VET315 Companion Animal and Equine Medicine

Teaching takes place in small groups teaching in rotations at the small animal and equine hospitals in the 8th and 9th semester (5 weeks in the 8th semester and 4 weeks in the 9th semester per student). Students spend a total of 2 weeks at the small animal surgical clinic (1 + 1), 2 weeks at the small animal medicine clinic (1 + 1), two weeks at the outpatient clinic/emergency and critical care unit (1 + 1) and 3 weeks at the equine clinic (2 + 1) .

Small animal medicine

This discipline includes internal medicine and surgical diseases,  emergency and critical care, outpatient clinic, clinical pathology, reproduction and obstetrics in small animals, primarily in dogs and cats, but also rabbits, rodents, minipigs, exotics and caged birds. The students rotate at the medical, surgical, and the outpatient clinics. Students learn to perform independent, clinical examinations of patients under the guidance of a veterinarian. In addition to the purely medical disciplines, an introduction is given to preventive healthcare, environmental issues, handling, behaviour, owner communication and ethics. As far as practically possible, castration of a male cat and ovariohysterectomy of a female cat will be offered. Radiology and anaesthesia are integrated into rotation teaching.

Students will also have 1 evening shift or 1 weekend daytime shift per clinic week. This will include weekends and bank holidays, except Christmas and Easter holidays.

Equine medicine

This discipline includes internal medicine and surgical diseases, obstetrics and reproduction in horses, as well as the possibility of some outpatient practice. Radiology and anaesthesia teaching are integrated into rotation teaching. Students carry out independent, clinical examinations of patients under the guidance of a veterinarian. Evening, night and weekend shifts are a mandatory part of the rotation.

The student must pass each clinic period, and ensure that attendance documentation is completed. To pass the clinic period, the student must have attended sufficiently as described in the semester plan and pass the clinic in accordance with criteria given in the document "criteria for passing the clinic in veterinary studies" revised edition adopted by SU-vet 25.03.2019. See documents in the Canvas information room.

Examination (January)

The VET 315 exam consists of 3 parts:

Part 1 - OSCE (objective structured clinical examination)

The OSCE examination is carried out over 2 days and consists of 10 stations, with 6 minutes per station. The student cohort is divided into 2 and each group is randomly assigned to an examination day. The examination comprises a mixture of small animal and equine tasks (including relevant clinical disciplines such as anaesthesia and radiology). The exam is assessed as a whole with an overall pass-fail.

Student versions of relevant exam tasks are available on Canvas, including a description of the steps and critical points involved. The tasks consist of a written history/ instructions for a related task to be performed/solved. Most tasks also have an accompanying demonstration video on Canvas. The student can practice these tasks in advance.

7 out of 10 stations must be passed for the student to pass the OSKE exam. At each station, there is an observer who assesses how the student performs the individual procedures, and this is recorded on a form. Based on these results, a calculation is made for each station using the q-percom program. In order to pass the exam, the student must also pass any critical procedures at the individual stations.

Students can enter q-percom and gets access to their results, see which tasks were performed correctly or incorrectly, and any comments on the execution of the tasks.

If the examination is not passed, a resit exam will be arranged in August.

Part 2 and 3 - digital exam

Examination in small animal medicine:

• Written digital exam with multiple-choice and short answer assignments.
• Duration: 5 hours
• Exam details are announced on Canvas.

Pass mark: approximately 60% ( this can be adjusted up and down depending on what is considered a sufficiently correct answer for the candidate to satisfy the requirements for learning outcomes and show the necessary knowledge, skills and competence.)

Students can view their results along with answers and points, after grading is complete.

Students who need documentation of their own examination performance in addition to passing / failing (for example when applying for an internship abroad) can ask the person responsible for the examination for written documentation of their own response rate related to the percentile for the coal performance.

If the examination is not passed, a resit exam will be arranged in August.

Examination in equine medicine:

• Written digital exam with multiple-choice and short answer assignments.
• Duration: 4 hours
• Exam details are announced on Canvas.

Pass mark: approximately 60% (this can be adjusted up and down depending on what is considered a sufficiently correct answer for the candidate to satisfy the requirements for learning outcomes and show the necessary knowledge, skills and competence.)

Students can view their results along with answers and points, after grading is complete.

Students who need documentation of their own examination performance in addition to passing / failing (for example when applying for an internship abroad) can ask the person responsible for the examination for written documentation of their own response rate related to the percentile for the coal performance.

If the examination is not passed, a resit exam will be arranged in August.

Note! Continuation exam summer 2023 is 3 hours, Pass mark: approximately 60%

1) An external examiner is used in advance of the exam to evaluate the relevance and quality of the assignments

2) Marking is perfomed by the internal examiner and the external examiner.

In the event of an appeal, new internal and external appeal examiners will be appointed.

Requirements for own equipment

Small animal hospital: Own clinic shoes stethoscope, scissors, and nameplate.

See Canvas for clothing

Absence

Rules concerning absence are provided in the semester plan.

The reason for strict absence rules is that clinic teaching provides skills training that is necessary for the practice of the profession. In the event of absence beyond what is accepted, the missing number of days must be made up according to rules given in the semester plan. The student will not be able to be presented for the exam until the absence has been retaken.

Health and Safety

First aid equipment is available. Fire training is provided in the clinics. Students are encouraged to wear gloves when handling medications and other risk materials, allergens, and when handling animals suspected of being infected with a zoonosis.

Pregnant students must discuss this with the person in charge of teaching.

Equine rotation

Reference is made to Rules for handling large production animals and horses at NMBU Veterinary College and Basic Rules regarding handling of animals (See Canvas). Introduction to clinic routines is reviewed orally.

Small animal rotations

The biggest health risk is bite injuries from animals. Emphasis is placed on handling and using muzzles in risk situations. Students wear gloves when handling medicine and otherwise when needed.

Radiography

In the theoretical X-ray review in the 6th semester, dangers and protection are reviewed. In the practical teaching from the 8th semester, students are shown in practice how to protect themselves. Students must follow the regulations below. There is a separate radiation protection manager in the department.

• Wear lead coat and thyroid protection when the student assists inside the X-ray room.
• Female owners / students who are pregnant, or suspected to be, should not participate in taking x-ray images.
• Owners under 18 years should not assist.
• There should be no superfluous people inside the X-ray room.
• The use of sedation / coercive measures to reduce the number of images and to reduce the risk of injury should be used on anxious patients.