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Veterinary Professional Practice 5 (VETS90096)
Graduate courseworkPoints: 100On Campus (Werribee)
From 2023 most subjects will be taught on campus only with flexible options limited to a select number of postgraduate programs and individual subjects.
To learn more, visit COVID-19 course and subject delivery.
About this subject
- Overview
- Eligibility and requirements
- Assessment
- Dates and times
- Further information
- Timetable(opens in new window)
Contact information
Year Long (Extended)
Overview
Availability | Year Long (Extended) |
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Fees | Look up fees |
This subject is composed of 21 weeks of Core and Track clinical rotations undertaken within the University Veterinary Hospital and at external locations, and 17 weeks of clinical extramural placements. An additional two weeks are devoted to completion of a research project in an area of student interest, under the direction of an academic supervisor/mentor. Students also participate in the Capstone activities at the conclusion of their clinical training and assessment tasks.
The Core and Track rotations undertaken within the University Veterinary Hospital include training in clinical disciplines that include small animal medicine and surgery, veterinary public health/epidemiology, diagnostic imaging, anaesthesiology, small animal emergency medicine, clinical pathology and anatomical pathology.
The Core and Track rotations undertaken at external sites include training in clinical disciplines such as behaviour, conservation and wildlife medicine, small animal medicine and surgery, production animal medicine and surgery, equine medicine and surgery, and shelter medicine and surgery.
The clinical extramural placements can be undertaken in approved veterinary practices in Australia or internationally, in government veterinary laboratories or other organisations, or in a veterinary research environment. Students may commence these extramural placements immediately after achieving passes in all DVM 3 level subjects.
After completion of the 40 weeks of clinical training, the subject concludes with a Capstone series of lectures and workshops which review topics that prepare students for transition to the workplace and their veterinary professional careers.
Intended learning outcomes
On completion of this subject, students should be able to:
- Demonstrate appropriate, context-specific professional behaviours in order to effectively work within a team and communicate professionally with colleagues and members of the public
- Obtain a history and perform a clinical examination in order to formulate a prioritised differential diagnosis list and devise an appropriate diagnostic plan
- Select, perform and interpret appropriate diagnostic investigations in order to establish a definitive diagnosis
- Demonstrate technical proficiency in entry level clinical skills in order to successfully perform common procedures in the major domestic species
- Evaluate and integrate information from a range of sources in order to identify potential biosecurity and public health issues and implement measures that will limit pathogen transmission to humans or other animals
- Gather and assimilate relevant environmental, animal, herd, client, health and welfare information in order to formulate and recommend prevention, control and therapeutic plans for individual animals and populations
- Apply ethical and legal standards in order to make decisions and recommendations on the appropriate use of medicines and treatments including euthanasia and the completion of certification
- Gather, analyse, synthesise and communicate scientific evidence in order to practice evidence-based medicine and answer a research question
Generic skills
Upon completion of this subject, students will:
- Be able to seek solutions to problems through the application of knowledge, the ability to initiate and integrate new ideas, an appreciation of the broad picture of science, and an understanding of the importance and application of scientific method
- Deal with integrity and honesty with professional colleagues, clients and the general public
- Demonstrate empathy and concern for animals and people
- Possess an understanding of both scientific and vocational aspects of veterinary science
- Be motivated to be a veterinarian, aware of the veterinarian’s place in society, and prepared to be a leader in the community
- Have broad knowledge of veterinary science and be able to develop intellectual and physical skills as circumstances dictate
- Be trained in all disciplines and aspects of veterinary science
- Be adaptable to changes in their specific field of employment and to advancements in veterinary science in general
- Be confident in their veterinary capabilities on day one post-graduation whilst recognising the limitations of their training
- Be aware of the global society and equipped to contribute to it
- Be a graduate of choice for employers
Last updated: 31 January 2024
Eligibility and requirements
Prerequisites
Satisfactory completion of all subjects at DVM 3 level
Corequisites
None
Non-allowed subjects
None
Inherent requirements (core participation requirements)
The University of Melbourne is committed to providing students with reasonable adjustments to assessment and participation under the Disability Standards for Education (2005), and the Assessment and Results Policy (MPF1326). Students are expected to meet the core participation requirements for their course. These can be viewed under Entry and Participation Requirements for the course outlines in the Handbook.
Further details on how to seek academic adjustments can be found on the Student Equity and Disability Support website: http://services.unimelb.edu.au/student-equity/home
Last updated: 31 January 2024
Assessment
Description | Timing | Percentage |
---|---|---|
Core and Track clinical rotations; 21 weeks total
| Continuous assessment throughout the teaching period | 75% |
Clinical extramural placements
| End of the teaching period | N/A |
Up to 10 Clinical skills assessments (Pass/fail only)
| End of the teaching period | N/A |
Research project, 6,500 words (including up to 50 references)
| Due on 1 November | 12.5% |
Written examination
| End of the teaching period | 12.5% |
Attendance - Capstone, approximately 3 days Hurdle requirement: Students must attend the Capstone activities. | End of the teaching period | N/A |
Aggregate Mark Hurdle requirement: Students must pass the subject on aggregate mark. | N/A |
Last updated: 31 January 2024
Dates & times
- Year Long (Extended)
Coordinators Thierry Beths and Sebastien Bauquier Mode of delivery On Campus (Werribee) Contact hours 1,590 hours (comprising 105 days of Core and Track clinical rotations, 85 days of clinical extramural placements and a 3‐day Capstone experience) Total time commitment 2,400 hours Teaching period 17 January 2022 to 4 November 2022 Last self-enrol date 28 January 2022 Census date 31 May 2022 Last date to withdraw without fail 23 September 2022 Assessment period ends 18 November 2022 Year Long (Extended) contact information
Last updated: 31 January 2024
Further information
- Texts
Prescribed texts
Recommended texts and other resources
These are rotation-dependent and will be provided prior to the start of each individual rotation.
- Subject notes
The requirement of students to complete extramural placements and some rotations on sites external to the Werribee campus may incur additional incidental costs associated with travel and/or accommodation. The amount of these incidental expenses will depend on the location of these external placements. Students should take into account expected incidental expenses prior to organising or confirming external placements.
- Related Handbook entries
This subject contributes to the following:
Type Name Course Doctor of Veterinary Medicine
Last updated: 31 January 2024