Auburn University College of Veterinary Medicine

Professional Curriculum

The professional curriculum is a rigorous four-year program which provides a broad based education to all students. This prepares them to enter a variety of career opportunities within veterinary medicine. Students take 20-22 credit hours per term.

The curriculum is designed as a modified "systems approach". The first year deals mainly with structure and function of the normal animal. This includes gross and microscopic anatomy, imaging and physiology, and other courses. During the first semester of the second year, several principles courses are taught, such as immunology, infectious diseases and pathology. Then students begin courses based on a body system (for example, the gastrointestinal or cardiovascular systems). Each system includes appropriate pathology, imaging, diagnostic techniques and therapeutic measures for both large and small animal diseases. Each semester also includes a small group (problem solving) course related to topics currently being taught.

All students are required to take at least four hours of electives. Most take one elective course per semester beginning with the second semester. Examples include disaster medicine, wildlife diseases, advanced reproductive techniques, diseases of pocket pets, diagnostic ultrasound, practice management, aquarium fish medicine, sports medicine and rehabilitation, equine lameness, applied anatomy, and population medicine.

Courses

First Year
Semester 1		Semester 2
VMED 5111 Vet. Anatomy I	4	VMED 5121 Vet. Anatomy II	3
VMED 5131 Basic Microanatomy	3	VMED 5141 Organology	2
VMED 5110 Physiology I	5	VMED 5120 Physiology II	4
VMED 5130 Cell Phys/Mole Gene	2	VMED 5151 Vet. Neurosciences	5
VMED 5200 Vet. Parasitology I	3	VMED 5210 Vet. Parasitology II	2
VMED 5180 Vet. Ethology	1	VMED 5301 Physical Diagnosis I	2
VMED 5010 Veterinary Ethics	1	VMED 5150 Diagnostic Imaging	2
VMED 5012 Problem Solving I	1	VMED 5022 Problem Solving II	1
		Elective

Second Year
Semester 1		Semester 2
VMED 5220 Prin. Vet. Pathology	3	VMED 5520 Cardiovascular Syst.	2
VMED 5230 Vet. Clin. Pathology	3	VMED 5530 Respiratory Syst.	3
VMED 5240 Prin Vet Immunology	3	VMED 5910 Intro to Anesthesia	3
VMED 5250 Prin. Infectious Dis	4	VMED 5540 Alimentary Syst	5
VMED 5260 Vet. Pharmacology	3	VMED 5030 Public Health	4
VMED 5510 Hemolymphatic/ Integument Sys	4	VMED 5310 Intro to Surgery	2
VMED 5270 Cytology	1	VMED 5020 Vet Med and the Law	1
VMED 5380 Physical Diagnosis II	1	Elective	1
Elective	1
Third Year
Semester 1		Semester 2
VMED 5550 Urinary System	2	VMED 5340 Emerg&Critical Care	2
VMED 5560 Endocrine System	2	VMED 5370 Oncology	1
VMED 5570 Reproductive Syst.	5	VMED 5350 Vet Toxicology	3
VMED 5580 Nervous System	2	VMED 5360 Production Medicine	3
VMED 5590 Musculoskeletal Syst	3	VMED 5320 Clinical Vet Nutrition	2
VMED 5330 Multispecies Med	3	VMED 5900 Special Senses Systems	1
VMED 5311 Surgery Practicum	2	VMED 5601 Clinical Rotations	see below
VMED 5262 Clin Pharmacology	1
VMED 5032 Problem Solving III	1
Elective	1

Fourth Year

During the last 14 months of the curriculum, students participate in a series of required clinical rotations where they interact with patients and clients in the Veterinary Teaching Hospital. The core rotations include:

Small animal internal medicine
Small animal oncology
Small animal general surgery
Small animal orthopedic surgery
Critical care service/ emergency medicine
Dairy medicine & surgery
Community practice
Anesthesia
Diagnostic imaging
Diagnostic pathobiology
Equine medicine
Equine surgery
Equine critical care
Beef medicine & surgery
Food animal theriogenology

Students participate in five elective rotations, one of which may be an externship. Externships are available at a variety of locations. Some students go to practices specializing in specific species such as swine, cats, birds, or exotic animals. Others use the opportunity to learn more about certain disciplines such as dentistry or ophthalmology. Still others learn about non-traditional veterinary careers at locations such as the Center for Disease Control or the San Diego Zoo.

The final portion of the veterinary curriculum is a required preceptorship. Most students spend this period with a veterinarian in clinical practice, but some go to zoos, research facilities or other less traditional practices. During this time students gain supervised, hands-on experience with day-to-day veterinary medical activities.