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Program Goals Program Description Year 1 Year 2 Year 3 |
Year 4 Clinics - (Forms) Focus Areas - (Forms) Clinical Competencies Selectives Catalog |
Doctor of Veterinary Medicine Professional Program
The faculty, staff, and administration of the College of Veterinary Medicine at North Carolina State University have formulated a very challenging and meaningful academic program of professional study. The program is designed to prepare new Doctors of Veterinary Medicine for varied and broad careers in veterinary medicine. The most qualified faculty has been recruited to provide current and progressive approaches to solving the problems of animal and biomedical health-related concerns.
Goals of the Professional Program
The teaching mission of the CVM is to prepare graduate Doctors of Veterinary Medicine for further advancement in the art and science of veterinary medicine. A balance of instructional experiences will be provided, rendering graduates an opportunity to meet societal needs. Upon completion of the professional program, graduates will be able to:
- Perform as productive and resourceful members of the veterinary profession.
- Provide an academic and scholarly approach to problem solving, the questions of spontaneous diseases, the further development of preventive medical problems, and the further enhancement of inquiry into basic phenomena.
- Deal with the pressing veterinary medical issues of the day.
- Conduct productive professional activities with keen attention to human and ethical purpose of behavior.
- Exercise career options in postgraduate education or in collateral biomedical research environments.
- Appreciate a commitment to continuing and lifelong education.
Accreditation
The Council on Education of the American Veterinary Medical Association accredits Colleges of Veterinary Medicine. The professional curriculum reflects those requirements necessary for degree accreditation. The college is fully accredited.
Departments
Three departments are responsible for the research, service, and teaching functions of the College.
- Department of Clinical Sciences
- Department of Population Health and Pathobiology
- Department of Molecular Biomedical Sciences
Description Of The Program
The academic professional program calls for two phases of education. A preclinical three-year phase is followed by a clinical phase in the fourth year of training. The first through the third year of the professional program are concerned with a gradual progression from a basic science presentation to a more clinical application of veterinary science. Two summer vacation periods are allowed in the first three years of the professional program. Each of the first 6 semesters in the curriculum are divided into a 13 week core course period followed by two weeks of "selectives." Individual selectives are one or two weeks in length, each week corresponding to one academic credit. All students are required to complete two credits of selectives in each of the first six semesters. The format of the last or fourth year of the professional program calls for a "block system" approach to clinical education. The academic calendar is divided into 2-week or 1 month segments. Students are required to successfully complete a minimum number of courses for graduation. Off-campus experiences are possible in private practice, industry, federal government, and/or post-doctoral opportunities. Four 2-week vacation blocks are possible during the fourth year of the program. The clinical program provides a heavy emphasis for actual "hands-on" clinical practice and is demanding both physically and mentally. Starting in 2005, students were required to select " focus areas" that determine the required rotations for the senior year and give priority for elective blocks in those focus areas. The curriculum as listed may be altered through normal University curricular change procedures and therefore should not be considered as a contract for graduation. The changes that are made reflect the dynamic demands of the profession and will be made periodically through faculty recommendations.
First Year Professional Program
Fall Semester
VMC 910 – Careers in Veterinary Medicine – Specialists and invited speakers from multiple areas of veterinary medicine will present information about career opportunities.
VMB 911 - Veterinary Anatomy I – Gross anatomy of the dog and cat. Neuroanatomy of the dog and cat. Dissection of embalmed (dog/cat), study of prosections, slides, models, radiographs, and correlations with living animals. 4 semester hours.
VMB 913 - Veterinary Physiology I – A course in comparative physiology with special attention to domestic mammalian and avian species. Emphasis is placed on cellular and metabolic physiology and the physiology of the nervous, endocrine, and reproductive systems. 5 semester hours.
VMB 914 - Histology and Cytology – This course focuses on the study of cells, basic tissues, and selected organs of domestic animals. The primary emphasis is on the molecular and structural basis for cell function, tissue organization, and organ systems. 3 semester hours.
VMP 912 - Evidence Based Medicine – A template for solving clinical and research problems will be introduced in a small group setting. Student groups will examine clinical scenarios that integrate concepts and information from other veterinary classes. A problem-oriented approach will be used to explore the problem, formulate appropriate differential diagnoses, develop a plan for its accurate diagnosis and define strategies for amerliorating the problem. 2 semester hours
VMP 914 - Veterinary Pathogenic Bacteriology and Mycology – Basic principles of pathogenic bacteriology and mycology and their relationship to disease in domestic animals. 3 semester hours.
