House Officer Training Program Guidelines

Definitions And Objectives

House Officer Training at the College of Veterinary Medicine (CVM), North Carolina State University is organized into 2 postgraduate clinical training programs.

¨ Internship A broad-based one year program of flexible rotating clinical instruction beyond the professional degree (e.g., DVM ) that is structured to provide practical experience in applying knowledge gained during veterinary college in a supervised environment.

¨ Residency A program designed to provide advanced clinical instruction in a specialty of veterinary medicine leading to board certification.

Opportunities for Graduate Studies in Conjunction with or following a Residency

¨ Master of Specialized Veterinary Medicine (MSpVM)

Some programs allow residents to pursue a concurrent MSpVM degree. Interested residents contact their faculty advisor and the Associate Dean and Director of Research and Graduate Studies for further information. This is a non-thesis graduate program that includes the same advanced clinical specialty training as in the residency program but with graduate course credit given for the clinical training. In addition, MSpVM students take a biostatistics and an ethics course. The requirements for some MSpVM programs may include other graduate courses, a project, and/or one or more publications. Candidates enrolled in a 3-year residency program must establish North Carolina residency during the first year of their program. The MSpVM program is not available for international students.

¨ Ph.D. Degree

Residents who are interested in pursuing a M.S. or Ph.D. graduate degree should contact the Associate Dean for Research and Graduate Studies for further information. The Comparative Biomedical Sciences Graduate Program presently has 5 areas of concentration: Veterinary Microbiology, Morphology/Cell Biology, Pathology, Pharmacology, and Population Medicine. Other interdepartmental areas include but are not limited to: Immunology, Physiology, Veterinary Public Health, Toxicology and Microbiology. Also, the Internal Medicine Clinician Investigator Program provides clinical training in small animal veterinary internal medicine and graduate research training toward the Ph.D. degree. Residents who are not candidates for a graduate degree may take graduate courses by registering for Post-Baccalaureate Studies through the Division of Continuing Education, with approval of their Resident Committee. This applies only to United States citizens. Registration for regular course credit at the 500 and 600 levels during the course of the program shall be in accordance with the Post-Baccalaureate Studies Program as given in the Graduate Catalogue. Graduate credit is not given, although 9 hours may be transferred into a graduate program.

Intern and resident appointments include the same salary, leave rights, and responsibilities as an EPA professional position (please refer to Chapter 6, pages 7 through 13 of the Faculty Handbook), but are not subject to the State Personnel Act, and do not fall in the EPA faculty or EPA professional categories. Disciplinary matters, reappointment and discharge for cause will be handled as outlined in this booklet and are not subject to the provisions described in Chapter 7, pages 7-13 of the Faculty Handbook. Twelve days (exclusive of weekends) of paid vacation in program years 1 and 2, and 14 days in program year 3 are provided to each for each twelve months of training. In addition, there are approximately 10 paid holidays each year. Holiday clinical duty may be required and all vacation and holidays will be scheduled at the discretion of the individual program coordinator.

ADMINISTRATION

The Faculty Committee on House Officer Programs (FCHOP) is responsible for administering the House Officer Training Programs including the MSpVM program. The Director of Student Services is responsible for advertising, communicating with applicants, and maintaining documentation. The Associate Dean and Director of Veterinary Medical Services has final approval for all matters pertaining to House Officer Programs.

NEW HOUSE OFFICER PROGRAMS OR EXPANSION OF EXISTING PROGRAMS

The department heads and specialty faculty establish priorities for initiating House Officer programs, and determine the requisite number of residents and sequencing of appointments. The Faculty Committee on House Officer Programs will recommend approval of house officer positions based on the merits of each proposal, the availability of funding, and the overall needs of the Veterinary Teaching Hospital and the CVM. The Dean’s Cabinet is the final authority for approving house officer positions. It is preferred that all positions begin on July 1.

OPERATIONAL PROCEDURES

Recruitment and Communications

Advertisements
The American Association of Veterinary Clinicians (AAVC) Matching Program Directory (www.virmp.org) is used to advertise all clinical training positions (excluding Avian, Non-Domestic Avian, Pathology (Anatomic and Clinical), Laboratory Animal Medicine, Infectious Disease, and Poultry Health Management). Notices may also be sent to veterinary colleges. One page program descriptions on available House Officer programs are sent to the AAVC Matching Program for the Directory, and in response to inquiries. Internship and residency programs that do not participate in the Matching Program are advertised in the Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association, as well as other sources.

All residencies and internships, regardless of how they are offered, must follow all NCSU Affirmative Action regulations, and be approved by the Faculty Committee on House Officer Programs and the Associate Dean and Director of Academic Affairs. This includes advertising in an appropriate professional journal.

Communications
Inquiries related to House Officer training should be forwarded to the Student Services Office. A standard letter, program description and information packet will be mailed in response. Applications to all House Officer training programs are made to the Student Services Office.

Documentation

House Officer candidates must furnish the following information. Prerequisites for each program other than those listed below are available in the AAVC Matching Program Directory.

1. Application form

2. Transcript of all university grades, which would provide proof of the DVM (or equivalent) degree from a school recognized by the American Veterinary Medical Association before beginning the program.

