DVM Curriculum

The PVM faculty implemented a revised curriculum for the first three years of the DVM program in Fall 2018 with the class of 2022. The ultimate goal of the new curriculum is to educate veterinary students who are “practice-ready” and who have the foundation to pursue any veterinary career path that they choose. The curriculum provides a strong foundation in the major domestic species and allows students to tailor their curriculum to their future career goals through tracking in semester 6 and fourth year.

The core curriculum has been expanded for all students regardless of their career focus. The first two years remain focused on basic sciences while the third year focuses on the clinical sciences. Year one examines the normal animal with courses such as anatomy, physiology, microscopic anatomy, immunology, behavior and nutrition. A course on animal production systems and associated ethical issues provides all students with an understanding of production systems and principles for moral reasoning so that even small animal veterinarians can discuss these topics knowledgeably.

In order to increase their intercultural competency, first year students complete a co-curricular requirement consisting of the online modules in the Diversity and Inclusion Certificate Program. Students may begin these modules during the summer prior to matriculation.

The second year focuses on the response of the body to injury and disease with courses such as pathology, bacteriology, virology, parasitology and pharmacology. Veterinary epidemiology and public health are also studied.

There is a series of small group, problem-based learning courses in the first 3 semesters of the curriculum. Students work in small groups with a faculty coach to study cases that help them to apply the basic science information that is being learned in other courses. Students learn how to find information in the literature and apply it to solve a problem. They develop communication skills and teamwork skills as well as independent learning skills. Oral examinations are administered to evaluate students' problem-solving and communication skills.

The third year of the curriculum focuses on the diagnosis and treatment of diseases in a variety of species. The core courses in the third year have been expanded to provide a strong foundation in medicine, surgery and diagnostics for all the major domestic species. A new course on small animal primary care and wellness will increase the focus on primary care. A new Food Animal Medicine course will expand students' foundation in diseases of food and fiber animals (cattle, small ruminants, swine and poultry). The number of electives has been reduced by incorporating some previously elective material into core courses and by combining some electives. Students choose electives primarily in semester 6 to focus on specific career goals.

An important addition to the curriculum is a series of 6 courses called Veterinary Skills and Competencies (VSAC) I-VI that occur each semester of the first 3 years. These courses are designed to teach and practice clinical skills, communication skills, business acumen, professionalism, and wellness skills. Students have hands-on experience with animals throughout these courses. Instruction occurs through faculty-led laboratories, faculty-led discussion periods, online modules completed by independent study and through peer teaching. Students have multiple opportunities to practice skills in the Clinical Skills Laboratory so that they can truly achieve competency. After students have achieved competency in specific clinical skills, the students will assist fourth year DVM students in the Veterinary Hospital during evening and weekend shifts under the direction of senior veterinary students. The skills being learned and practiced in the VSAC courses will be integrated with foundational information covered in other courses. The VSAC courses are designed to prepare students for entry into the clinical curriculum in the fourth year.

The fourth year continues to be a full year of 17 3-week clinical rotations. Each student chooses one of seven tracks in semester 5 which guides their choice of semester 6 elective courses and determines the required rotations in their fourth year. The most focused tracks are Small Animal, Equine and Food Animal. The Large Animal track combines Equine and Food Animal. The Companion Animal track is a combination of Equine and Small Animal. The Mixed Animal track is the traditional broad-based experience in both large animals and small animals. The Non-practice Track is designed for students in combined degree programs or pursuing research careers.

A listing of the courses by semester follows.

First Year

Fall Semester

Second Year

Third Year

• Core/elective approach
• Courses organized along species lines
• Core courses
  • required for all tracks
  • cover all major domestic species and all major disciplines
• Electives
  • chosen based on student's career goals
  • choices made in consultation with veterinary medicine faculty advisor

Fourth Year

The fourth year consists entirely of clinical rotations. There are no didactic courses in the fourth year. The fourth year begins the Monday following semester 6 final examinations and continues for a full 12 months. The fourth year is divided into 17 3-week blocks, each of which begins on Monday unless Monday is a holiday.

There is a 10- to 12-day period in December and January (between blocks 11 and 12) spanning Christmas and New Year's when the Veterinary Hospital is on a reduced schedule. Each fourth year student is assigned to Veterinary Hospital Practicum for half of this holiday period. In Veterinary Hospital Practicum, students are assigned to work on a Veterinary Hospital service through which they have already rotated. Each student has vacation time during the period they are not scheduled in the Veterinary Hospital.

Each student is encouraged to take a 3-week vacation block during the fourth year. This is counted as one of their 17 blocks. If a vacation block is not chosen, then an additional elective may be chosen.

Each student is required to complete a 6-week externship in a location off-campus. Externships are very flexible. The experience is arranged by the student to support his/her career goals. The only requirement is that the student must be directly supervised by a veterinarian. Externships may be domestic or international experiences. Students are encouraged to complete the entire externship at one location to maximize the amount of hands-on experience that they get, but they may request permission to split their externship at two or three locations.

The Off-campus/Adjunct Faculty Block program (VM 89100/VM 89000) allows students to individualize and enrich their fourth year education by arranging off-campus experiences that are not available at PVM. Students may apply for up to four 3-week elective blocks (depending on their track) with mentors in off-campus locations for experiences that are not available at PVM. Up to 60 off-campus or adjunct faculty blocks per class may be approved by the Curriculum Committee if the Committee determines that each proposed block offers a well-supervised rigorous experience that is not available at Purdue. The range of experiences that have been approved includes pet bird/exotic animal practice, zoo animal practice, intensive food animal operations, embryo transfer, and governmental and private pharmaceutical laboratory research. The student is required to submit a detailed application outlining the proposed experience and its justification. The mentor provides a performance appraisal of the student, and a grade of Pass or Not Pass is recorded for the block.

Short off-campus block experiences of 3-5 working days may be arranged by an instructor and student during several of the large animal blocks. These experiences expose students to enriching clinical activities not available at Purdue.

The fourth year curriculum is determined by the student's track. Track selection occurs during semester 5 while selecting electives for semester 6. The track chosen determines the required and elective blocks for the fourth year. There are seven tracks:

1. Equine track
2. Food animal track
3. Small animal track
4. Companion animal track (horses and small animals)
5. Large animal track (horses and food animals)
6. Mixed animal track (all species)
7. Non-practice track (for individuals targeting a career in industry or research)

Students who are not sure of their career goals are encouraged to choose the traditional mixed animal track. Most semester 6 electives are not limited by the track selection of the student.

COMPANION ANIMAL TRACK - PLAN OF STUDY

Each student needs a total of 17, 3-week blocks. All courses are 3-week blocks unless indicated otherwise.

EQUINE TRACK - PLAN OF STUDY

Each student needs a total of 17, 3-week blocks . All courses are 3-week blocks unless indicated otherwise.

FOOD ANIMAL TRACK - PLAN OF STUDY

LARGE ANIMAL TRACK - PLAN OF STUDY

Each student needs a total of 17, 3-week blocks . All courses are 3-week blocks unless indicated otherwise.

MIXED ANIMAL TRACK - PLAN OF STUDY

NON-PRACTICE TRACK - PLAN OF STUDY

Each student needs a total of 17, 3-week blocks . All courses are 3-week blocks unless indicated otherwise.

SMALL ANIMAL TRACK - PLAN OF STUDY

Each student needs a total of 17, 3-week blocks . All courses are 3-week blocks unless indicated otherwise.