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Doctor of Veterinary Medicine Program

Academic Requirements - DVM

Regulations

Course Load and Course Prerequisites
Except in rare circumstances, each student will take a full course load each year. Students must pass prerequisite courses prior to enrolling in courses which require a listed prerequisite.

Materials in Exams
No materials of any kind, other than pencils and pens, may be brought into an examination room without explicit permission of the course coordinator.

Pass-Fail Option
The pass-fail option for courses (Academic Regulation 10c) will apply in the DVM Program only in certain specified courses at the recommendation of the course coordinator and upon approval of the AVC Curriculum Committee and AVC Dean's Council.

Grading in Year 4
Internal courses (rotations) in year 4 are graded according to the following 4 point scale:

1. Exceptional Performance - consistently exceeds course (rotation) expectations.
2. Satisfactory Performance - consistently meets course (rotation) expectations.
3. Marginal Performance - consistently underperforms in course (rotation) expectations.
4. Failing Performance - consistently fails to meet course (rotation) expectations.

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Challenge for Credit by Examination
Challenge for credit by examination is normally not permitted in the DVM Program. Students who are able to demonstrate to the satisfaction of the relevant chair that they have previously taken an equivalent course at the Atlantic Veterinary College, may challenge for credit by examination as outlined in Academic Regulation 15.

Advancement and Probation

Years 1 - 3
In order to advance to the next semester a student must:

1. achieve a grade of at least 50% in all courses taken for credit, regardless of the total number of credits taken. In any multicomponent course a passing grade will be assigned only if each component identified by the course coordinator (e.g., laboratory and didactic sections) has been successfully completed.
2. achieve a weighted average of at least 65%. However, a student with a weighted average of at least 55% but under 65% in first semester of year 1, and at least 60% but under 65% in all other semesters, will be placed on academic probation and allowed to advance. NOTE:  Weighted averages are not rounded up.  The following criteria will apply to a student on academic probation:
   • the student will be permitted only one probationary period (up to a maximum duration of 2 semesters) in the DVM program.
   • failure to achieve a weighted average of at least 65% by the end of the probationary period will result in academic dismissal.
   • return to a weighted average of under 65% after coming off probation will result in academic dismissal.
   • except with permission of the Dean, or designate, a student cannot advance to year 4 without a weighted average of at least 65%.

Year 4
In Year 4 a student:

1. must achieve a “Marginal Performance” or better in all courses taken for credit regardless of the total number of credits taken. In any multi-component course, a passing grade will be assigned only if each component identified by the course coordinator (e.g. patient management and knowledge-based sections) has been successfully completed.
2. with a “Failing Performance” in a rotation the student will be required to successfully repeat the failed rotation. The performance assessment attained in the repeated rotation will be recorded on the student’s transcript. Students who are unsuccessful when repeating the rotation will be dismissed from the program.
3. with “Failing Performance” in a second rotation, after successfully repeating a first failed rotation, will be dismissed from the program.
4. with “Marginal Performance” for 9 or more rotation credit hours (9 or more weeks) will be dismissed from the program.

Academic Dismissal

1.  The following will result in academic dismissal:

• a.  failure to achieve a grade of 50% in any course taken for credit.
• b.  failure to achieve a weighted average of:  (i) at least 55% in semester 1 of year 1, and (ii) at least 60% in any semester (other than semester 1 of year 1) in years 1 - 3.
• c.  failure to achieve a weighted average of at least 65% by the end of a probationary period in years 1 - 3 or return to a weighted average of under 65% after coming off probation in years 1 - 3.
• d.  “Failing Performance” in a single rotation that is not successfully repeated
• e.  “Failing Performance” in a second rotation after successfully repeating a first failed rotation in year 4.
• f.  Receive 9 or more rotation credit hours of a "marginal performance" in the fourth year
• NOTE:  Weighted averages are not rounded up.

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Petition for Readmission
1.  Dismissed students may petition the Dean for readmission to the program. Dismissed students who are successful in their petition for readmission in years 1 – 3 will normally be required to:

• repeat all courses in the semester in question if dismissed for failing one or more courses.
• repeat all courses in the academic year in question if dismissed for failing to attain a weighted average of at least 60% in years 1 - 3.
• reenter the program at the beginning of the academic year in which they were first placed on probation if dismissed for failing to achieve the required weighted average of at least 65% at the end of a two semester probationary period.