3. Curriculum vita, including a description of internship or clinical experience (clinical programs)

4. Letter of intent, indicating reasons for seeking training, motivating factors, and anticipated use of training following completion of program

5. Two (internship) or three (residency) letters of evaluation from individuals who can attest to professional abilities and interpersonal skills

Selection

House Officers will be selected on the basis of:

1. Demonstrated professional performance

2. Professional goals, as stated in the intent letter

3. Letters of evaluation

4. Academic record

Programs Participating in the AAVC Matching Program

The House Officer Selection Committees will consist of representatives of the specialties having primary responsibility for that House Officer program. The Committees will rank the candidates in order of preference. Their recommendations will be submitted to the Student Services Office. The Director of Student Services will submit the rankings to the AAVC Matching Program. North Carolina State University is an affirmative action/equal opportunity employer.

Unmatched Positions

Positions left open after the Match may be filled at the discretion of the specialty faculty, department head, and Associate Dean and Director of Veterinary Medical Services. The same operational procedures must be followed as for matched positions, including the NCSU Affirmative Action guidelines.

Programs Not Participating in the AAVC Matching Program

Faculty within the specialty will rank the applicants and offer positions based on the ranking. The same NCSU Affirmative Action guidelines will be followed as for the matching program.

Appointment

The Director of Student Services or House Officer coordinators will notify successful House Officer candidates by telephone after receiving the results of the AAVC Match. Each applicant will receive formal notification of the outcome of his/her application from the AAVC Matching Program office. An official letter clarifying the terms of the CVM appointment is sent from the Associate Dean and Director of Veterinary Medical Services’ office.

Policy for Unfunded House Officer Positions

Introduction

The goal, and expectation, for the House Officer Programs at the College of Veterinary Medicine is to seek the most highly qualified applicants available through matching programs and/or competitive application while providing equal opportunity. The house officers are highly valued assets to the college, future colleagues of our clinical professions, and every effort will be made to recognize and respect house officers through compensation for their work. Acceptance of house officers for unfunded positions will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis.

An unfunded position is defined as any position that is not funded for the entire training period by the CVM or an approved non-CVM organization (e.g. US military, CIIT, pharmaceutical company, national or foreign government agency). Funding by the trainee, trainee family, or other private individual does not qualify as an approved non-CVM organization.

Unfunded position(s) must be well justified and are intended as temporary means to maintain program continuity, stability and service obligations. Unfunded positions should not be used to expand a program. Unfunded position must be mutually beneficial to both the applicant and the College.

Program directors should be especially diligent to ensure unbiased selection of high quality candidates. Individuals in unfunded positions should have the same responsibilities and receive the same training as individuals in paid positions.

Program Description, Justification and Approval

The FCHOP will review all applications for unfunded house officer positions and applications will be denied if the following criteria are not met:

•  The program director must demonstrate a mutually beneficial arrangement for the service and the applicant.

•  All avenues for procuring funding, including extramural funding, have been exhausted.

•  The position description will follow the same guidelines as used for paid positions.

•  Assurance that the position will be advertised. Ideally, the position will be advertised with approval by the North Carolina State University , Human Resources Department with posting of the position for a minimum of 30 days online, through the University, which creates a required recruitment file that is maintainable, including specifically demographic information, and it ensures appropriate wording, such as equal opportunity employer, etc.

•  Assurance that candidates are selected using an unbiased process and that the Department Head and Associate Dean of Veterinary Medical Services will approve the selection process and candidate selection.

•  Assurance that additional financial responsibilities will be met by the candidate, including for example health insurance, program related benefits (travel, copy cards, etc.) and administrative costs (NC veterinary medical board license, etc.)

Review of Unfunded Positions

The program director will commit to making every effort to acquire funding during the tenure of an unfunded position. The program director will meet with FCHOP annually to discuss funding for positions that remain unfunded.

Candidate Qualifications

The qualifications of candidates for an unfunded position shall meet the same minimal standards as those for paid positions and be equivalent or better than the standards required for admission to the NCSU Graduate School (GPA 3.0/4.0 and a Test of English as a Foreign Language score > 550 if English is not the candidate's native language).

Memorandum of Agreement (MOA )

A written MOA, signed by the faculty sponsor, Department Head, Associate Dean of Veterinary Medical Services and the unfunded candidate should include the following:

•  Estimated expenses that the candidate will incur during the program. This should include tuition, fees, health insurance, malpractice insurance, travel expenses and estimated cost-of-living for this area.

•  A statement that will relieve the CVM of any responsibility for the individual's funding.

•  An explanation by the individual as to how his/her financial needs will be met.

•  Candidates are clearly informed that they are not eligible to participate in additional activities for pay at North Carolina State University , outside of the program requirements.

•  Starting and ending dates of the program.

Offer Letter

A selected candidate is required to sign an offer letter, which will explain that this is an “at will” appointment.

Policy Assessment

The FCHOP will review this policy in 2010.

Faculty Advising for House Officers

The faculty members in the clinical section responsible for a given House Officer program will select a resident or intern advisor for each resident or each internship program. This person will be identified within 30 calendar days of the beginning of the House Officer’s program, and his/her name forwarded to the Associate Dean and Director of Veterinary Medical Services. The advisor will be responsible for seeing that all essential meetings are held, and that progress reports are submitted. All evaluations and decisions affecting the House Officer will be recorded in the offices of the Associate Dean and Director of Veterinary Medical Services and the appropriate department head within 30 days of each evaluation meeting.

