DVM Fourth Year Curriculum
Beginning in May 2013
The fourth year consists entirely of clinical rotations. There are no didactic courses in the fourth year. The fourth year begins the Monday following semester 6 final examinations and continues for a full 12 months. The fourth year is divided into 17 3-week blocks, each of which begins on Monday unless Monday is a holiday.
There is a 10- to 12-day period in December and January (between blocks 11 and 12) spanning Christmas and New Year’s when the Veterinary Teaching Hospital is on a reduced schedule. Each fourth year student is assigned to VTH Practicum for half of this holiday period. In VTH Practicum, students are assigned to work on a VTH service through which they have already rotated. Each student has vacation time during the period they are not scheduled in the VTH.
Each student is encouraged to take a 3-week vacation block during the fourth year. This is counted as one of their 17 blocks. If a vacation block is not chosen, then an additional elective may be chosen.
Each student is required to complete a 6-week externship in a location off-campus. Externships are very flexible. The experience is arranged by the student to support his/her career goals. The only requirement is that the student must be directly supervised by a veterinarian. Externships may be domestic or international experiences. Students are encouraged to complete the entire externship at one location to maximize the amount of hands-on experience that they get, but they may request permission to split their externship at two or three locations.
The Off-campus/Adjunct Faculty Block program (VM 89100/VM 89000) allows students to individualize and enrich their fourth year education by arranging off-campus experiences that are not available at PVM. Students may apply for up to four 3-week elective blocks (depending on their track) with mentors in off-campus locations for experiences that are not available at PVM. Up to 60 off-campus or adjunct faculty blocks per class may be approved by the Curriculum Committee if the Committee determines that each proposed block offers a well-supervised rigorous experience that is not available at Purdue. The range of experiences that have been approved includes pet bird/exotic animal practice, zoo animal practice, intensive food animal operations, embryo transfer, and governmental and private pharmaceutical laboratory research. The student is required to submit a detailed application outlining the proposed experience and its justification. The mentor provides a performance appraisal of the student, and a grade of Pass or Not Pass is recorded for the block.
Short off-campus block experiences of 3-5 working days may be arranged by an instructor and student during several of the large animal blocks. These experiences expose students to enriching clinical activities not available at Purdue.
The fourth year curriculum is determined by the student’s track. Track selection occurs during semester 5 while selecting electives for semester 6. The track chosen determines the required and elective blocks for the fourth year. There are seven tracks (Click on the individual track to see the plan of study for that track):
1. Equine track
4. Companion animal track (horses and small animals)
5. Large animal track (horses and food animals)
6. Mixed animal track (all species)
7. Non-practice track (for individuals targeting a career in industry or research)
Students who are not sure of their career goals are encouraged to choose the traditional mixed animal track. Most semester 6 electives are not limited by the track selection of the student.
Companion Animal Track - Plan of Study
Each student needs a total of 17 3-week blocks. All courses are 3-week blocks unless indicated otherwise.
| Required Courses (10 blocks) | |
| VCS 86100 | Small Animal Medicine I |
| VCS 86201 | Small Animal General Surgery I |
| VCS 86202 | Small Animal Orthopedic Surgery I |
| VCS 86502 | Large Animal Medicine I |
| VCS 86600 | Large Animal Surgery I |
| VCS 87201 | Veterinary Anesthesia |
| VCS 89100 | Diagnostic Imaging |
| CPB 88501 | Necropsy |
| CPB 88502 | Microbiology |
| CPB 88503 | Clinical Pathology |
| VM 81000 | Externship (6 weeks; 2 consecutive blocks) |
Note: CPB 88501, 88502, and 88503 are taken concurrently in a single block. |
|
ONE block must be chosen from this group: |
|
| VCS 87100 | Small Animal Medicine II |
| VCS 87502 | Large Animal Medicine II |
| VCS 87600 | Large Animal Surgery II |
ONE primary care block must be chosen: |
|
| VCS 86001 | Small Animal Emergency and Critical Care I |
| VCS 86300 | Small Animal Community Practice |
| VCS 87105 | Pet Practice (6 weeks; 2 consecutive blocks) |
| VCS 86700 | Equine Community Practice I |
Vacation Block: Students are encouraged to take a vacation block but an elective may be substituted.