2.  Dismissed students who are successful in their petition for readmission in year 4 will normally be required to repeat year 4.

Supplemental Examinations
A supplemental examination provides an opportunity for a student who failed a course to be re-examined in that course.

With the exclusion of certain specified courses (see list below), a student who fails a course in years 1 - 3 of the DVM program will be granted a supplemental examination if the following criteria are met:

• a student will be granted only two (2) supplemental examinations in the DVM program.
• to be eligible for a supplemental examination the overall course grade, including performance in the final examination, must be at least 40%.
• the maximum grade attainable in a course or course component (as specified by the course coordinator) in which a supplemental examination is written shall be 50%.
• if the maximum grade of 50%, attainable in a course in which a supplemental examination is written, contributes to a weighted average that will allow the student to remain in the program.

The scope of the supplemental examination is at the discretion of the course coordinator and will be communicated to the student in advance. In order to pass the supplemental examination, the student must achieve a grade of at least 60% in that exam.

A student who fails a course in semester 1, and is granted a supplemental examination, will normally be required to write the examination before being permitted to continue with courses in semester 2 of the DVM program. A student who fails a course in semester 2 of the DVM program, and is granted a supplemental examination, will normally be expected to write the examination no later than the end of the third week of May.

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Supplemental examinations are not offered in the following courses:

• Clinical rotations in Year 4
• VCA 340 Surgical Exercises in Companion Animals
• VHM 122 Clinical Orientation
• VHM 341 Large Animal Surgery I
• VHM 342 Large Animal Surgery II

CLASS ATTENDANCE POLICY (FIRST TO THIRD YEAR)

Lectures and laboratories

1. Attendance in lectures and laboratories is a student obligation and an un-excused absence is not recognized as a student privilege by the Atlantic Veterinary College. In any course, or course component, attendance may be made mandatory at the instructor’s discretion. Instructors must inform students at the beginning of a course, or course component, of student attendance requirements for successful completion of the course, and of penalties for not meeting those requirements. In the case of repeated absences from classes, the instructor may request from the appropriate Chair and Dean that the student be withdrawn from the course and assigned a grade of F.
2. When possible, a request to be excused from lectures or laboratories should be made in person to the instructor prior to the anticipated absence. The instructor has ultimate authority for ruling on requests for absences. In emergency situations, the Associate Dean of Academic and Student Affairs may be contacted to assist the student with arrangements for making up missed classes. It is unreasonable for students to expect individual instruction if they have not availed themselves of group activities.

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Examinations

1. Students are expected to write examinations at the scheduled examination times. Students unable to write a scheduled term examination due to unavoidable circumstances (e.g., illness, compassionate reasons) should contact the course coordinator directly to request deferral of the examination. In emergency situations, the Associate Dean of Academic and Student Affairs may be contacted to intervene on behalf of the student.
2. In the case of missed final examinations academic regulations 13b (Special Examinations and missed Final Examinations), and 10e (Incomplete Courses) in the UPEI calendar apply.
3. In all cases of missed examinations course coordinators should complete the form “Record of Missed Examinations" and forward a copy to the office of the Associate Dean of Academic and Student Affairs so that a central record may kept of all absences.
4. In the case of illness, a doctors’ certificate may be required at the discretion of the course coordinator or Associate Dean of Academic and Student Affairs.

FOURTH YEAR ROTATIONS

1. Attendance in Fourth Year Rotations is mandatory. In total, eight personal days are allowed during the fourth year. Examples of personal days include, but are not limited to: job interviews, personal or family illness, attendance at conferences, etc.
2. All absences require permission of the rotation coordinator and duty clinician.
3. In all cases of missed rotation days, course coordinators should complete the form “Record of Missed 4th Year Rotation” and forward a copy to the office of the Associate Dean of Academic and Student Affairs so that a central record may be kept.
4. Make-up is normally not required for absences comprising 15% of the rotation duration. The Associate Dean of Academic and Student Affairs will notify rotation coordinators of total absences in excess of the eight personal days and coordinate make-up.