The House Officer Advisory Committee will consist of at least three members. These will include the advisor and one other faculty member from the primary specialty and a faculty member from a second specialty or discipline. The advisor will serve as chairman of the Committee and will seek input from all faculty involved in that training program. The advisor and the committee will assume responsibility for the House Officer’s professional development until requirements for the House Officer program are complete.

Scheduling for House Officers

Schedules for House Officer duties will be available at the beginning of the program. The House Officer, in conjunction with his/her Committee, is ultimately responsible for ensuring that the schedule is followed. There will be 12 working days vacation per calendar year exclusive of statutory holidays in the first two years of the program and 14 days in year 3. All vacation must be taken prior to completion of the program. Vacation may not be taken during the last month of the program.

House Officer Seminars

All House Officers will attend a minimum of 70% of the House Officers Seminars, unless additional absences have been approved by the Faculty Committee on House Officer Programs prior to the absences. Each House Officer will make one presentation yearly in the Seminar Series.

Evaluation of House Officers

Progress Reports (APPENDIX)

House Officers are evaluated a minimum of twice yearly. Each service will use the attached universal evaluation form, with additions as appropriate for the specialty service (Program Coordinators are responsible for seeing that forms are distributed). Input on performance from faculty and staff will be invited. The House Officer and their advisor will sign each evaluation form. A written summary of the House Officers progress will be prepared and submitted to the Director of Student Services and the department head by December 1 and April 1 of each year. This summary document will be signed by, and a copy given to, the House Officer.

Each House Officer Committee will determine by April 1 of each year whether the House Officer is to be:

1. Reappointed for another 12-month period (residents only).

2. Granted a certificate.

3. Discharged from the program.

If a training certificate is to be granted, the House Officer’s advisor must send a written recommendation to the Director of Student Services commensurate with the April evaluation. If an evaluation results in an overall score of DID NOT MEET STANDARDS at any time, a review of the House Officer by his/her House Officer Committee and the Faculty Committee on House Officer Programs is required within 10 working days to determine whether the House Officer will continue in his/her program. The House Officer may be discharged from the program by written notice 30 days following this meeting if the House Officer has less than one year of service and 90 days written notice if the House Officer has more than one year of service.

House Officer Reappointment and Disciplinary Actions

1. Exclusivity of Policy

This policy constitutes the sole and exclusive institutional rights of review and appeal with respect to disciplinary action related to House Officers enrolled in graduate veterinary medical education programs sponsored by NCSU/CVM and preempts any other review and appeal rights of House Officers with respect to disciplinary action. For the purposes of this policy, a House Officer is defined as a post graduate veterinary medical education trainee in a graduate veterinary medical education program sponsored by NCSU/CVM.

2. Resident Reappointment

Residents joining training programs are appointed on an annual basis. Each resident shall be considered for reappointment annually. Each program is required to evaluate the academic performance and professional ethics of each resident to permit annual appraisal. Each program shall maintain written documentation of resident evaluations. It is the responsibility of the individual resident committee to annually determine the suitability of each resident for reappointment and make recommendation to the Director of Student Services no later than one hundred (100) calendar days prior to completion of the current appointment period. Residents shall at that time be notified by the program director of the program’s recommendation. Reappointment, subject to conditions set out in the letter of reappointment, will be offered to the resident no later than thirty (30) calendar days prior to the completion of the resident’s current appointment period (June 1 for residents appointed July 1). If the institution’s decision is to not reappoint a resident, the resident will be notified of this decision no later than ninety (90) calendar days prior to the completion of the resident’s current appointment (April 1 for residents appointed July 1). The decision not to reappoint a resident upon completion of any annual appointment is final and not subject to institutional review or appeal.

3. Disciplinary Actions

Disciplinary actions are those actions taken by the sponsoring institutions that limit, suspend or terminate (other than for non-reappointment) the privileges of the House Officer to participate in the educational program provided by the training program. NCSU/CVM is empowered to independently investigate any circumstances leading to the possibility of disciplinary action. The institution of disciplinary actions is independent of and not contingent upon any resolution of the matter in the judicial system.

The Associate Dean and Director of Veterinary Medical Services shall be notified prior to the institution of disciplinary actions. Grounds for disciplinary action may include, but are not limited to:

A. Academic performance or professional/ethical behavior by the House Officer that is considered to be lower than the standards or aims of graduate veterinary medical education programs sponsored by NCSU/CVM, or that are disruptive to the objectives and efficient operation of the graduate veterinary medical education program.

B. Failure of the House Officer to comply with rules, regulations or policies of NCSU/CVM.

C. Behavior or actions of the House Officer that disrupt the training of other House Officers or that place the care and safety of patients in jeopardy.

D. The House Officer’s conviction of a felony or misdemeanor, regardless of any right to appeal. Disciplinary action may also be taken pursuant to an independent investigation of the matter by NCSU/CVM prior to judicial resolution.