Electives: FOUR electives must be chosen unless Pet Practice was chosen above; in that case THREE electives are chosen
| Companion Animal Track Electives | |
| VCS 81900 | Small Animal Dentistry |
| VCS 82100 | Clinical Neurology |
| VCS 86001 | Small Animal Emergency and Critical Care I |
| VCS 86002 | Small Animal Emergency and Critical Care II |
| VCS 86203 | Shelter Medicine and Surgery |
| VCS 86300 | Small Animal Community Practice |
| VCS 86700 | Equine Community Practice I |
| VCS 86800 | Equine Community Practice II |
| VCS 87000 | Cardiology |
| VCS 87100 | Small Animal Medicine II |
| VCS 87102 | Oncology I |
| VCS 87104 | Clinical Investigations in Oncology |
| VCS 87105 | Pet Practice (6 weeks) |
| VCS 87202 | Small Animal General Surgery II |
| VCS 87203 | Small Animal Orthopedic Surgery II |
| VCS 87502 | Large Animal Medicine II |
| VCS 87600 | Large Animal Surgery II |
| VCS 87700 | Large Animal Lameness |
| VCS 87902 | Comparative Theriogenology |
| VCS 88300 | Clinical Investigations in Theriogenology |
| VCS 88500 | Large Animal Medicine III |
| VCS 88600 | Large Animal Surgery III |
| VCS 89400 | Comparative Ophthalmology |
| CPB 88300 | Public Health |
| CPB 88400 | Laboratory Animal Medicine |
| CPB 88600 | Diagnostic Pathology |
| CPB 88700 | Avian Medicine |
| CPB 88800 | Clinical Microbiology |
| CPB 88900 | Clinical Pathology II |
| VM 89000 | Adjunct Independent Study |
| VM 89100 | Off-Campus Block |
Equine Track - Plan of Study
Each student needs a total of 17 3-week blocks. All courses are 3-week blocks unless indicated otherwise.
| Required Courses (12 blocks) | |
| VCS 86502 | Large Animal Medicine I |
| VCS 87502 | Large Animal Medicine II |
| VCS 88500 | Large Animal Medicine III |
| VCS 86600 | Large Animal Surgery I |
| VCS 86700 | Equine Community Practice I |
| VCS 87600 | Large Animal Surgery II |
| VCS 88600 | Large Animal Surgery III |
| VCS 87201 | Veterinary Anesthesia |
| VCS 89100 | Diagnostic Imaging |
| CPB 88501 | Necropsy |
| CPB 88502 | Microbiology |
| CPB 88503 | Clinical Pathology |
| VM 81000 | Externship (6 weeks; 2 consecutive blocks) |
Note: CPB 88501, 88502, and 88503 are taken concurrently in a single block |
|
Vacation Block: Students are encouraged to take a vacation block but an elective may be substituted.
Electives: FOUR electives must be chosen.
| Equine Track Electives | |
| VCS 82100 | Clinical Neurology |
| VCS 86001 | Small Animal Emergency and Critical Care I |
| VCS 86203 | Shelter Medicine and Surgery |
| VCS 86800 | Equine Community Practice II |
| VCS 87700 | Large Animal Lameness |
| VCS 87900 | Comparative Theriogenology |
| VCS 88300 | Clinical Investigations in Theriogenology |
| CPB 89400 | Comparative Ophthalmology I |
| CPB 88300 | Public Health |
| CPB 88600 | Diagnostic Pathology |
| CPB 88800 | Clinical Microbiology |
| VCS 88900 | Clinical Pathology II |
| VM 89000 | Adjunct Independent Study |
| VM 89100 | Off-Campus Block |
Food Animal Track - Plan of Study
Each student needs a total of 17 3-week blocks. All courses are 3-week blocks unless indicated otherwise.
| Required Courses (9 blocks) | |
| VCS 86502 | Large Animal Medicine I |
| VCS 87502 | Large Animal Medicine II |
| VCS 86600 | Large Animal Surgery I |
| VCS 87600 | Large Animal Surgery II |
| VCS 87201 | Veterinary Anesthesia |
| CPB 88501 | Necropsy |
| CPB 88502 | Microbiology |
| CPB 88503 | Clinical Pathology |
| CPB 88600 | Diagnostic Pathology |
| VM 81000 | Externship (6 weeks; 2 consecutive blocks) |
Note: CPB 88501, 88502, and 88503 are taken concurrently in a single block. |
|
THREE blocks must be chosen from this group: |
|
| VCS 87800 | Swine Production Medicine I |
| VCS 88800 | Swine Production Medicine II |
| VCS 87900 | Bovine Theriogenology / Production Medicine I |
| VCS 87903 | Bovine Theriogenology / Production Medicine II |
| VCS 88000 | Ruminant Production Medicine I |
| VCS 88001 | Ruminant Production Medicine II |
Vacation Block: Students are encouraged to take a vacation block but an elective may be substituted.
