DC students, facilitators, faculty, staff, and friends of DC: What advice, encouragement, or words of wisdom would you share with this year’s students?

Maybe it’s something you wish you had known before your own DC—or simply a reminder to trust the process, lean on your team, and enjoy the experience.

👇 Leave your words of encouragement in the comments! We’ll share some of them with our students as they get ready for DC1. ❤️

10/05/2026

⏰🐾 ONE WEEK TO GO!

We’re officially just 7 DAYS away from DC1! 🎉

Next week, our second-year veterinary students will step into their Diagnostic Challenge clinics and put their knowledge to work - asking questions, making decisions, communicating with clients, working as a team, and navigating all the twists and turns their cases have in store. 🩺

Behind the scenes, the cases are ready, our facilitators and simulated clients are preparing, and the excitement is building!

7 days to go… are you ready, Class of 2029? ❤️🐾