E. Misrepresentation by the House Officer in the application for initial or continuing graduate veterinary medical education or misrepresentation in any documentation submitted to obtain or maintain a position in any graduate education program sponsored by NCSU/CVM.

The House Officer shall be notified in writing of disciplinary actions taken. Disciplinary actions taken may remain in effect pending final resolution of any subsequent grievance process.

4. Summary Suspension

The Associate Dean and Director of Veterinary Medical Services, solely at his or her discretion, may summarily suspend a House Officer from clinical activities whenever action must be taken immediately in the best interest of patient care or in the best interests of the public welfare. Summary suspension may remain in effect pending final resolution of any associated grievance process.

5. Appeal of Disciplinary Actions

The House Officer may appeal disciplinary actions. This appeal must be made in writing and delivered to the Associate Dean and Director of Veterinary Medical Services within 7 working days of the notification of disciplinary actions. This written request must state the basis of the appeal.

Initial review of this appeal shall be made by the Faculty Committee on House Officer Programs. This initial review shall begin within 15 working days after the receipt of the request for an appeal. This review shall be informal and neither the House Officer nor the program may have legal counsel in attendance.

At this informal review, the Chair of the individual’s House Officer Committee shall first explain the reasons for the disciplinary action taken and provide relevant documentation. The House Officer will next be given the opportunity to respond and to provide documentation supporting the position that the disciplinary action taken was unjustified. Both parties are permitted to have other persons present information. The Faculty Committee on House Officer Programs shall have the right to request information from all persons appearing at the review and may solicit relevant information from other individuals and sources at their discretion.

The report of the review by the Faculty Committee on House Officer Programs shall be delivered to the Chairman of the individual’s House Officer Committee, the Associate Dean and Director of Veterinary Medical Services, and the House Officer within 15 working days after the review. In the event that either party disagrees with the decision of the review committee (Faculty Committee on House Officer Programs), it may appeal this decision. This appeal must be made in writing and delivered to the Associate Dean and Director of Veterinary Medical Services within 7 working days of the report of the review by the Faculty Committee on House Officer Programs. This request must state the basis for the appeal.

In the event of an appeal of the review committees’ report, an appeals committee shall be appointed by the Associate Dean and Director of Veterinary Medical Services and be composed of three individuals. Two individuals may be CVM Department Heads or the Director of Laboratory Animal Resources. These individuals shall not have participated in the prior review process. The third member of the committee will be either the Dean of the College of Veterinary Medicine, Associate Dean and Director of Academic Affairs, or Associate Dean of Research and Graduate Studies. The Associate Dean and Director of Veterinary Medical Services shall chair this appeals committee but shall not have voting privileges. In this appeals hearing, both sides may be represented by counsel. Proceedings will be recorded. If requested by any party, recordings will be transcribed and written transcripts of the proceedings will be prepared and subsequently provided to either party upon request.

The role of legal counsel shall be limited to that of an advisor to the client and shall not otherwise participate in the hearing process. The appeals committee shall be convened within 15 working days following the receipt of the written request for appeal.

At this appeals hearing opening statements may be made first by the Chairman of the individual’s House Officer Committee or person designated by Associate Dean and Director of Veterinary Medical Services and secondly by the House Officer. The appeals committee shall next hear information presented by the individual making the opening statement documenting the cause for disciplinary action and justifying the specific action taken. Information may then be presented by the House Officer in support of the appeal. Witnesses may be called by either party and independently by the appeals committee. All witnesses may be questioned by either party or by members of the appeals committee. The hearing need not be conducted in strict compliance with the rules of law governing the examination of witnesses or the introduction of evidence. Closing statements may be first made by the individual making the opening statement, then by the appellant. The Chairman of the committee shall ensure that the proceedings are conducted in a fashion to meet the needs of the committee to acquire relevant information and to provide fundamental fairness to all parties.

Following due deliberation, the appeals committee may uphold, revoke or modify the disciplinary action at its discretion. The appeals committee shall forward its decision to the Associate Dean and Director of Veterinary Medical Services, the Faculty Committee on House Officer Programs and Appellant within 15 working days after the completion of the hearing. The decision of the appeals committee is final and not subject to review or appeal.

Grievance Procedure

A House Officer may have other causes of dissatisfaction besides discharge, termination, or non-reappointment. In this instance, the House Officer may contact the Faculty Committee on House Officer Programs for an informal resolution or refer to the Faculty Handbook, Section VI, Faculty Rights and Responsibilities (pg 6-17).

Potential Conflict of Interest Activities

House officers are not permitted to participate in the practice of veterinary medicine for pay outside of the College of Veterinary Medicine.

Evaluation of the Residency Training Program

The Faculty Committee on House Officer Programs will review individual House Officer Programs and recommend revisions or modifications. The Faculty Committee on House Officer Programs will invite all interns and final-year residents to attend an unbiased exit interview during the last month of their program. The Faculty Committee on House Officer Programs will forward the results of these interviews to respective department heads, advisors, and the Associate Dean and Director of Veterinary Medical Services.

NCSU Affirmative Action Statement

North Carolina State University is dedicated to equality of opportunity within its community. Accordingly, North Carolina State University does not practice or condone discrimination, in any form, against students, employees or applicants on the grounds of race, color, national origin, religion, sex, age, or handicap. North Carolina State University commits itself to positive action to secure equal opportunity regardless of those characteristics.

