2021-2022 Course Catalog Table of Contents
Our Mission & Values...... 1
Accreditaton...... 2
First Year Fall Courses...... 3
First Year Spring Courses...... 4
Second Year Fall Courses...... 5
Second Year Spring Courses...... 6
End of SecondYear - Entering Summer Clinics...... 7
Third Year Fall & Spring Track -Courses ...... 8-16
Third Year Fall & Spring Electve Courses - ...... 17-23
Fourth Year Clerkships - Clinical Learning...... 24-27
Ofce of Academic Afairs Contact Informaton...... 28 Our Vision, Mission & Core Values
To be internatonalleaders in veterinary medicine, biomedical sciences, and public health rooted in service, fueled by a passion to improve health,and focused on innovatonand educaton.
The mission of this college is to protect and enhance animal, human, and environmental health and welfare through: The educaton of a diverse populaton of professional, post-graduate, and undergraduate students in preparaton for careers in the broad areas of veterinary medicine, biomedical sciences, and public health; The creaton, disseminaton, and applicaton of new medical and public health knowledge via discovery, publicaton, educaton, and engagement; Provision of excellent and compassionate clinical service to animals, animal owners, and producers in Virginia, Maryland, and the surrounding region.
Educaton is at the core of our mission. We will create and maintain an environment that allows all members to learn and grow to their full potental. Human resources are our greatest strength. We promote personal and professional development through a culture that recognizes and rewards contributons and achievements. We respect and esteem the human/animal bond and the dignity of all animals and people. We ofer preventve, diagnostc, and therapeutc services within a compassionate environment. We seek to relieve sufering and promote the well-being of both animals and people through the responsible conduct of clinical, biomedical, and public health research. We are an organizaton that operates with public funds to serve the public good. We will prudently and responsibly steward our human, fscal, and natural resources. We adhere to the principles of trust, respect, and courtesy in all things. AVMA COE Accreditaton
The college is fully accredited by the American Veterinary Medical Associaton’s Council of Educaton (AVMA COE). The last AVMA COE site visit was in 2014 and the next visit is scheduled for 2021. The accreditaton process involves a comprehensive review of the VMCVM DVM program. As part of this process, an accreditaton team conducts a site visit in which they evaluate the college and its compliance with the COE required standards.
For more informaton visit: htp://www.vetmed.vt.edu/about/accreditaton.asp
Virginia Polytechnic Insttute and State University (Virginia Tech) is accredited by the Southern Associaton of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC) to award associate, baccalaureate, masters and doctorate degrees. Questons about the accreditaton of Virginia Tech may be directed in writng to the Southern Associaton of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges at 1866 Southern Lane, Decatur, GA 30033-4097, by calling (404) 679-4500, or by using informaton available on SACSCOC’s website (www.sacscoc.org). First Year The Normal Animal- VM 8164 Credits 10 Fall Courses This course will study normal individual behavior, social The frst two behavior, and management of domestc species in additon years are focused to normal domestc animal body structure and functon, on developing including skeletal and neuromuscular organizaton, along core knowledge, with body cavites and gross and radiographic anatomy skills, and atributes of structures within those cavites. Additonally, foundatonal across the species knowledge of cell structure, diferentaton, and physiology, through integraton as well as pharmaceutcals that infuence cellular physiology, of the basic and will be highlighted and introducton to clinical skills required clinical sciences. for veterinarians.
Dealing with Threats- VM 8174 Credits 10 This course will study bacterial, viral, parasitological, and toxicological agents of disease in domestc animals, as well as mechanisms of disease producton. Also covered are immunological responses to infectous agents and immune-mediated diseases, in additon to pathological and clinic-pathological responses of domestc species to insult. Principles of epidemiological evaluaton, diagnosis, treatment, control, and preventon of common threats to domestc species are also highlighted.
Becoming a Veterinary Professional I - VM8665 Credits 2 This course stream will be comprised of three semesters of coursework, which aims to assist students in their personal and professional development throughout the year 1-2 curriculum. The stream comprises a wide range of professional competencies that are not addressed specifcally in the scientfc curriculum, including animal welfare, clinical communicaton skills, career opportunites within veterinary medicine, history of the profession, legislaton, personal fnance, personal skills, practce management, professional behavior, a refectve approach to personal and professional development, clinical reasoning, and other veterinary issues. Each of these topics will be revisited over the next two years with more complex material introduced each semester. Moving - VM 8824 Credits 9
In this course you will be provided core knowledge, First skills and atributes of a veterinary professional as they pertain to the musculoskeletal system. This Year course will cover common diseases of domestc Spring animals that limit the functons of the musculoskeletal system. Other topics that are Courses discussed are the diagnosis, treatment and control of these diseases, the side efects of pain, as well as pain management.