VMP 916 - Health Maintenance and Animal Production I – This course is part I of a series with VMP 936 and 956 designed to introduce students to procedures for health maintenance and care of horses and food-producing animals. Students learn how to prevent diseases and promote animal health in laboratories. 1 semester hour.
Spring Semester
VMB 921 - Comparative and Developmental Anatomy – Gross anatomy of domestic ungulates (horse, ox, sheep, goat, pig). Involves dissection of embalmed specimens and study of prosections, models, radiographs, and live-animal palpation. 4 semester hours.
VMB 922 - Veterinary Embryology and Teratology – This course presents basic facts and concepts of embryology, from fertilization to parturition, focusing on issues relevant to veterinary medicine including: early embryonic development, comparative placentation, and major organ development. Current research and clinical topics, including induction, cloning, in vitro fertilization and surgical intervention are also addressed where appropriate.
VMB 923 - Veterinary Physiology II – A continuation course in comparative physiology with special attention to domestic and avian species. Emphasis is placed upon water and electrolyte metabolism and the physiology of gastrointestinal, endocrine, and nervous systems. 5 semester hours.
VMC 927 - Introduction to Companion Animal Behavior I – The nature of human-animal interactions, and companion animal behavior. Some social and moral issues arising from human-animal relationships are introduced. Identification of breeds, species-typical behavior patterns, and the differential diagnosis and treatment of the most frequently- occurring behavior problems in dogs and cats are emphasized. 1 semester hour.
VMP 924 - Veterinary Virology – Basic principles of animal virology and the relationship of viruses to diseases in domestic animals. 3 semester hours.
VMP 925 - Veterinary Immunology – Basic principles of immunology, disease of the immune system, and the relationship to disease in domestic animals. 3 semester hours.
Second Year Professional Program
Fall Semester
VMB 930 - Anesthesiology-
Anesthetic principles, agents, and techniques of mammalian, avian, and rodent species. 2 semester hours.
VMB 933 - Introductory Pharmacology – The action of drugs in animals and man including basic principles of drug disposition and pharmacokinetics is discussed. Modification of physiological processes by drugs influencing coordination by the nervous, endocrine, and circulatory systems are described. 5 semester hours.
VMC 932 - Principles of Surgery – Principles of the science, art and craft of surgery are presented as a foundation for applied clinical applications. Asepsis, instrumentation suture technique, and wound healing are emphasized. 3 semester hours.
VMC 937 - Introduction to Physical Examination Skills – Principles of applied biology, management, physical examination, and medical techniques for treatment of laboratory animals, companion special species, and wildlife are introduced (Fall). In-depth consideration is given to development of physical examination and technical skills applicable to the dog and cat (Spring). 1 semester hour.
VMP 931 - Veterinary Pathology I – Introduction to the basic pathologic changes which occur in animal tissues. Developmental processes and resulting morphology observed at gross, cellular, and subcellular level emphasized. 4 semester hours.
VMP 932 - Veterinary Parasitology – Diagnosis, treatment, and control of major ecto- and endo-parasites of domestic animals 5 semester hours.
VMP 936 - Health Maintenance and Animal Production II – This course is part II of a series with VMP 916 and 956 designed to introduce students to procedures for health maintenance and care of horses and food-producing animals. Students learn how to care for animals, prevent diseases, and milk cows in laboratories. 1 semester hour.
Spring Semester
VMB 943 - Pharmacology and Veterinary Therapeutics – A course in clinical pharmacology with emphasis on the pharmacology of antimicrobial drugs, systematic pharmacology, pharmacology applied to special species, prescription writing, and benefit-risk assessment. 3 semester hours.
VMP 941 - Veterinary Pathology II – Systemic Pathology - A study of how organ systems respond to pathogenic influences with emphasis on specific diseases and the lesions these diseases produce in the body. 5 semester hours.
VMP 942 - Veterinary Clinical Pathology – Introduction to the mechanisms which produce abnormal physiologic parameters within the animal during illness, with emphasis on the techniques for determining those abnormalities in the living animal. 3 semester hours.