NCSU Sexual Harassment Policy

Sexual harassment is a form of sex discrimination in violation of Federal law and North Carolina State University policy, and will not be tolerated. North Carolina State University is committed to assure equal opportunity and to oppose discrimination because of race, sex, age, religion, national origin, disability or veteran’s status. Faculty, staff, and students should be aware that violation of this policy will lead to serious disciplinary action up to and including dismissal.

North Carolina State University hereby affirms its desire to maintain a work and academic environment for all employees and a study environment for all students that is fair, humane and responsive. North Carolina State University wishes to maintain an environment that supports and rewards career and educational goals on the basis of such relevant factors as ability and work performance.

Conduct or action that either imposes a requirement of sexual cooperation as a condition of employment, employment decisions or academic advancement, or creates an intimidating working/learning environment that prevents effective learning or work performance, is in opposition to a campus environment free of discrimination.
(NCSU Policy Statement adopted 1981)

MSpVM Graduate Program for Residents
Nc State University
College of Veterinary Medicine

Description

The creation of a non-thesis Masters of Specialized Veterinary Medicine (MSpVM) graduate program was done to enhance scholarship and competitiveness of veterinarians completing advanced specialty training at the CVM. The program is designed to provide experiences appropriate for certification in the specialty college related to their area of study. Clinical and diagnostic material handled through the Veterinary Teaching Hospital and affiliated units will provide the basis for this training. Courses will incorporate seminars, rounds and journal club activities; individual supervised training; independent study programs; and basic statistics. Many of the programs will require a project and publication(s) to be completed as part of the requirements.

Each MSpVM student will have a unique graduate program focused in his/her clinical specialty area and directed by a graduate committee comprising faculty experts from this clinical specialty and other specialty areas. Creation of this graduate program enables the College to document more clearly the effort that faculty commit to advanced training in 17 different veterinary specialties. The new graduate track will help sustain the outstanding success the College has achieved in attracting the top national and international veterinary graduates for post-graduate clinical training.

Tuition will be paid by the CVM for students enrolled in the MSpVM graduate program. However, MSpVM graduate students will be required to pay student fees, which are approximately $515 per semester.

Application Criteria

Applicants must be a US citizen (or equivalent for tuition purposes), have a DVM/VMD or equivalent degree, and have a documented history of academic excellence. All applicants must meet minimum criteria for acceptance into the NC State University Graduate School including a minimally acceptable Graduate Record Examination (GRE) score. Applicants will be selected for participation in the MSpVM program by the faculty of the specialty area identified by the applicant. Acceptance decisions will be based on academic performance while enrolled in a DVM/VMD or equivalent program, letters of recommendation, professional experience, and perceived ability of the individual to complement the needs of our training program.

Specialty Areas

Each enrolled student will concentrate his/her studies in one of the existing clinical specialty training areas at the College of Veterinary Medicine. Additional training specialties may be created as warranted by demographic, economic and social changes that impact the profession.

Current areas of Specialty Training at the NC State College of Veterinary Medicine include:

¨ Anatomic and Clinical Pathology

¨ Oncology

¨ Cardiology

¨ Ophthalmology

¨ Emergency & Critical Care Medicine

¨ Poultry Health Management

¨ Dermatology

¨ Radiology

¨ Equine Internal Medicine

¨ Radiation Oncology

¨ Infectious Disease

¨ Ruminant Health Management

¨ Lab Animal Medicine

¨ Small Animal Surgery

¨ Large Animal Surgery

¨ Theriogenology

¨ Neurology

¨ Zoological Medicine

¨ Companion & Non-Domestic Avian

Student Advisory Committee

Each student will have an advisory committee comprised of at least three graduate faculty. The committee shall include: a primary advisor in the selected specialty area, a second faculty member from the same specialty area or a related discipline and a faculty member from an unrelated discipline.

Plan of Work and Course Requirements

Enrolled students will complete 2 or 3 years of training depending on the requirements in the specific specialty area. During the first year, the student will have a post-doctoral appointment as a resident and will predominately participate in specialty training in the Veterinary Teaching Hospital. During years 2 and 3, the student will be enrolled in the MSpVM graduate program and will receive graduate course credit for clinical assignments, seminars, and for other courses required by the program. The student will complete a minimum of 36 graduate credit hours by the completion of the program.

Each student will complete general course requirements specified for all students in the MSpVM program and additional elective course requirements in his/her specialty area. The general course requirements for students in the Masters of Specialized Veterinary Medicine track are:

Seminar/clinical rounds - 4 credit hours

Research - 4 credit hours

Supervised teaching (including rounds) - 1 credit hours

Supervised specialty training - 12 credit hours

Biostatistics - 3 credit hours

Professional ethics - 1 credit hour

Subtotal: 25 credit hours

The student and his/her advisory committee will determine the courses selected to complete the balance of the required 36 credit hours. The following courses represent those that could be used by MSpVM students to complete the credit hour requirements for their degree.