Sensing & Seeing- VM 8110 Credits 10 This course integrates the fundamental principles of anatomy, physiology and microanatomy of the nervous, ocular, and dermatological systems with common clinical diseases that limit the functon of these systems in domestc species. Students will study the treatment and control of diseases afectng these systems, as well as, being introduced to the fundamental principles of anesthesia.
Becoming a Veterinary Professional II - VM 8666 Credits 2
This course stream will be comprised of three semesters of coursework, which aims to assist students in their personal and professional development throughout the year 1-2 curriculum. The stream comprises a wide range of professional competencies that are not addressed specifcally in the scientfc curriculum, including animal welfare, clinical communicaton skills, career opportunites within veterinary medicine, history of the profession, legislaton, personal fnance, personal skills, practce management, professional behavior, a refectve approach to personal and professional development, clinical reasoning, and other veterinary issues. Each of these topics will be revisited over the next two years with more complex material introduced each semester. Breathing & Circulatng- VM 8564 Credits 10 This course is designed to study structure, Second functon, and dysfuncton of the Year cardiovascular, hemo-lymphatc, and respiratory systems; including gross, Fall radiographic, and microscopic anatomy; Courses pathogenesis, pathophysiology, diagnosis, treatment, and preventon of common diseases; and general anesthesia of veterinary patents.
Eatng & Eliminatng - VM 8584 Credits 10
In this course, students learn the physiologic processes involved in the consumpton, digeston, metabolism, and excreton of nutrients, drugs, and toxins. These studies will include clinical signs and pathophysiology of disorders of consumptve, digestve, absorptve, metabolic, endocrine, and excretory processes. This course also teaches the adequacy of common diets to meet nutrient needs of animals in various stages of life. First Clinical Teaching Time
At the end of the second year, students will enter clinics for the frst tme and partcipate in fve clinical rotatons overthe summer.
The clinical curriculum consists of 5 three-week rotatons during the summer immediately following spring semester of second year and 12 three-week rotatons beginning fall semester prior to graduaton. All students are required to successfully complete 7 core rotatons and all track requirements specifc to a selected track. Each student will have the opportunity to partcipate in electve clerkships (4 credits per clerkship). The Next Generaton- VM 8194 Credits 9 Second This course will cover the anatomy, physiology, pharmacology and medical aspects associated with concepton, embryonic and fetal Year development, gestaton, delivery, and lactaton. Other topics that will be covered are neonatal development, disorders and management. Spring Students will be given hands-on experience with surgical and medical management of fertlity, including experience performing Courses canine and feline ovariohysterectomy.
Healthy Populatons - VM 8204 Credits 7 This course will focus on the principles of epidemiology, biosecurity, populaton dynamics, and preventve health management of populatons. Since human and animal health interface within the environment, One Health concepts will be utlized to prepare students to the role of veterinarians in the diagnosis and preventon of zoonotc conditons, food security, food safety, food defense, meat hygiene, antmicrobial usage and preventon of antmicrobial resistance. Surgical and medical management of fertlity including canine ovariohysterectomy will contnue from the previous course, the Next Generaton.
Becoming a Veterinary Professional III - VM 8667 Credits 2
This course stream will be comprised of three semesters of coursework, which aims to assist students in their personal and professional development throughout the year 1-2 curriculum. The stream comprises a wide range of professional competencies that are not addressed specifcally in the scientfc curriculum, including animal welfare, clinical communicaton skills, career opportunites within veterinary medicine, history of the profession, legislaton, personal fnance, personal skills, practce management, professional behavior, a refectve approach to personal and professional development, clinical reasoning, and other veterinary issues. Each of these topics will be revisited over the next two years with more complex material introduced each semester. In the third year of the DVM program students return to the classroom Third Year and focus within an area of their interest through our fve tracking Track Courses optons: Small Animal, Equine, Food Animal, Mixed Animal, and Public/Corporate.
