Ideal Attributes for Graduates
of the DVM Program
Approved by the CVM faculty on 1/20/2005
Educational Plan For the College of Veterinary Medicine,
Washington State University
A. The CVM seeks to graduate students who will be known
for their knowledge base:
WSU graduates should understand the scientific basis of
veterinary medicine and apply that understanding to veterinary
practice. They should comprehend disease at a molecular, cellular,
systemic, individual, and population level. They should have a
comprehensive knowledge of the body as an intact organism and of its
major organ systems. They should understand the principles of
homeostasis, the processes of aberrant growth, the modes of
infection and disease transmission, the responses to stress, injury,
and general or basic behavioral traits of animals. They should also
have a foundation in nutrition, immunology, reproduction and
development, pharmacology and toxicology, genetics, epidemiology,
preventative medicine and population health. They should have a
comprehensive grounding in comparative biology between animal
species.
WSU graduates should expertly combine their understanding of
these diverse biomedical areas into the effective medical management
and treatment of sick animals, as compromised by disease, trauma, or
other health-related issues. They should understand the etiology,
pathogenesis, and time course of common diseases, and the clinical,
laboratory, radiographic and pathologic manifestations of diseases
and injury. They should incorporate modern diagnostic and
therapeutic modalities into their practice. They should know how to
find and use medical information. They should engage in lifelong
learning to remain current in their understanding of the scientific
basis of veterinary medicine. They should be knowledgeable about
risk factors for disease and injury. They should use this diversity
of knowledge to help maintain the wellness of individuals and
populations of animals. They should promote the health of animals
and the public through client and public education, service, and
action.
WSU graduates should be aware of and conversant in the benefits
of the animal-human bond and the contributions that animals make to
the well being of humans. They should be knowledgeable of
animal-related disease threats to human health, including
environmental factors and potential biosecurity issues. WSU
graduates should recognize the breadth of the veterinary discipline,
and especially understand the important and diverse roles that
animals play in the health, economics, food-supply, recreation, and
well being of mankind.
WSU graduates should understand that the DVM degree is an
entry-level degree and that, in order to function effectively as a
seasoned veterinarian or as a specialist, they will need to invest
considerable additional educational time and efforts.
Upon completion of the DVM curriculum, graduates of the College
of Veterinary Medicine should have the following KNOWLEDGE BASE:
Knowledge of Disease that includes:
i) Understanding the normal structure and function of the
body as an intact organism
ii) Understanding the molecular, biochemical, and cellular
mechanisms important in maintaining the body’s homeostasis and
normal function
iii) Comprehending disease at the molecular, cellular,
systemic, individual and population level
iv) Understanding the various etiologies of disease including
metabolic, nutritional, traumatic, degenerative, toxic,
infectious, parasitic, immune, neoplastic, genetic and
developmental; their causes, and the clinical reasoning that
allows a distinction to be made between them
v) Understanding the altered pathology and pathophysiology of
the body and its major organ systems with various disease
conditions
vi ) Understanding the processes of disease transmission for
common diseases and of common environmental determinants of
disease
Foundation Principles of Animal Wellness and Health
Maintenance that includes:
i) Understanding adequate nutrition and normal eating
patterns, including differences by age and disease state
ii) Understanding healthy growth patterns, especially as they
apply to food animals
iii) Understanding common immunizations protocols
iv) Understanding normal theriogenology and animal husbandry
v) Understanding the risk factors for animal disease and
injury and common practices for their prevention and the ability
to effectively communicate these risk factors to clients
vi) Understanding the principles of population health and
epidemiology, especially as they relate to multiple animal units
vii) Understanding the appropriate tests for detecting
animals or groups of animals at risk for specific diseases or in
the early stage of disease, and of strategies for responding
appropriately
Principles of Diagnosis, Medical Management and Treatment
that include:
i ) Understanding how to find and use medical knowledge, and
of the application of the scientific method to clinical
reasoning, diagnosis, and data evaluation
ii) Understanding the most frequent clinical, laboratory,
radiographic and pathologic manifestations of common animal
diseases, and the appropriate selective use of these and other
diagnostic procedures in diagnosis strategies; the ability to
