Proficiency in Aquatic Animal Medicine Microcredential Program

Auburn Aquatic Medicine Credential Bage

Program Leader:

Stephanie Lindley, DVM, DACVIM (Onc)
Clinical Professor of Medical Oncology
ses0034@auburn.edu

Other Program Personnel:

  • Julie Cavin, DVM – Head Veterinarian, Gulfarium Marine Adventure Park, Ft. Walton Beach, FL
  • Forrest I. Townsend Jr., DVM – Veterinarian, Gulfarium Marine Adventure Park, Ft. Walton Beach, FL

Program Overview

The Proficiency in Aquatic Animal Medicine microcredential provides Auburn University DVM students with an opportunity to expand their knowledge in this competitive field, build professional connections, and strengthen their résumés. Since the current veterinary curriculum offers limited exposure to aquatic animal medicine, this microcredential may also help attract prospective students interested in the field.

Requirements for Completion

To earn this digital badge, students must accumulate a minimum of 18 points through coursework, clinical experience, and a final deliverable. Each student must complete at least one didactic elective, 6 weeks of clinical elective/externship/external experiences, and one deliverable.

1. Didactic Elective Courses (2 points per course, 1 credit hour each)

Students must complete at least one didactic elective. Suggested courses include:

  • VMED 9290 – Clinical Anatomy & Intro to Aquatic Animal Medicine
  • VMED 9870 – Aquatic Animal Medicine
  • VMED 9830 – Marine Animal Medicine
  • VMED 9300 – Reptile Anatomy & Medicine
  • VMED 9309 – Avian Anatomy & Medicine
  • VMED 9040 – Marine Mammal Stranding Response & Necropsy Techniques

Note: At least one didactic elective must pertain to aquatic species. VMED 9300 or 9309 alone or together will not fulfill this portion of the requirement. 

2. Clinical Elective/Externship/External Experience (2.5–5 points per experience)

Students must complete 6 weeks of clinical elective/externship/external experiences, earning:

  • 2.5 points per 40-hour week in a clinical elective or externship
  • 5 points for external programs such as MARVET or summer research at Dauphin Island Sea Lab (DISL)

Experiences must be pre-approved by the program leader.

3. Deliverable (1 point)

Students must complete a project related to aquatic animal medicine, such as:

  • Research presented at a conference
  • A clinical case presentation (e.g., SOCs presentation)

Varied options exist for completion of this requirement but need to be pre-approved by the program leader and personnel. 

How to Apply

Students interested in this microcredential should contact Dr. Stephanie Lindley for enrollment and guidance in developing a completion plan. Given the time commitment and competitive nature of some required experiences, early enrollment is encouraged—preferably during the first semester of the DVM program. However, students already in the curriculum may apply and receive credit for previous qualifying experiences.

Time Commitment

In the minimum, students earning this digital badge may have completed up to approximately 120 hours of work outside of their required core DVM professional curriculum.  However, many of these requirements can count towards both the required professional curriculum and the microcredential.

Completion & Recognition

Students should track their progress and submit completed requirements to the program leader for review. Upon completion, students will be issued a digital badge and be acknowledged at graduation with a diploma seal. There is no penalty for students who enroll but do not complete the program.