Food animal: Students Small Animal: Mixed Animal: The in the food animal track Students will mixed animal track gain additonal pre-clinical contnue to develop provides ideal training and clinical skills and their knowledge and for veterinarians knowledge in food supply skills insmall animal who treat a variety medicine, preparing them medicine and surgery of species, including for roles as the naton’s through working companion, horses, future food animal with small animals, producton and specialists. from family pets to exotcs. working dogs.
Equine: Students will further their Public/Corporate: Designed skills and knowledge in equine around the “One Health” medicine and surgery working concept—the efort of multple with horses. A career in equine disciplines working locally, medicine ofers opportunites to natonally, and globally to work with equine athletes, family atain optmal health for pets, varied breeds, and a wide people, animals, and the range of disciplines. environment. Fall Track Courses Small Animal Dentstry - VM 8914 Credits 2
Together with expanding on basic concepts of small animal dentstry introduced in the core curriculum, this course will introduce more advanced concepts applicable to the small animal general practtoner. It will prepare the student for common types of cases seen in a practce setng and introduce the surgical and other skills necessary for proper treatment of dental disorders.
Small Animal Ophthalmology & Neurology - VM 8894 Credit 1
This course will recognize or describe the clinical features associated with common problems Small Animal Surgical Diseases & afectng the ophthalmic Techniques - VM 8294 Credits 2 and neurological systems of dogs and cats. Focusing on clinical presentatons of common small animal surgical diseases, this course teaches normal anatomy and physiology to clinical Small Animal Theriogenology disorders, principles of surgery, and - VM 9254 Credit 1 complicatons of surgical procedures. It includes selectng the most This course deals with the appropriate diagnostc testng to normal reproductve functon confrm or rule out surgical diseases and management in dogs and and interpret test results. cats. Diagnosis and management of reproductve diseases are considered. Neonatology will be covered in depth. Fall Track Courses
EQ Clinical Practce: Breathing, Circulatng & Moving (EQCPBCM)- EQ Clinical Practce: Breathing, VM 8680 Credits 2 Circulatng & Moving Lab - VM 8690 Credit 1 This course presents current and in-depth informaton about diseases that afect horses of all ages, excluding This laboratory-centered course the neonatal foal. Focuses on diseases of will provide advanced training the musculoskeletal, respiratory and and experience in cardiac systems. performing and interpretng techniques commonly used in equine practce. Specifcally, the techniques learned and practced in the course complement the material taught in EQCPBCM and Equine Problem Solving, which focuses on the musculoskeletal and respiratory systems.
EQ Podiatry - VM 8794 Credits 3
This three-credit course provides advanced training in equine podiatry EQ Problem Solving- for veterinary students intending to VM 8524 Credits 2 see horses as a signifcant part of their veterinary practce. Students This willcourse will learn anatomy, physiology, distal cover manyof the limb biomechanics, and farriery as common diseases they relate to preventatve foot and issues seen healthcare and management of by practcing equine lameness conditons. veterinarians.
EQ Diagnostcs Techniques for the Musculoskeletal & Respiratory Systems -VM 8724 Credit 1
This course is aligned with EQCPBCM lecture course and focuses on development of clinical techniques associated with diseases that afect the equine musculoskeletal, respiratory, and cardiovascular systems. Fall Track Courses Food Animal Clinical Goat & Sheep Medicine - Pharmacology- VM 8484 VM 9074 Credit 1 Credit 1 This course providesan overview of This course will examine in detailthe unique the health and management as well as aspectsof the use of drugsin food animals. the diseases of goats and sheep. In Through the use of case discussions, students additon, producton cycles, management will gain a beter understandingof the concerns, routne preventatve care, Animal Medicinal Drug Use Clarifcaton and managementof traumatc, infectous, Act (AMDUCA), Veterinary Feed Directve and toxic disease problems are covered. (VFD), and treatment protocols
Food Animal Theriogenology Food Animal Techniques - - VM 8574 Credit 1 VM 8360 Credit 1 With emphasis on clinical aspects of reproductve management, this course This course will cover catle-handling, presents the practce of theriogenology restraint techniques, beef quality in a food animal or mixed animal practce. assurance, physical examinaton, injectons, The course will include reproductve castraton, dehorning, diagnostc sampling, management for herds of food animal feld necropsy, nerve blocks, species, including catle, sheep, goats, tagging/implantng, and basic techniques and swine. for sheep and swine.