Immunization
The Atlantic Veterinary College has a mandatory rabies vaccination policy which requires that all students be vaccinated or sign a waiver declining vaccination. The Rabies vaccination program is administered by the UPEI Health Centre on behalf of the Atlantic Veterinary College. The Atlantic Veterinary College shares the cost of the Rabies vaccination program with its students.

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Course Supplies
Students requiring course materials or supplies over and above what is normally provided by the Atlantic Veterinary College may be responsible for the additional costs that are incurred.

Animal Use
The humane use of animals in teaching is a normal part of the Atlantic Veterinary College (AVC) curriculum and a necessary component of the veterinary medical education. Examples of such uses include, but are not limited to, dissection of cadavers in Macroscopic Anatomy; post-mortem examination of animals in the Diagnostic Laboratory; handling, restraint, and physical examination of animals in Clinical Orientation; and performing surgery and invasive diagnostic procedures in Medical and Surgical Exercises laboratories. All teaching animal use at the Atlantic Veterinary College is approved by the UPEI Animal Care Committee and conforms to the principles and guidelines of the Canadian Council on Animal Care (CCAC).

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DOCTOR OF VETERINARY MEDICINE PROGRAM

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THE FOURTH-YEAR
The Fourth Year of the DVM program consists of at least 41 semester hours of credit comprising one 2 semester-hour didactic course (VHM 411) and elective clinical rotations.

Clinical rotations in Fourth Year must consist of at least 39 semester hours of credit selected from among approved 1-3 credit-hour core and elective rotations. Fourth year rotations require a minimum time commitment of 28 hours per week of each student, and emergency and out of-hours duties may be required. Normally, one week of fourth year rotation experience equates to one semester hour of credit.

Fourth year rotation selections comprising the required 39 semester hours of credit must meet the following criteria:

• All students must take a core consisting of 15 weeks of internal rotations as follows:

• Radiology (VCA 440) - 3 weeks
• 27 semester hours of credit must consist of internal rotations offered by the AVC.
• 6 semester hours of credit may consist of internal rotations offered by the AVC and/or external clinical experiences in institutional/specialist practices (VBS 490, VCA 490, VHM 490, VPM 490), and/or international veterinary medicine (VPM 410)
• 6 semester hours of credit may consist of internal rotations offered by the AVC, and/or external clinical experiences in institutional/specialist practices (VBS 490, VCA 490, VHM 490, VPM 490), and/or international veterinary medicine (VPM 410), and/or external clinical experiences in general private practice (VCA 494 and VHM 494)

• A minimum of 20 of the 39 rotation weeks must involve primary patient care as designated for internal rotations (P) or as designated by chairs for external rotations
• Either within the core, or in addition to the core, students must take at least 2 weeks in rotations that qualify as a large animal (LA) discipline and 2 weeks in rotations that qualify as a companion animal (CA) discipline.

CA Discipline - a course in which the student's time is largely devoted to veterinary clinical practice of dogs or cats or both.

LA Discipline - a course in which the student's time is largely devoted to veterinary clinical practice of horses or cattle or both.  While some part of the student's efforts may be devoted to herd health, there must be a substantial component of the course given to individual animal medicine.

NOTE: VHM 460* can be counted as either a Large Animal Medicine or a Large Animal Surgery rotation, but not both.   A maximum of 3 credit-hours will be assigned to an individual experience external to the AVC regardless of its duration. The expenses associated with external clinical experiences are the responsibility of the student. Students participating in an external clinical experience may receive a stipend to offset living and travel expenses but cannot receive credit for experiences where they are a salaried employees.

Students are required to select rotations from the following list of courses:

VBS 440 Exotic and Laboratory Animal Medicine (P)
VBS 490 External Clinical Experience-Institutional or Specialist Practice
VBS 495 Special Topics in Biomedical Sciences
VCA 400 Clinics in Small Animal Anaesthesiology (P)(CA)
VCA 410 Clinics in Companion Animal Medicine I (P)(CA)
VCA 420 Clinics in Companion Animal Medicine II (P)(CA)
VCA 422 Clinical Nutrition in Companion Animals
VCA 430 Clinics in Companion Animal Surgery I (P)(CA)
VCA 432 Clinics in Companion Animal Surgery II (P)(CA)
VCA 434 Community Practice (P) (CA)
VCA 440 Clinics in Radiology I
VCA 442 Clinics in Radiology II
VCA 450 Clinics in Large Animal Anaesthesiology and Pain Management (P)(LA)
VCA 460 Clinics in Dermatology (P)(CA)
VCA 462 Clinics in Companion Animal Behaviour
VCA 470 Issues in Animal Welfare
VCA 475 Client Communications
VCA 480 Clinics in Companion Animal Cardiology (P)(CA)
VCA 481 Zoo, Exotic Animal and Wildlife (P) (CA)
VCA 482 Clinics in Ophthalmology (P)(CA)
VCA 490 External Clinical Experience-Institutional or Specialist Practice
VCA 494 External Clinical Experience-General Private Practice
VCA 495 Special Topics in Companion Animals
VHM 401 Career and Practice Management
VHM 402 Applied Epidemiology
VHM 403 Short Course in Applied Epidemiology
VHM 404 Aquaculture Health Management I (P)
VHM 405 Aquaculture Health Management II (P)
VHM 406 Topics in Regulatory Veterinary Epidemiology
VHM 410 Clinics in Large Animal Medicine and Theriogenology (P)(LA)
VHM 412 Animal Welfare Assessment & Regulations
VHM 420 Clinics in Theriogenology - General (P)(LA)
VHM 422 Clinics in Theriogenology - Equine (P)(LA)
VHM 431 Clinics in Farm Service - Ruminants and Swine I (P)(LA)
VHM 432 Clinics in Farm Service - Dairy (P)(LA)

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VHM 434 Ecosystem Health
VHM 435 Clinics in Ambulatory Services - Equine I (P)(LA)
VHM 436 Clinics in Farm Services - Swine (P)
VHM 437 Clinics in Ambulatory Services - Equine II (P)(LA)
VHM 438 Ecosystem Health - Case Studies
VHM 440 Clinics in Large Animal Medicine I (P)(LA)
VHM 441 Clinics in Farm Service - Ruminants and Swine II (P)(LA)
VHM 443 Clinics in Farm Service - Feedlot Management
VHM 445 Clinics in Farm Service - Ruminant Nutrition
VHM 446 Clinics in Farm Service - Ruminant Mastitis
VHM 447 Clinics in Farm Service - Ruminant Production Record Analysis
VHM 448 Clinics in Farm Service - Ruminant Reproduction (P) (LA)
VHM 449 Clinics in Farm Service - Cow/Calf Management (P)(LA)
VHM 450 Clinics in Large Animal Surgery I (P)(LA)
VHM 452 Clinics in Large Animal Surgery II (P)(LA)
VHM 460 Clinics in Large Animal Medicine & Surgery (P)(LA)
VHM 464 Clinics in Large Animal Medicine II-I (P)(LA)
VHM 465 Clinics in Large Animal Medicine II-2 (P)(LA)
VHM 466 Clinics in Large Animal Medicine II-3 (P)(LA)
VHM 467 Swine Health Monitoring
VHM 468 International Small Holder Dairy Health Management (LA)
VHM 480 Clinics in Regulatory Medicine
VHM 481 Clinics in Ruminant Medicine and Surgery Rotation at the University of Montreal - Faculty of Veterinary Medicine (English Rotation)  (P) (LA)
VHM 482 Veterinary Acupuncture
VHM 484 Veterinary Chiropractic Techniques|
VHM 486 Veterinary Acupuncture (Cooperative section)
VHM 490 External Clinical Experience-Institutional or Specialist Practice 
VHM 492 Advanced Equine Dentistry and Health Care (P)
VHM 494 External Clinical Experience-General Private Practice 
VHM 495 Special Topics in Health Management
VPM 410 International Veterinary Medicine
VPM 421 Foreign Animal Diseases
VPM 422 Foreign Animal Diseases with Practicum
VPM 430 Clinical Virology
VPM 450 Diagnostic Services
VPM 460 Morphologic Pathology
VPM 472 Wildlife Health
VPM 482 Aquaculture Diagnostic Services
VPM 490 External Clinical Experience-Institutional 
VPM 495 Special Topics in Pathology and Microbiology
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