Electives: FOUR electives must be chosen.
| Food Animal Track Electives | |
| VCS 82100 | Clinical Neurology |
| VCS 86001 | Small Animal Emergency and Critical Care I |
| VCS 86203 | Shelter Medicine and Surgery |
| VCS 86700 | Equine Community Practice I |
| VCS 86800 | Equine Community Practice II |
| VCS 87800 | Swine Production Medicine I |
| VCS 87900 | Bovine Theriogenology/Production Medicine I |
| VCS 87903 | Bovine Theriogenology/Production Medicine II |
| VCS 87905 | Advanced Beef-Cow Calf Production Medicine |
| VCS 88000 | Ruminant Production Medicine I |
| VCS 88300 | Clinical Investigations in Theriogenology |
| VCS 88601 | Large Animal Surgery III (Food Animal) |
| VCS 88800 | Swine Production Medicine II |
| VCS 88801 | Ruminant Production Medicine II |
| VCS 89100 | Diagnostic Imaging |
| CPB 88300 | Public Health |
| CPB 88700 | Avian Medicine |
| CPB 88800 | Clinical Microbiology |
| CPB 88900 | Clinical Pathology II |
| VM 87800 | Swine Herd Health/Diagnostic Pathology |
| VM 89000 | Adjunct Independent Study |
| VM 89100 | Off-Campus Block |
Large Animal Track - Plan of Study
Each student needs a total of 17 3-week blocks. All courses are 3-week blocks unless indicated otherwise.
| Required Courses (11 blocks) | |
| VCS 86502 | Large Animal Medicine I |
| VCS 87502 | Large Animal Medicine II |
| VCS 86600 | Large Animal Surgery I |
| VCS 86700 | Equine Community Practice I |
| VCS 87600 | Large Animal Surgery II |
| VCS 87201 | Veterinary Anesthesia |
| VCS 89100 | Diagnostic Imaging |
| CPB 88501 | Necropsy |
| CPB 88502 | Microbiology |
| CPB 88503 | Clinical Pathology |
| CPB 88600 | Diagnostic Pathology |
| VM 81000 | Externship (6 weeks; 2 consecutive blocks) |
Note: CPB 88501, 88502, and 88503 are taken concurrently in a single block. |
|
TWO blocks must be chosen from this group: |
|
| VCS 87800 | Swine Production Medicine I |
| VCS 87900 | Bovine Theriogenology / Production Medicine I |
| VCS 88000 | Ruminant Production Medicine I |
Vacation Block: Students are encouraged to take a vacation block but an elective may be substituted.
Electives: THREE electives must be chosen.
| Large Animal Track Electives | |
| VCS 82100 | Clinical Neurology |
| VCS 86001 | Small Animal Emergency and Critical Care I |
| VCS 86203 | Shelter Medicine and Surgery |
| VCS 86800 | Equine Community Practice II |
| VCS 87700 | Large Animal Lameness |
| VCS 87800 | Swine Production Medicine I |
| VCS 87900 | Bovine Theriogenology/Production Medicine I |
| VCS 87902 | Comparative Theriogenology |
| VCS 87903 | Bovine Theriogenology/Production Medicine II |
| VCS 87905 | Advanced Beef-Cow Calf Production Medicine |
| VCS 88000 | Ruminant Production Medicine I |
| VCS 88300 | Clinical Investigations in Theriogenology |
| VCS 88500 | Large Animal Medicine III |
| VCS 88600 | Large Animal Surgery III |
| VCS 88601 | Large Animal Surgery III - Food Animal |
| VCS 88800 | Swine Production Medicine II |
| VCS 89100 | Veterinary Diagnostic Ultrasound |
| VCS 89400 | Comparative Ophthalmology I |
| CPB 88300 | Public Health |
| CPB 88600 | Diagnostic Pathology |
| CPB 88700 | Avian Medicine |
| CPB 88800 | Clinical Microbiology |
| CPB 88900 | Clinical Pathology II |
| VM 87800 | Swine Herd Health/Diagnostic Pathology |
| VM 89000 | Adjunct Independent Study |
| VM 89100 | Off-Campus Block |
Mixed Animal Track - Plan of Study
Each student needs a total of 17 3-week blocks. All courses are 3-week blocks unless indicated otherwise.