Food Animal Medicine & Surgery Food Reproducton Techniques I - VM 8615 Credits 3 VM8834 Credit 1 This course presents the clinical practce of This course will provide practcal Theriogenology in a food animal or mixed informaton that a frst-year graduate animal practce. Emphasis is on developing would need in order to be profcient in transrectal palpaton techniques in the diagnosing, medically and surgically non-pregnant cow. Other aspects of this treatng, and preventng the common course will focus on reproductve tract conditons observed in an ambulatory-type scoring in the heifer, semen handling and food animal practce. This course will AI techniques, and bull breeding soundness focus on individual animal medicine and examinaton. The course will consist of surgery, rather than producton medicine. lectures and laboratories. Food Animal Nutriton - VM 8384 Credit 1 In this course, students will learn to diagnose, treat, and prevent common metabolic diseases of food animals, in additon to evaluatng and designing feed programs for all life stages of food animals, including maintenance, growth, producton, and reproducton. Fall Track Courses
Developing the Public Veterinary Beyond Private Practce: Veterinary Practtoner - VM 8504 Credits 2 Careers & Pathways - VM 8664 Credit 1
In this course, students will gain knowledge, In this course, students will explore skills, and abilites essental for the diverse career opportunites in veterinary feld of Veterinary Public Practce. These medicine outside competencies will be developed by of private clinical practce, with a focus discussion on pathways towards determining and and investgaton within public practce pursuing a topic areas such as disease surveillance, successful and personally fulflling career preventon, and control; preparedness choice. Recent data about the motvatons and response for infectous disease for outbreaks and veterinarians to change career paths will be presented and growth as a natural disasters; animal welfare; risk professional will analysis; and internatonal veterinary be explored. capacity building. Topics will be discussed within the context of state and federal government agencies, corporate/industry, and clinical insttutons (e.g. zoos, animal laboratory facilites, animal shelters, etc.). Course material is delivered through lectures and in-class group actvites/presentatons.
Veterinarians in Public Policy - VM 8364 Credits 2
This course provides an overview of the formulaton and implementaton of public policy at the internatonal, natonal, state, professional associaton (AVMA), and consumer level through legislaton, regulaton, guidance, and resolutons. In this course, students will examine the roles of science, law, politcs, economics, societal values, and stakeholder infuence in forging public policy. Students will also explore the moral and ethical dimensions of public policy making and partcipate in a role-playing exercise in situatonal ethics. Spring Track Courses
Small Animal Oncology - Small Animal Nutriton - VM 8714 Credits - 2 VM 8264 Credit - 1
This course is a comprehensive study on the The Small Animal Nutriton approach, pathophysiology, diagnosis, staging, course is designed to and management of cancer in small animals. develop day one veterinary competency in small animal nutriton. How Small Animal Emergency Medicine - should the healthy cat/dog VM 8604 Credits 2 be fed? How should the cat/dog with a nutriton-sensitve This course provides current health conditon be fed? informaton on major aspects of Afer completng this small animal emergency medicine course, students will be and critcal care. Topics include able to evaluate and management of shock, oxygenaton, design diets for cats/dogs blood pressure management, and of varying physiologic CPR as well as emergent treatment and pathophysiologic of systemic disease, traumatc statuses. injuries and toxicological emergencies. Techniques including bandaging, central line placement, centesis, and tracheostomy are discussed and performed in a laboratory setng.
Small Animal Medicine - VM 8214 Credits 3
This course will instruct students, in regards to specifc disorders of the endocrine, gastrointestnal, hepatobiliary, hematologic, urinary, and respiratory systems of dogs and cats, to be able to describe the pathophysiological mechanisms, identfy and associate abnormal clinical signs and physical examinaton fndings, identfy and formulate a list of medical problems, formulate a list of prioritzed diferental diagnoses for those problems, develop an appropriate diagnostc plan, analyze and interpret diagnostc test results, and design an appropriate therapeutc and monitoring plan. Spring Track Courses Special Topics in Equine Clinical Practce - VM 8670 Credits 2
This course presentscurrent and in-depth informaton about diseases that afect horses of all ages, excluding the neonatal foal. Areas covered include anesthesiology, ophthalmology, neurology, gastroenterology, nephrology, cutaneous neoplasia and wound healing, castraton,and preventve medicine.
