Please note: Programme and unit information may change as the relevant academic field develops.
We may also make changes to the structure of programmes and assessments to improve the student experience.
| Unit name |
Clinical Veterinary Science and Professional Practice 1 |
| Unit code |
VETS30041 |
| Credit points |
0 |
| Level of study |
H/6
|
| Teaching block(s) |
Teaching Block 4 (weeks 1-24)
|
| Unit director |
Dr. McGill |
| Open unit status |
Not open |
| Units you must take before you take this one (pre-requisite units) |
Successful completion of BVSc Year 2
|
| Units you must take alongside this one (co-requisite units) |
There are no co-requisite units. However, as specified by the RCVS and outlined in the Extra-Mural Studies (EMS) handbook, you will need to undertake EMS placements during vacation time.
|
| Units you may not take alongside this one |
Not applicable
|
| School/department |
Bristol Veterinary School |
| Faculty |
Faculty of Health Sciences |
Unit Information
This unit has three co-leads: Sophie McGill, Julie MacFarlane and Ross Harley.
What are the common diseases of animals? How do they differ between species? How do vets work out what's going on, and how to treat their patients? Do you know yet what sort of vet you aspire to be?
In Year 3, you will learn about pathophysiology, diagnosis and management of common conditions in a wide range of species, using a systems-based approach. You will continue to hone your clinical examination skills so that you can identify abnormalities in your patients. You will develop the skills you will need to handle a wide range of situations, including role-play to hone your communication skills. You will learn clinical skills such as surgical preparation that will help you get the most out of clinical Extra-Mural Studies (EMS) placements. You will learn more about your responsibilities in protecting public health through safe food production and prevention and identification of diseases that affect both animals and people.
Having learnt about normal bodies and the basics of disease processes in previous years, in this unit you will learn how to diagnose and manage common conditions. Your practical learning will focus on the skills that will help you optimise your learning on clinical EMS placements (undertaken during vacation periods) and in final year rotations. All of the teaching and assessment in BVSc3 is incorporated within this Unit. It is a "must pass" unit for progression to BVSc4.
Your learning on this unit
This Unit will cover the pathophysiology, diagnosis and management of common conditions in a range of body systems. Legal aspects of practice will be covered including notifiable diseases, disease surveillance and veterinary public health. You will develop your problem-solving and evidence-based skills across a wide range of veterinary scenarios, with increasing consideration of the spectrum of care provision across which vets work. Coursework will link to the broad areas of veterinary public health, research, communication skills and reflection on your developing professional identity.
Working through clinical case-based learning (CBL), you will develop your ability to think like a vet, and start to challenge yourself to make clinical decisions which take into account a wide range of factors. You will develop increased awareness of the uncertainty and incomplete information inherent to professional life, and recognise the importance of becoming comfortable with this. You will be increasingly aware of your role as a leader and within a team, and the responsibilities of the individual veterinary surgeon in protecting human health and working in a sustainable manner. Learning outcomes related to the programme's five vertical themes are outlined below.
Scientific foundations of veterinary medicine
Explain animal disease and common conditions in the context of pathophysiology, diagnosis and management at the level of the individual and population across a wide range of species, using an evidence-based medicine approach, and identifying opportunities for research.
Practical and clinical skills
Demonstrate and develop your clinical, communication (verbal and written) and practical skills to prepare you to apply these in workplace settings
Clinical and professional reasoning
Apply professional and clinical reasoning skills to common clinical situations at the individual and herd level, whilst dealing with incomplete information and uncertainty and integrating the needs of the animals, their owners, and the veterinary business
Developing as a professional and lifelong learner
Reflect on your developing professional identity, your learning on the programme and your experiences on work placements, and demonstrate your development in personal leadership and as a team member.
Animals, people and planet
Describe the role of the veterinary professional in relation to veterinary public health with regard to the prevention, management and control of zoonotic and notifiable diseases, in safe food production, and in promoting sustainable approaches to animal health.