Existing Courses

SVM 595: Special topics (letter graded)

SVM 601: Seminar – SVM

SVM 610: Special topics (s/u)

SVM 615: Adv SPTP – SVM

SVM 635: Adv Rdg – SVM (Journal Club)

SVM 650: Intshp – SVM (Specialized Training)

SVM 685: Master Supervised Teaching (Clinics)- To meet the

teaching credit requirement

SVM 686: Other Teaching – SVM (Rounds)

SVM 693: Master Supervised Research - To meet the research

credit requirements

SVM 610D: Biostatistics

Minor Degree

No minor degree will be required. However individual students may select a minor degree of study that enhances their opportunities for attaining future career objectives.

Oversight Of the MSpVM Program

The College’s Faculty Committee on House Officer Programs will administer the MSpVM program. The members of the FCHOP committee include three (3) members of the faculty from the Department of Clinical Sciences, two (2) members from the Department of Population Health and Pathobiology, two (2) members from the Department of Molecular Biomedical Sciences, and two (2) residents. The Associate Dean and Director of Veterinary Medical Services, the CVM representative to the Administrative Board of the Graduate School, and the Director of Student Services will serve as nonvoting members.

Educational Objectives

¨ To provide advanced training in clinical specialty areas of veterinary medicine to prepare graduates to qualify for certification examinations given by one of the veterinary specialty boards.

¨ To provide advanced training in the conduction of applied research in veterinary medicine so that graduates gain skills necessary to conduct independent research.

¨ To provide advanced training in clinical instruction so that graduates will be qualified to fulfill the responsibilities of faculty positions in schools of veterinary medicine.

Administrative Rules and Procedures of the Veterinary Teaching Hospital

House officers should review the Administrative Rules and Procedures Manual of the Veterinary Teaching Hospital. To access the manual online, go to the College of Veterinary Medicine website (http://cvm.ncsu.edu/), select “For Faculty and Staff”, then select “Full Site Contents” at the list at the top of the page, then select “Hospital Manuals-Restricted Access” under Veterinary Teaching Hospital, then select “Continue Login”, then enter your user ID and password, then select “VTH Administrative Rules and Procedures”. A number of other resources are also available at this site.

For convenience, the following policies are reprinted here. Please note that updated policies may be available at the website address.

· Hospital Privileges/Pharmacy Access

· House Officer Supplemental Pay

· Work Outside the VTH Rule

Hospital Privileges/Pharmacy Access

I. Rule: It is the rule of the Veterinary Teaching Hospital (VTH) to ensure that individuals practicing veterinary medicine in the VTH have the education, experience and skills to provide quality care to patients. This is done through the privileging process. Both hospital privileges and pharmacy access are granted by the Associate Dean and Director of Veterinary Medical Services at the College of Veterinary Medicine (CVM). Hospital privileges are required for all veterinarians (faculty, resident, intern, post-doc or graduate student) engaged in the delivery of individual and population animal healthcare. Hospital privileges are necessary to admit patients, provide treatment and diagnostic support, access to medical records, hospital information systems and hospital vehicles for field service use. In accordance with the North Carolina Veterinary Practice Act, no person shall engage in the practice of veterinary medicine in this state without having first applied for and obtained a license or faculty certificate for such purpose from the North Carolina State Veterinary Medical Board (NCVMB). All licenses and certificates expire annually and it is the responsibility of the veterinarian to renew his/her or certificate by application to the NCVMB and payment of the renewal fee. Failure to apply for renewal within 60 days of expiration results in automatic revocation of the license and automatic suspension of hospital privileges and pharmacy access.

Pharmacy access is granted following appropriate application procedure and background investigation. The level of access depends on an individuals job responsibilities and credentials.

· Level 1. Full access, a licensed veterinarian may write orders or prescriptions for inpatients, outpatients, controlled substances and own animals. (Clinical faculty, veterinarians in specialty training programs and internships.

· Level 2. Limited access, a licensed veterinarian may write for Laboratory Animal Resources, campus accounts and own animals - no controlled substances. (LAR)

· Level 3. Limited access, a licensed veterinarian may write only for TAU animals including euthanasia solution - no other controlled substances.

· Level 4. Limited access, a licensed veterinarian but non-clinical faculty. May write for own animals only - no controlled substances. (graduate students, non clinical faculty)

· Level 5. Limited access, a non-DVM researcher, may order research supplies only - no controlled substances.

The CVM will not provide pharmacy access to controlled substances to any agent or employee who has been convicted of a felony offense relating to controlled substances or who, at any time, had an application for registration with the Drug Enforcement Authority (DEA) denied, had a DEA registration revoked, or has surrendered a DEA registration for cause. For purposes of this subsection (or cause) means a surrender in lieu of, or as a consequence of, any federal or state administrative, civil or criminal action resulting from an investigation or the individual’s handling of controlled substances. (21 CFR 1301.75) These conditions may also result in denial or suspension of hospital privileges and/or employment.