Special Topics in Equine Clinical Practce Lab - VM 8030 Credit 1
This course is aligned with the fall Equine Equine Diagnostc Techniques for the Clinical Practce: Breathing, Circulatng and Digestve, Nervous & Integumentary - Moving, and focuses on development of VM8020 Credit 1 clinical techniques associated with ophthalmology, neurology, gastroenterology, This laboratory-centered course dentstry, dermatology, wound healing, will provide advanced training and castraton, and preventve medicine. experience in performing and interpretng techniques commonly used in equine practce. Equine Nutriton - Specifcally, VM 8394 Credit 1 the techniques learned and practced in the course complement the This course is designed to develop day material taught in one veterinary competency in equine the Equine Medicine & Surgery 2 nutriton. How should the healthy horse and Equine Problem Solving 2 be fed? How should the horse with a courses. nutriton-sensitve health conditon be fed? Afer completng this course, students will be able to evaluate and The Next Equid - VM design ratons for horses of varying 8814 Credits 3 physiologic and pathophysiologic statuses. This course will expand upon the equine knowledge obtained in The Next Special Topics in Equine Clinical Generaton. It will focus Problem Solving VM 8130 Credits 2 on learning the aspects of equine theriogenology This course will cover many of the and foal care that are common diseases and issues seen applicable to primary by practcing care equine practce. equine veterinarians. Spring Track Courses
Food Animal Populaton Medicine Food Animal Problem Solving - - VM 8610 Credits 2 VM 9044 Credits 2
This course presents theconcepts of In this course, students will learn to identfy producton diseases at the herd level common medical problems of food animals, which includes the diagnostc, including disorders/diseases of reproducton, therapeutc, and preventon techniques the mammary gland, metabolism, nutriton, that are applied at the herd level rather the musculoskeletal system, the gastrointestnal than the individual animal. system, the respiratory system, the hemolymphatc system, and the neurologic Food Animal Clinical Reproducton system, formulate a diferental diagnosis - VM 8774 Credit 1 list for common clinical food animal conditons, recommend appropriate diagnostc tests This course presents the practce of and interpret test results, recommend a clinical reproductve techniques in a food therapeutc regimen and monitoring system animal or mixed animal practce. The to evaluate success of treatment, establish course will include demonstraton and an economically-based control/preventon performance of techniques for evaluaton protocol, determine herd implicatons of of clinical reproducton for individual common medical problems, and read and animals in herds of food animal species evaluate published, peer-reviewed artcles including catle, sheep, goats, and swine. to determine implicatons on diagnosis and Emphasis is on clinical techniques such treatment optons. as ultrasonography of the reproductve tract of males and females, breeding Dairy Producton - VM 8744 Credit 1 soundness evaluatons of bulls, pregnancy evaluaton of the bovine reproductve This course willexamine in detail dairy tract, as well as dystocia and fetotomy producton, medicine, and management. techniques in the bovine. Surgical experiencein Displaced Abomasum repair will also be done. Beef Producton - VM 8734 Credit 1
This course will examine in detail beef producton, medicine, and management. Surgical experience in caesarian secton will also occur. Spring Track Courses
Problem Solving in Public Corporate - VM 8224 Credits 2 This course will present public and corporate veterinary practce case studies in a problem-oriented format. Due to the breadth of public veterinary practce, a diversity of cases will be presented representng real situatons that veterinarians in public practce have had to resolve or manage. Cases will vary from year to year depending on class interest and speaker availability. The course will be oriented towards developing critcal thinking skills, recognizing the perspectves that must be considered, and understanding the broad, sometmes natonal and internatonal impacts of decision making. Communicaton skills will also be emphasized. In additon Third to track courses, Year students have the opportunity Electve to select a Courses variety of electve courses. Fall Electve Courses
Emerging Infectous Diseases - Functonal Morphology of Birds - VM 9085 Credit 1 VM 8254 Credit 1 This course will apply fundamental terminology appropriately and explain concepts in emerging This course will identfy birds as relatvely infectous diseases (detailing natural and close phylogenetc relatves of reptles, human-origin reasons in the process), in additon as well as list structural features of modern birds that are both shared with and to explaining basic concepts for the principles distnct from reptles. of transmission, pathogenesis, and clinical features of emerging bacterial, viral, parasitc, and zoonotc animal and human diseases, in Principles of Infectous Diseases additon to factors contributng to their - VM 9334 Credits 3 emergence. This course surveys the basic principles of infectous diseases importantin local, natonal,and global public health. This course covers parasitc, fungal, bacterial and viral pathogensand the mechanisms by which they cause disease, as well as the host’s immune response to those pathogens.