How you will learn
You will learn primarily through in-person teaching, supplemented with a blend of online resources (such as videos, readings and worksheets). The online resources, many of which you will work through independently, will prepare you for a range of in-person teaching including case-based learning (CBL) classes (where you will work through real veterinary scenarios in groups), practicals and quizzes. The teaching will be structured into blocks, starting with a Clinical Foundation block and followed by a Veterinary Public Health block. Each subsequent block focusses on a different body system, with opportunities to integrate and apply learning across blocks and systems. Coursework and other tasks will provide opportunities for reflection and for "deep dives" to focus on specific areas of interest. As specified by the RCVS, and outlined in the Extra-Mural Studies (EMS) handbook, you will need to undertake EMS placements during vacation time.
How you will be assessed
The programme has a pass/fail assessment strategy.
You will be required to complete a range of coursework during the Unit, with formative feedback provided. You will also receive formative feedback through online and in-class quizzes, peer feedback and meetings with personal tutors. Where appropriate, marks are provided for individual feedback purposes only.
Summative Written Assessments: An integrated written assessment will be undertaken at the end of Year 3. The written assessment will cover a wide range of intended learning outcomes (ILOs) across themes, as a test of application of knowledge derived from all the Year 3 learning opportunities and integrating knowledge and concepts from Years 1 and 2. The summative written assessment will comprise a single-best-answer (SBA) paper and a multiple-short-answer (MSA) paper. You must gain a minimum of 50% overall across the two papers to pass this assessment. The End of Year 3 Summative Written Assessments will be taken as a first attempt in the Summer Assessment Period and, if required, as a second attempt (resit) in the Resit Period.
Summative Practical Assessment: Objective Structured Clinical Examinations (OSCEs) will be held during the year. The OSCEs are a "must pass" assessment for progression to BVSc4. There will be a resit opportunity for the OSCE assessment.
Engagement and coursework requirements:
Students must satisfy all engagement and coursework requirements as set out in the BVSc3 Student Progression Requirements (SPR). Satisfactory and appropriate engagement with the programme will be determined by the Progress Committee which will normally meet on a termly basis. The committee will monitor student attendance, levels of professionalism and engagement as outlined in the SPR document. A student who has not demonstrated satisfactory and appropriate engagement with the programme, nor reached a satisfactory level of professionalism (as determined by level of engagement and any other evidence relating to professionalism presented to the Progress Committee) will not be permitted to sit the End of Year 3 Summative Assessments and thus will not be able be progress to Year 4. In accordance with University regulations, students will be permitted two attempts at summative assessments in Year 3. Dependent on exceptional circumstances, and subject to University regulations, a student may be permitted a second attempt at completion of Year 3 or otherwise will be required to withdraw from the programme.
Progression to Year 4:
In order to progress to Year 4 of the BVSc programme students must have met all of the engagement criteria as outlined by the SPR document and passed the Summative Year 3 assessments at first or second (resit) attempt as determined by the Board of Examiners. The pass marks for the End of Year 3 assessments will be determined by a formal standard setting process.
The End-of-Year written assessment marks are recorded.
Resources
If this unit has a Resource List, you will normally find a link to it in the
Blackboard area for the unit. Sometimes there will be a separate link for each
weekly topic.
If you are unable to access a list through Blackboard, you can also find it
via the Resource Lists homepage.
Search for the list by the unit name or code (e.g. VETS30041).
How much time the unit requires
Each credit equates to 10 hours of total student input. For example a 20 credit unit will take you 200 hours
of study to complete. Your total learning time is made up of contact time, directed learning tasks,
independent learning and assessment activity.
See the
University Workload statement relating to this unit for more information.
Assessment
The assessment methods listed in this unit specification are designed to enable students to demonstrate the named learning outcomes (LOs). Where a disability prevents a student from undertaking a specific method of assessment, schools will make reasonable adjustments to support a student to demonstrate the LO by an alternative method or with additional resources.
The Board of Examiners will consider all cases where students have failed or not completed the assessments required for credit.
The Board considers each student's outcomes across all the units which contribute to each year's programme of study. For appropriate assessments, if you have self-certificated your absence, you will normally be required to complete it the next time it runs (for assessments at the end of TB1 and TB2 this is usually in the next re-assessment period).
The Board of Examiners will take into account any exceptional circumstances and operates
within the Regulations and Code of Practice for Taught Programmes.