It is the position of the DEA that the CVM obtain certain information for an individual who will have access to controlled substances. In this regard, the DEA assumes the conviction of crimes and unauthorized use of controlled substances are activities that are proper subjects for inquiry and will become a part of an employer’s comprehensive employee screening program (21 CFR Section 1301.90). An authorization, in writing, that allows inquiries to be made of courts and law enforcement agencies for possible pending charges or convictions must be executed by a person who is allowed to work in an area where access to controlled substances clearly exists. The applicant must be advised that any false information or omission of information will jeopardize his or her position with respect to hospital privileges, pharmacy access and/or employment. The application for hospital privileges and employment will inform a person that information furnished or recovered as a result of any inquiry will not necessarily preclude employment, but will be considered as part of an overall evaluation of the person’s qualifications. Also, that the institution respects the protection of the person’s right to privacy, and the assurance that the results of such inquiries will be treated by the CVM in confidence.

II. Criteria for granting and maintaining hospital privileges and pharmacy access:

· documented proof of a DVM or equivalent degree.

· a current license to practice in the state of North Carolina or a current faculty certificate granted by the NCVMB.

· have the level of clinical competency and training to practice at an academic teaching hospital including specialty board certification or eligibility.

· be either a CVM veterinarian in a tenure or non tenure track appointment or adjunct appointed veterinarian

· be in a specialty training program, recognized internship, clinical fellowship or graduate program with clinical responsibilities.

· maintain quality standard of care.

· follow hospital rules and regulations.

· Follow DEA, state and federal regulations.

· successful completion of the infectious disease examination.

· successful completion of the hospital safety orientation.

· enrollment in the University Occupational Health & Safety/Animal Contact Program.

· entered into the CVM Personnel Directory and Vaccine Database.

· security privileges- level 2 LAR access. (University card access to necropsy is initiated by a copy of the hospital privileges application form sent to Laboratory Animal Resources (LAR) by the office of the Director of Veterinary Medical Services).

III. Procedure for granting hospital privileges and/or pharmacy access:

A. A CVM hospital privileges application form must be completed and submitted to the Director of Veterinary Medical Services at least 30 days prior to the starting date. The following must accompany the completed application:

1. Documentation of a DVM or equivalent degree.

2. Photocopy of the applicant’s current NCVMB license or faculty certificate.

3. Documentation of enrollment in the University Occupational Health & Safety/Animal Contact Program.

4. Documentation of a passing score on the infectious disease examination.

5. Documentation of completion of the hospital safety orientation.

6. Authorization for the CVM to conduct background investigation.

IV. Procedure for annual renewal of hospital privileges and pharmacy access:

A. All hospital and pharmacy access privileges must be renewed annually on the renewal anniversary of the individual’s NCVMB license or faculty certificate. Annual renewal of hospital privileges requires documentation of timely renewal of the individual’s NCVMB license or faculty certificate.

1. Sixty days prior to NCVMB license expiration date the office of the Director of Veterinary Medical Services will send out a reminder to individual veterinarians informing them of the need to renew their hospital privileges and to provide documentation of NC license or faculty certificate renewal. This letter will also request completion of the infectious disease examination or other information if required.

2. Failure to renew before NCVMB license or faculty certificate expires will result in temporary suspension of hospital privileges and pharmacy access.

V. Criteria for suspension, termination or denial of hospital privileges and /or pharmacy access:

· inadequate quality of medical care.

· violation of the NC veterinary practice act

· disciplinary action by the NCVMB

· violation of hospital rules

· violation of medical staff rules and regulations

· violation of DEA regulations

· felony conviction

· unauthorized removal or misuse of state property.

· substance abuse and impairment

· lack of compliance with the University Occupational Health & Safety/Animal Contact Program

· termination of employment or discontinuation of clinical responsibilities

VI. Procedures for suspension of hospital privileges and/or pharmacy access:

A. Hospital privileges may be temporarily or permanently suspended by the Associate Dean and Director of Veterinary Medical Services. The procedures are:

1. A letter is sent to the Director of Veterinary Medical Services or the Hospital Administrator from faculty or staff members regarding the quality of medical care or conduct by one of their colleagues. Also, the process may be initiated directly by the Hospital Administrator or the Hospital Director. In the situation where a veterinarian (faculty, resident, intern, post-doc or graduate student) has not renewed their privileges in a timely fashion, they will be notified in writing that their hospital privileges have been temporarily suspended. The process for reinstatement of privileges for someone that missed the deadline for renewal requires reapplication. When clinical staff leave the employment of the CVM or discontinue clinical responsibilities, their hospital privileges and pharmacy access will be automatically terminated.

2. After review of the issues by an internal review panel consisting of the Director of Veterinary Medical Services (Chair), the Hospital administrator and selected faculty and staff, the Director of Veterinary Medical Services decides whether to temporarily suspend the privileges of the affected clinician (faculty, resident, intern, post-doc or graduate student). If the Director decides to temporarily suspend privileges, a letter is sent to the affected clinician and their department head notifying them of the specific concerns of their colleagues and that their hospital privileges will be temporarily suspended pending further review. The letter will include the following:

· A copy of the letter documenting the allegations.

· An offer for an informal interview with the review panel, Director of Veterinary Medical Services and the Hospital Administrator.

3. The affected clinician must provide a written request for the informal interview within 7 days of receiving the notification of the temporary suspension of privileges.

4. The Service Chief for the service will facilitate a transfer of any cases currently being treated by the affected clinician to another clinician and revise the duty rosters.

5. If the affected clinician requests the informal interview, the interview should be scheduled within 5 working days of the request. No legal council may be present at the interview, however, the clinician may bring an observer.