Introducton to Statstcs in Biomedical Research - VM 8534 Credits 2
This course will cover design of studies in veterinary-related clinical and epidemiologic research, Ferret Medicine - VM 8874 planning, and implementaton of Credit 1 experimental and survey data collecton, management and This course seeks to provide veterinary analysis of data, and interpretaton students with the opportunity to and presentaton of results. become familiar with the veterinary care of companion animal Topics in Animal-Human Relatonships - ferrets (pets only). This course will provide students with an VM 8984 2Credits opportunity The goal of this course tois provide to become familiar with a broad view of the current, the husbandry and veterinary care of evidence-based informaton about ferrets. how animals and humans share the living world. Fall Electve Courses
Infecton Control & Preventon Environmental Health - VM - VM 9324 Credits 3 7014 Credits 3
The course will provide assessment, The purpose of this course is to provide policies, and procedures for control an overview of environmental health and preventon of infectous diseases by answering two fundamental questons: in communites and populatons. How does the environment afect Topics covered will include source, human health? How do we purposefully transmission mode, and local design environmental policies to community to internatonal optmize human health? This course disseminaton of infectous disease will examine how chemical, biological, agents; antmicrobial and chemical and physical agents found in the natural resistance; vaccine development, and manmade environment afect our safety, and coverage; community- health. The course will cover the main and hospital-based needs and felds of environmental health sciences interventons; and regulatory including toxicology, exposure science frameworks. (including routes through air, water, and food media), environmental and occupatonal epidemiology, and risk assessment. The course will also explore how municipal, state, federal and internatonal agencies design, implement and evaluate the success of environmental and occupatonal policies, taking into consideraton social and economic factors.
Fundamentals of Small Animal Physical Veterinary Diagnostcs Rehabilitaton and Complementary - VM 8070 Credits 2 Medicine - VM8804 Credit 1 In this course students will compare the This course will cover the basic concepts use and usefulness of current and of physical rehabilitaton, emerging diagnostc tests. They will conditoning, and complementary therapy practce selecton of appropriate in small animals. Students will be diagnostc tests introduced for a given clinical scenario or gross to various therapeutc optons to include lesion, including justfcaton of their (but not limited to) therapeutc and choice of diagnostc test and correctly conditoning exercises, acupuncture, submit samples to either in-hospital or photobiomodulaton, electrical external laboratories. Interpret diagnostc stmulaton, test results for therapeutc ultrasound, and a given clinical scenario or gross lesion. nutriton/nutraceutcals. Fall Electve Courses
Compassionate End of Life Care - Veterinary Practce Business VM 8060 Credits 2 Management - VM 8984 Credit 1 The purpose of this course is to provide Business management, marketng, a cohesive body of work to support and entrepreneurship concepts will students interested in understanding as be covered in detail. It will provide much as they can about euthanasia. students with an understanding of Upon completon the student will have the requirements, risks, and rewards completed the Companion Animal of veterinary practce ownership Euthanasia Training Academy (CAETA) and enable students to assess and and receive that distncton. Coursework analyze business problems, as well as develop creatve solutons. topics include the history and societal impact of euthanasia, drug pharmacology, caregiver consideratons, pre-euthanasia sedaton protocols, euthanasia techniques, Zoo Mammal Comparatve case reviews, and more. Physiology - VM 8244 Credit 1 This course is designed for students who have a foundaton in anatomy Neglected & Emerging Diseases and physiology to use their knowledge - VM 9344 Credits 3 and skills to apply to non-domestc species of mammals. It will provide This course promotes an understanding a foundatonal knowledge of the life of the conceptof neglected diseases histories and associated functonal and their associaton with poverty and morphological adaptatons of various health inequites, the critcal factors for taxonomic groups within the Class emergence/re-emergenceof infectous Mammalia. diseases,and the challenges and implicatons for disease control, eradicaton,and response.