interpret the results of commonly used diagnostic procedures;
and a working knowledge of the correct collection, storing and
handling of diagnostic samples
iii) Understanding general or basic behavior traits across
species and of behavioral responses to disease and trauma
iv) Understanding medications and pharmaceuticals commonly
used in practice including their contra-indications, side
effects, incompatibilities, and withdrawal times. They should be
able to accurately and consistently calculate drug dosages
v) Understanding routine surgical procedures, suture
materials and suturing patterns, tissue handling techniques for
surgical procedures and wound repair, and anesthesia, including
techniques for its monitoring
Understanding the healing process following injury, surgery
or other invasive procedures
Understanding the responses to injury, pain, and stress
Effective Client Communication skills that include:
i) Understanding communication and its impact on the
successful functioning of a veterinarian
ii) Understanding the use of animals in sport, recreation,
agriculture, research and industry, with an appreciation for
animal ownership from a variety of client perspectives
iii) Understanding the nature of the animal-human bond and
the contributions that animals can make to human health and
well-being, and an appreciation of what being an animal owner
entails
iv) Ready recognition of common animal species and/or breeds
v) Cognizance of common non-traditional therapies and the
ability to evaluate evidence of their effectiveness
A Knowledge Base for Public Health that includes:
i) Understanding disease transmission between animals and
humans and other animal disease threats to human health,
including environmental-based and food-borne diseases and drug
residues; possessing the working knowledge to effectively
communicate these occupational hazards to clients and staff
ii) Understanding of approaches to the control of
animal-animal and animal-human disease transmission
Introductory Knowledge of Veterinary Business Practice
that includes:
i) A general understanding of the working environment of a
typical veterinary practice, with an introductory level of
knowledge of small business management and economics
ii) A practical knowledge of regulatory law
B. The CVM seeks to graduate students who will be known
for their skill:
WSU graduates should be clinically and professionally skilled in
providing care to both individuals and populations of animals. They
should be able to obtain from their clients an accurate history, to
safely and humanely handle and restrain animals for examination, and
to perform complete, as well as limited organ system specific,
physical examinations. They should be skillful and knowledgeable to
obtain the necessary diagnostic evaluations. They should be
proficient in diagnostic reasoning, in developing problem lists and
differential diagnoses, and to reason deductively and critically to
solve clinical problems. From such analyses, they should be able to
develop appropriate clinical management and therapeutic strategies
for a patient. They should be technically competent in common
clinical and surgical procedures, as well as in the administration
of anesthetics and therapeutics. They should be compassionate and
skillful in relieving pain and in implementing euthanasia.
WSU graduates should have the range of interpersonal skills to
communicate effectively and establish rapport with clients,
colleagues and staff. They should be able to discuss clinical
options with their clients in an honest, compassionate and objective
manner. They should be able to recognize when their knowledge or
skills are limiting, must know how to seek information, and should
have the wisdom to seek referral when necessary. WSU graduates
should have the skills and aptitude to seek out, critically evaluate
and appropriately use new knowledge. They should have the skills and
commitment to remain current in their biomedical knowledge and
clinical skills
Upon completing the DVM curriculum, graduates of the CVM should
have the following SKILL SETS:
-
The ability to reason deductively and critically to solve
problems
The interpersonal skills to communicate effectively, both orally
and in writing, and to establish rapport with clients,
colleagues, and staff
The ability to effectively listen to and elicit from a client
the full history of the patient (This skill requires not only
familiarity with medical terminology, but also with lay
terminology, expressions, and descriptions.)
The ability to safely, correctly and humanely restrain animals
for examination
The ability to perform both a complete and an organ
system-specific physical examination, including the assessment
of behavioral manifestations of disease and trauma (This skill
requires an appreciation for when to avoid focusing the
examination prematurely.)
The ability to perform routine technical procedures including
venipuncture, intravenous catheterization, inserting a naso/oral
gastric tube, thoracocentesis, collecting cerebrospinal fluid,
inserting a urinary catheter, rectal palpation, and aspirating
fluids and collecting other samples for laboratory testing and
the ability to teach others to help them perform these skills –
i.e. a veterinarian must also be a teacher.