VMP 945 - Epidemiology & Public Health – The focus of this course is to construct a foundation for clinical medicine by acquiring a holistic view of disease, exploring optimal preventive medicine strategies while developing a critical thinking skills and quantitative reasoning techniques. The teaching/learning format of the course will include lecture, in-class exercises, discussions and case studies. 2 semester hours.
Third Year Professional Program
Fall Semester
VMB 954 - Veterinary Toxicology and Poisonous Plants – Pharmacological basis and pathological features of diseases of animals and birds caused by common toxic chemicals and plants with emphasis on clinical manifestations, diagnosis, prevention, and treatment. 3 semester hours.
VMC 951 - Companion Animal Medicine and Surgery – This course is an overview of medical and surgical management of selected metabolic, neoplastic, nutritional, immune-mediated, developmental, and degenerative diseases of companion animals. 5 semester hours.
VMC 952 - Equine Medicine & Surgery – Medical conditions in large domesticated animals are presented in this course. Discussions involve the agents causing diseases and the therapeutic methods used to correct. 4 semester hours.
VMC 953 - Laboratory Animal and Special Species Medicine – The biology, use, and diseases of laboratory animal species are presented. Emphasis is on signs, epizootiology, pathogenesis, treatment, and disease control programs for the more significant diseases of these animals. Clinically important conditions of wildlife, zoo species caged birds, and aquarium fishes are presented. 3 semester hours.
VMC 957 - Introduction to Clinical Practice – The problem-oriented approach to diagnosis is introduced through exposure to clinical case studies, supervised visits with local veterinary practitioner, and participation in the medicine and surgery services in The Veterinary Teaching Hospital. Familiarity is gained with admission procedures, medical records, patient management, and clinical rounds. 1 semester hour.
VMP 951 - Theriogenology – The physiology, endocrinology, and pathology of the reproductive system are presented. Emphasis includes genital anatomy and function, endocrine interrelationships, and methods for examination of mammary gland and reproductive tract function, including diagnosis and treatment of clinical disorders 3 semester hours.
VMP 956 - Health Maintenance and Animal Production III – This course is part III of a series designed to instruct students in procedures for maintaining the health and well-being of horses and food-producing animals. Students learn how to prevent diseases and promote animal production, including production of safe meat and milk. 1 semester hour.
VMP 958 -Public Health Issues in Veterinary Practice – Zoonoses and food safety issues will be reviewed. Students will be challenged to discuss and articulate the role of veterinarians in ensuring the public health. 2 semester hours.
Spring Semester
VMB 960 - Veterinary Radiology and Radiobiology – Fundamentals of radiographic diagnosis and radiation safety. 3 semester hours.
VMB 965 - Veterinary Nutritional Health – The role of nutrition in veterinary medicine. Development, diagnosis and prevention of nutritional problems in a variety of species will be discussed, frequently employing a comparative approach. 2 semester hours.
VMC 961 - Companion Animal Medicine and Surgery II – This course is an overview of medical and surgical management of selected metabolic, neoplastic, nutritional, immune-mediated, developmental, and degenerative diseases of companion animals. 4 semester hours.
VMC 962 – Animal Welfare, Ethics and Societal Responsibility – This course examines the social, legal and ethical issues behind the science of veterinary medicine and allows for critical evaluation and discussion of a variety of controversial issues challenging current belief systems. Provides the basic leadership and operational training necessary to become a Credentialed Responder for the State of North Carolina. 2 credit hours.
VMC 965 - Large Animal Surgery & Diagnostic Techniques – This lab emphasizes practical skills in large animal surgical and diagnostic techniques. 1 semester hour.
VMP 962 - Food Animal Medicine & Surgery – The principles of medical and surgical disorders of ruminants are presented. This includes the cause of the disorders and the diagnostic, therapeutic and prophylactic measures necessary to correct, reduce or prevent these problems. 3 semester hours.
VMP 964 - Swine and Poultry Medicine – Lecture series supplemented with projected illustration on the most economically important diseases of poultry and swine. Emphasis is placed on definition of diseases, etiology, characteristics of the disease, and diagnosis. The economics related to occurrence, prevention, treatment, and control are presented. 3 semester hours.