Food Animal Product Safety - VM 8154 Credits 2 This course will provide the history, development, and enforcement of laws and regulatons that afect the food animal processing industry and consumers, in additon to a comprehensive approach to microbiological and physical foodborne hazard identfcaton, testng, and sampling. Moreover, the course will highlight foodborne hazard preventon and control, including Hazard Analysis and Critcal Control Points systems. Spring Electve Courses
Decision Making in Veterinary Pharmacology - VM 8784 Credits 2
In this course, students will learn to recall the major classes of antmicrobial drugs, their mechanism of acton, adverse efects, drug interactons and appropriate clinical use, recall the major classes of analgesic drugs, their mechanism of acton, adverse efects, drug interactons and appropriate clinical use, recall the major classes of ant-parasitc drugs, their mechanism of acton, adverse efects, drug interactons and appropriate clinical use, apply knowledge of antmicrobials and analgesic drugs to decide on a therapeutc course for specifc case examples, apply knowledge of ant-parasitc drugs to decide on a prophylactc course for specifc animals, discuss the possible efects of co-morbidites on the pharmacokinetcs and dosage regimens in patents and discuss possible drug-drug interactons in animals with multple co-morbidites.
Clinical Reptle Medicine - Descriptve Embryology VM 8864 Credit 1 - VM 8024 Credit 1 The aim of this course is to provide a In this course students will learn good understanding of reptle husbandry, the process of early embryologic medicine, and surgery. There will be development, from cleavage emphasis on anatomical diferences through the establishment of the between the four main groups of three primary germ layers. reptles: chelonians, lizards, crocodilians, and snakes. This course will help students to understand the diferences Veterinary Cytopathology- between reptles and other more VM 8704 Credit 1 common species in a biological, anatomical, and husbandry sense. In this course, students will Diagnostcs, hospital care, anesthesia, microscopically review and discuss analgesia, and critcal will be covered, cytological samples from common along with diagnostcs, surgery, and neoplastc, infammatory, and treatment of commonly occurring infectous disorders. diseases and injuries. The emphasis of this course will be on captve reptle species mostly. Spring Electve Courses
Equine Sports Medicine & Rehabilitaton Topics in Veterinary Public Health - VM9024 Credits 2 - VM8464 Credits 2
This course will introduce students to the basic The World Health Organizaton defnes concepts within equine sports medicine, Veterinary Public Health as “the sum of all rehabilitaton, and complementary medicine. contributons to the physical, mental and Students will learn about examinaton and social well-being of humans through an diagnosis of performance limitng understanding and applicaton of veterinary musculoskeletal injuries and cardiorespiratory science.” In this course, students will investgate conditons in the athletc equine. Students will a series of veterinary public health topics, then be introduced to various therapeutc through a combinaton of pre-class readings, optons for treatment of these injuries and will in-class lectures, discussions and actvites, work through some example cases. and review of recent journal artcles relevant to the topics discussed. In additon, students will partcipate in an in-class exercise using Infectous Disease Epidemiology the CDC’s Zoonotc Disease Prioritzaton - VM 7314 Credits 3 Tool, which is currently used by Ministries of Health and Agriculture around the world This course will cover dynamics and as part of the Global Health Security Agenda. determinants of infectous diseases and This course will allow students to apply their their assessment on the molecular to veterinary knowledge within the context of populaton current domestc and global public health contnuum in a systems based approach. problems. Infectous disease transmission, mechanisms; populaton susceptbilites; environmental, social, cultural and economic contributors to infectous disease Wildlife Medicine - VM 8594 propagaton; detecton and surveillance; Credit 1 geographic informaton systems. This course will present the basics of Pocket Pets Medicine - wildlife medicine and rehabilitaton VM9224 Credit 1 including the regulatons and ethics covering the rehabilitaton and release This course will provide basic informaton of natve wildlife, major infectous diseases, on the proper care and management of a emerging and zoonotc diseases, parasites, variety of companion exotc species (i.e., toxicites, injuries and other problems of rats, mice, gerbils, hamsters, guinea pigs, wildlife. Common treatments, methods chinchillas, rabbits, ferrets, sugar gliders, and equipment used to care for and and hedgehogs) commonly seen in veterinary rehabilitate these animals will be presented. practce. Topics will cover common medical Species covered will include both natve problems, including major infectous mammals and birds (waterfowl, songbirds, diseases, non-infectous problems, nutritonal and raptors). problems, and trauma. Diagnostc approaches, medical management, treatments, and vaccinaton protocols will be presented when appropriate. Spring Electve Courses
