Doctor of Veterinary Medicine (MC-DVETMED) // Notes

Progression in the Doctor of Veterinary Medicine

STANDING RULES – All Years

Progression in the Doctor of Veterinary Medicine (DVM) program is by year not by semester. The subjects undertaken each year are prerequisites for those of the following year.

A student may not proceed to the next year of the program without having satisfied completely all of the requirements of the preceding year.

Convening of the Course Unsatisfactory Progress Committee (CUPC)

The Faculty's Course Unsatisfactory Progress Committee will convene after results have been certified for each subject to review the progress of any student in the Repeat Year or Termination of Enrolment category. Students in these categories will be invited to make an oral and/or written submission to the Committee. The CUPC is authorised to make decisions on behalf of the Faculty with regard to the progress of individual students and to vary the Standing Rules if it deems that progression of a student can be facilitated without adversely affecting academic standards.

STANDING RULES - Years 1, 2 and 3

1. Hurdle Reassessment

1.1 A hurdle reassessment is a further assessment that will be offered for a failed hurdle component of a subject provided the student has

• Achieved a mark of 40% or greater in the subject, and
• Failed no more than three hurdle requirements (for DVM-1) or two hurdle requirements (for DVM-2 or DVM-3) across all subjects in the year.

1.2 Hurdle reassessment will be offered to eligible students following the release of final subject results.

1.3 A hurdle reassessment is a complete examination in the hurdle component and is the sole determinant of the mark for that hurdle component.

1.4 The format of the hurdle reassessment may differ from that of the original assessment. The maximum mark recorded a hurdle reassessment is 50%.

1.5 Some hurdle requirements may not contribute to the final grade in a subject. Where the numeric result for a hurdle requirement contributes to the overall subject result, the hurdle reassessment mark will be used in that calculation.

2. Supplementary Examinations

2.1 Supplementary examinations will be offered for a subject in which a student achieves a mark between 40% and 49% (inclusive) and has satisfactorily completed all prescribed hurdle requirements.

2.2 A supplementary examination will not be offered for a subject in which a student has failed a hurdle reassessment.

2.3 Supplementary examinations will not be offered if a student falls into the 'Repeat the Year' or 'Termination of Enrolment' categories.

2.4 Supplementary examinations will not be offered for subjects that a student fails whilst repeating a year.

2.5 A supplementary examination is a complete examination in a subject and is the sole determinant of the final mark for that subject. No earlier assessment components of the subject will contribute to the final mark in that subject. The format of the supplementary examination may differ from that of the original examination(s) in that subject. A supplementary examination may be comprised of more than one assessment type. The maximum mark recorded for a supplementary examination is 50%.

3. Repeat the Year

3.1 Students in DVM-1 will not be permitted to repeat subjects.

3.2 Students in DVM-2 and DVM-3 will be permitted to repeat if they do not fall into the Termination of Enrolment category.

3.3 Repeating students are required to undertake only those subjects that they have failed and must complete all components of those subjects.

3.4 Students repeating subjects must pass all components of those subjects outright and are not eligible for supplementary examinations or hurdle reassessments.

4. Termination of Enrolment

4.1 A student will be placed in the Termination of Enrolment category if he or she

• Fails one or more subjects in DVM-1
• Fails two or more subjects in DVM-2
• Fails all subjects in DVM-3
• Fails any subject in a year at the first attempt with a mark of less than 40%
• Fails any repeated subject

STANDING RULES – Year 4

1. Hurdle reassessment requirements

Hurdle reassessments will be offered to eligible students who have failed oral examinations, clinical rotations/placements or the research project. Students who are repeating the year are not eligible for hurdle reassessments.

1.1 Oral examinations

1.1.1 Students will be allowed up to two reassessments (one per subject/topic) if they fail no more than two oral hurdle examinations at the end of fourth year.

1.1.2 The format of the oral reassessments may differ from that of the original examinations.

1.2 Research project

1.2.1 A student who fails the research project hurdle will be permitted to re-submit the project during the supplementary examination period. The maximum mark recorded for this reassessment is 50%.

1.3 Rotations

1.3.1 Students will be permitted to repeat up to two failed internal or external clinical rotations or extramural elective placements. These hurdle requirements can be repeated during the year or after the examination period. A repeat rotation/placement will be of the same duration as the failed rotation/placement. The maximum mark recorded for a repeat rotation/placement is 50%.

2. Supplementary Examinations

2.1 Students will be offered a supplementary examination if they do not fall into the Repeat the Year or Termination of Enrolment category. To be eligible for a supplementary examination, students must have passed all five themes of Veterinary Professional Practice and have an overall subject mark of more than 40%.

2.2 A supplementary examination will be granted for eligible students who fail the end of year written examination or oral examination hurdle.

2.3 A supplementary examination will be granted for eligible students who fail three rotations (internal or external clinical rotations or extramural placements), or a repeated rotation.

2.4 Failure of the research project will result in a supplementary examination provided a student has passed all five themes of Veterinary Professional Practice and has an overall mark of more than 40%.

2.5 The format of the supplementary examination may differ from that of the original examination(s). A supplementary examination is a complete examination and alone determines the final mark for the subject. The maximum mark that may be recorded for the subject is 50%.

2.6 A supplementary examination will not be granted if a student is repeating the year.

3. Repeat the Year

3.1 A DVM-4 student who does not fall into the Termination of Enrolment category will be permitted to repeat the year if he or she:

• fails four or more rotations, i.e. clinical rotations, electives or extramural placements, or
• fails a supplementary examination, or
• fails any one of the five themes of Veterinary Professional Practice with a mark between 40 and 49%, or
• fails the subject with a mark between 40 and 49%.

3.2 Repeating DVM-4 students are required to undertake and successfully complete all components of Veterinary Professional Practice in the first repeated attempt.

4. Termination of Enrolment

4.1 A DVM-4 student will be placed in the Termination of Enrolment category if he or she

• fails Veterinary Professional Practice at the first attempt with a mark of less than 40%, or
• fails any of the five themes of Veterinary Professional Practice with a mark of less than 40%, or
• fails two or more of the five themes of Veterinary Professional Practice, or
• fails any examination or a theme in a repeated year.

Last updated: 18 December 2020