The ability to appropriately select and interpret common
diagnostic procedures and to perform routine hematological and
microbiological analyses, urinalysis, simple pathological
evaluations, semen analysis, and common radiographic and other
imaging procedures
The ability to develop problem lists and differential diagnoses,
to correlate clinical signs with appropriate organ systems, and
to resolve clinical problems by logical reasoning and the
application of the principles of evidence-based medicine
The ability to develop appropriate clinical management and
therapeutic strategies for each patient after a thoughtful
analysis of the full array of available information
The ability to recognize patients with immediately life
threatening conditions and to institute appropriate therapy
The ability to perform routine surgical procedures including
handling and suturing wounds and lacerations, surgery to remove
foreign bodies, spaying and neutering, and administering
anesthetic agents
The skills essential for the administration of therapeutics by
commonly utilized routes
The common clinical skills and competencies for animal
reproduction and neonatal care
The clinical acumen to appropriately monitor progress as needed
either by direct observation or client communication, and to
adjust therapy and diagnosis according to results
The ability to recognize when their veterinary knowledge and
skill is limited and the wisdom and integrity to seek
consultation and referral
The ability and knowledge to recognize and to relieve pain and
ameliorate the suffering of animals
The ability to identify the circumstances when euthanasia is an
appropriate option, to effectively and compassionately
communicate the range of options to the client and, as
appropriate, implement euthanasia under compassionate conditions
for the animal and client
The competence to identify and suggest approaches to help
prevent disease and trauma in individual and groups of animals,
including the ability to conduct an environmental assessment for
hazards including toxic chemicals and plants
The ability to create, maintain and use accurate and legible
medical records
A competence in information technology to be able to access and
retrieve from electronic databases and other resources accurate
biomedical information, diagnostic strategies, and medical
records
The skills to gain and appropriately use new information, and to
remain current with emerging biomedical knowledge and
therapeutic options
The ability to critically examine new knowledge, with an
understanding of the basic concepts and principles of scientific
investigation in the biomedical sciences
C. The CVM seeks to graduate students who will be known
for their compassion, intellectual honesty, trustworthiness, and
ethical behavior:
WSU graduates should bring to the study and practice of
veterinary medicine those character traits, attitudes, and values
that underpin high quality veterinary care. At all times, treatment
of animals by our students and our graduates must be humane. They
should strive to meet the health needs and well being of their
patients.
WSU graduates should compassionately and empathetically serve and
respect their clients without regard to clients’ beliefs, values,
ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, or economic status. They
should have concern and be advocates for the welfare of their
clients and their clients’ community, particularly in the areas of
public health and safety.
WSU graduates should be trustworthy and truthful in all
professional dealings. They should be committed to the constant
improvement of their own knowledge of veterinary care, be
self-assessing and reflective of their knowledge and skill level,
and be open to change and new ideas. They should be committed to
working collaboratively with other veterinarians, other health care
professionals, and community and regulatory agencies; they should
value professional interaction in this area; and should develop a
global perspective on the role of veterinary medicine. They must
recognize, accept, and adopt the ethical precepts of the veterinary
profession and their obligations under the law.
Over the course of the DVM curriculum, a graduate of the
CVM should have exhibited the following PROFESSIONAL
CHARACTERISTICS:
Related to instructors, classmates, staff, clients and their
animals with honesty, compassion, empathy, and dedication
Did not allow considerations of religion, ethnicity, gender,
sexual orientation, politics or social standing to preclude
productive and constructive relationships with instructors,
staff, classmates, or clients
Exhibited sufficient behavioral and emotional health to fully
utilize his/her intellectual ability, to exercise good judgment,
to complete patient care responsibilities promptly and properly,
and to relate to patients, their owners and their animals with
courtesy, compassion, integrity, maturity, and respect for their
dignity
Evidenced the emotional intelligence to examine and modify
personal attitudes, perceptions, and stereotypes that may
negatively impact patient care and interpersonal relationships
Behaved and presented themselves in a professional manner in
spite of stressful work demands, changing environments, and
clinical uncertainties
Demonstrated the ability to work collaboratively and flexibly as
a professional team member
Tolerated conflicting ideas, and exhibited an openness and
flexibility to accept change
Demonstrated the moral fiber to never compromise care of an
animal for which they were responsible, regardless of whether
this care conflicted with personal schedules or activities
Did not overtly engage in educational activities or patient care
duties while under the influence of alcohol or non-prescribed,
illicit drugs. In addition, the student did not engage in
patient care duties while impaired in any manner by any
substance (i.e., even prescribed drugs that are known to impact
performance)
Used the authority, special privileges, and trust inherent in
the veterinary student-client relationship solely for the
benefit of both the client and the patient and avoided behaviors
that constitute misuse of this power
Approved by the CVM faculty on 1/20/2005
Last Edited: Feb 01, 2007 4:11 PM