Applied Veterinary Diagnostcs Advanced Histopathology - VM8844 Credits 2 - VM 9064 Credit 1 This course will focus on interpretaton of laboratory data and imaging in common In this course students will learn about the domestc species, with an emphasis on process for preparaton of histologic slides relatng abnormal diagnostc results to gross from tssues derived at necropsy and biopsy lesions and disease pathogenesis. The majority and identfy processing artfacts in tssues, of this course will be administered using a to identfy and describe cellular and tssue mixture of traditonal lectures and case-based changes in response to injury, to identfy learning sessions. and describe infectous organisms in tssue sectons using conventonal and special stains, to identfy and describe epithelial, mesenchymal, and round cell neoplasms, Small Animal Behavioral Medicine - VM 8000 to identfy and describe microscopic lesions Credit 1 in multple tssues a wide variety of species, and how to write and interpret histologic This course provides an descriptons. introducton to canine and feline behavioral medicine. Topics include ontogeny of Care Forward - VM 8810 behavior, basic obedience and Credits 2 housetraining, aggression, anxiety, compulsive disorders, In this course students will learn to produce eliminaton problems, personal and professional goals to create life psychopharmacology, and other balance, identfy potental stressors in both common behavior problems work and personal life, construct wellness encountered in general strategies, including relatonships, self-care, practce. mindfulness-based stress reducton and personal interests, identfy reasons for practce burnout and develop strategies to prevent burnout, Avian Medicine & Surgery discover the importance of the humanites in - VM 9004 Credit 1 the practce of veterinary medicine. This course will introduce students to the Aquatc Medicine & Fish Health - common diseases that afect pet birds. VM 8494 Credits 2 Students will be expected to apply problem solving / critcal thinking skills to construct This course will teach etology, diagnosis, (reverse engineer) clinical presentatons pathology, pathogenesis, chemotherapy, from pathological fndings. Development control and management of infectous and of diferental diagnosis lists and diagnostc non-infectous diseases of aquatc organisms, plans will be emphasized. Approaches to especially pertaining to cultured food, treatment, control and preventon of birds ornamental and tropical fsh. Hands on lab will be discussed. experience with water quality evaluaton, non-lethal and lethal diagnostc techniques, and the identfcaton of common pathogenic organisms. SecondClinical Teaching Time
At the end of 3rd year, students will return in the fall semester afer summer break to complete 12 three-week rotatons prior to graduaton.
All students are required to successfully complete 7 core rotatons and all track requirements specifc to a selected track. Each student will have the opportunity to partcipate in electve clerkships. Core rotatons include the following:
Community Practce Producton Management Medicine Anesthesia Shelter Medicine Diagnostc Services Equine Practce Public Corporate
Based on career goals, students may pick and choose from a variety of rotatons including food animal, equine, small animal and exotcs.
Small Animal Rotatons
Emergency Critcal Care Internal Medicine Surgery-Orthopedics or Sof Tissue Oncology Ophthalmology Cardiology
Equine Rotatons
Large Animal Medicine & Surgery Equine Medical Center Equine Field Services Equine Private Practce Equine Podiatry Public Corporate Food Animal Rotatons Rotatons
Federal/State Government Producton Management Medicine Research/Diagnostcs Food AnimalPrivate Practce Corporate/Associate/Administratve Theriogenology Internatonal Public Corporate Dairy Herd Health Management Insttutonal Applied Clinical Medicine Beef Herd Health Management
Mixed Animal Rotatons
Mixed Animal Private Practce Exotc Animal Private Practce Electve Rotatons Students may partcipate in any internal rotaton as an electve. In additon, students have the unique opportunity to select external experiences which ft with their career goals. These may include zoo/aquatc medicine, lab animal medicine, private or corporate practce, regulatory medicine, just to name a few. Ofce of Academic Afairs Contact Informaton
Ofce Contact informaton Phone: 540-231-4090 Fax: 540-231-9290 Mail Code: 0442 Academic Afairs email: [email protected] VA-MD College of Veterinary Medicine 205 Duck Pond Drive Blacksburg, VA 24061
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