6. After the informal interview, but no later than 30 days after the letter of temporary suspension of hospital privileges is provided to the affected clinician, the Hospital Director will notify the affected clinician and their department head in writing of the outcome of their review which may include the following:

· continue the suspension for a defined period of time to allow for further review.

· reinstatement of hospital privileges

· permanently suspend hospital privileges.

7. If the review committee recommends the permanent suspension of hospital privileges, the written notification will include a description of the process whereby this decision may be appealed to the Dean of the CVM. In order to appeal the decision, the affected clinician must notify the Dean in writing within 7 days of receiving the notification of permanent suspension of privileges.

NCSU Veterinary Teaching Hospital

Administrative Procedure Manual

Admin Rule No. 23

Approved: 3/27/02

House Officer Supplemental Pay

I. Rule: It is rule of the Veterinary Teaching Hospital (VTH) to offer supplement pay to House Officers for treating emergency cases after normal business hours. The purpose in this is to provide them with overload compensation comparable to the manner in which they will operate in private practice.

II. Procedure: The following procedures delineate the steps involved with house officer supplemental pay.

III. Criteria: The criteria for payment for after hours emergency cases will be as such:

A. The emergency fee, billed to the client, applies to all cases that are attended to physically on site during the period after normal business hours defined as Monday-Friday 8:00am-5: 00pm.

B. The emergency fee, billed to the client, replaces all after hours emergency fees. The current service specific emergency fee will only apply to emergency cases admitted by the service during normal business hours.

C. The house officer is paid in the following situations:

1. Interns are paid an evaluation and treatment fee on any cases they see after business hours as the on duty intern. Also, on cases when they are called in to provide back up support to the on duty intern. Backup support is defined as physically admitting a patient into the hospital.

2. Residents are paid a consultation fee if they provide an after hours formal medical record using a consultation form. Also residents are paid a consultation fee if they consultation on a case including hands on evaluation and documentation in the are called in to provide back up support to the on duty intern. Backup support is defined as physically admitting a patient into the hospital.

3. Residents are paid a surgery fee when they are called in to perform surgery on a patient.

4. Residents (or service interns) are paid a transfer fee if the case is transferred from the emergency intern to the resident or intern on a specific service on a weekend.

IV. Procedures:

A. When a client presents with an after-hour emergency, the intern on duty will follow the admission process as outlined in the hospital’s financial rule. This means that the intern must collect a deposit from the client if the patient is admitted and collect the total account balance, if the animal is discharged.

B. The intern must enter the appropriate emergency professional fee into the billing system to insure the client is charged appropriately for the professional services rendered.

C. The intern or resident must document the transaction on the House Officer Emergency After Hours Invoice (See Exhibit A) and must make sure that the after hours admission is entered into the hospital information system to include putting the patient on the census should the patient be admitted. In addition, the intern or house officer must submit a copy of the completed admissions form. If the intern or Small Animal Emergency Service calls in a resident for consultation/evaluation, back up support, surgery, or transfers the case on weekends, the resident should enter this information on the after hours invoice. All the after hours emergency professional services provided on the case must be documented for audit purposes. The intern or resident should submit the completed after hours invoice to the admission/discharge staff no later than 48 hours after the professional service is rendered.

D. The admission/discharge staff will audit the invoice in conjunction with the client’s bill to insure that an emergency fee was charged and the appropriate deposit was collected according to the hospital’s financial rule. A deposit must be collected in order for payment to be rendered.

E. The admission/discharge department will sign the invoice verifying that all tasks on the invoice are complete and forward the approved invoice to the representative in the VTH to facilitate payment to the house officers. A copy of the invoice will be kept in the VTH human resource office for a period of 5 years. If a deposit was not collected the form should be forwarded to the hospital administrator. A copy should go to the hospital administrator.

F. Payments for professional fees rendered will be issued to the house officer in their monthly paycheck for the month following the month in which the service is performed. For example, if the service were rendered in February, the payment would be in the March paycheck.

NCSU Veterinary Teaching Hospital

Administrative Procedure Manual

Admin Rule No. 18

Approved: 7/25/01

Implemented: 9/24/01

Work Outside the VTH Rule

The Board of Governors established a policy that enables faculty to engage in External Activities for Pay (Consulting). Information regarding the rule is available at http://www.ncsu.edu/sparcs/policy/html In addition, the College of Veterinary Medicine has a rule regarding Faculty engagement in the practice of veterinary medicine and medical consultation within the state of North Carolina and in other states. See administrative Policies & Procedure Memorandum #5, revised January 5, 1999.

I. Rule: “Consultation for pay is prohibited under circumstances in which the service interferes with that provided by the college. Relief veterinary practice within the state by faculty will normally not be permitted. Out-of-state relief work done by faculty may be permitted after approval by Department Head”.

“Graduate students, interns, residents and postdoctoral fellows are employed by the College and participate in an intensive training program that involves scholarship and development of a high degree of technical skills. Thus, for these individuals consultation for pay is prohibited because of the time-demand placed on their training program.”

See the college administrative Policies & Procedure Memorandum #5, for more information.

NCSU Veterinary Teaching Hospital

Administrative Procedure Manual

Admin Rule No. 20