| Required Courses (10 blocks) | |
| VCS 86100 | Small Animal Medicine I |
| VCS 86201 | Small Animal General Surgery I |
| VCS 86202 | Small Animal Orthopedic Surgery I |
| VCS 86502 | Large Animal Medicine I |
| VCS 86600 | Large Animal Surgery I |
| VCS 87201 | Veterinary Anesthesia |
| VCS 89100 | Diagnostic Imaging |
| CPB 88501 | Necropsy |
| CPB 88502 | Microbiology |
| CPB 88503 | Clinical Pathology |
| VM 81000 | Externship (6 weeks; 2 consecutive blocks) |
Note: CPB 88501, 88502, and 88503 are taken concurrently in a single block. |
|
ONE block must be chosen from this group: |
|
| VCS 87100 | Small Animal Medicine II |
| VCS 87502 | Large Animal Medicine II |
| VCS 87600 | Large Animal Surgery II |
ONE primary care block must be chosen: |
|
| VCS 86001 | Small Animal Emergency and Critical Care I |
| VCS 86300 | Small Animal Community Practice |
| VCS 87105 | Pet Practice (6 weeks; 2 consecutive blocks) |
| VCS 86700 | Equine Community Practice I |
| VCS 87900 | Bovine Theriogenology/Production Medicine I |
Vacation Block: Students are encouraged to take a vacation block but an elective may be substituted.
Electives: FOUR electives must be chosen unless Pet Practice was chosen above; in that case THREE electives are chosen
| Mixed Animal Track Electives | |
| VCS 81900 | Small Animal Dentistry |
| VCS 82100 | Clinical Neurology |
| VCS 86001 | Small Animal Emergency and Critical Care I |
| VCS 86002 | Small Animal Emergency and Critical Care II |
| VCS 86203 | Shelter Medicine and Surgery |
| VCS 86300 | Small Animal Community Practice |
| VCS 86700 | Equine Community Practice I |
| VCS 86800 | Equine Community Practice II |
| VCS 87000 | Cardiology |
| VCS 87100 | Small Animal Medicine II |
| VCS 87102 | Oncology I |
| VCS 87104 | Clinical Investigations in Oncology |
| VCS 87105 | Pet Practice (6 weeks) |
| VCS 87202 | Small Animal General Surgery II |
| VCS 87203 | Small Animal Orthopedic Surgery II |
| VCS 87502 | Large Animal Medicine II |
| VCS 87600 | Large Animal Surgery II |
| VCS 87700 | Large Animal Lameness |
| VCS 87800 | Swine Production Medicine I |
| VCS 87900 | Bovine Theriogenology/Production Medicine I |
| VCS 87902 | Comparative Theriogenology |
| VCS 87903 | Bovine Theriogenology/Production Medicine II |
| VCS 87905 | Advanced Beef-Cow Calf Production Medicine |
| VCS 88000 | Ruminant Production Medicine I |
| VCS 88100 | Small Animal Medicine III |
| VCS 88500 | Large Animal Medicine III |
| VCS 88600 | Large Animal Surgery III |
| VCS 88601 | Large Animal Surgery III (Food Animal) |
| VCS 88800 | Swine Production Medicine II |
| VCS 88801 | Ruminant Production Medicine II |
| VCS 89101 | Veterinary Diagnostic Ultrasound |
| VCS 89400 | Comparative Ophthalmology I |
| CPB 88300 | Public Health |
| CPB 88400 | Laboratory Animal Medicine |
| CPB 88600 | Diagnostic Pathology |
| CPB 88700 | Avian Medicine |
| CPB 88800 | Clinical Microbiology |
| CPB 88900 | Clinical Pathology II |
| VM 87800 | Swine Herd Health/Diagnostic Pathology |
| VM 89000 | Adjunct Independent Study |
| VM 89100 | Off-Campus Block |
Non-practice Track - Plan of Study
Each student needs a total of 17 3-week blocks. All courses are 3-week blocks unless indicated otherwise.
| Required Courses (8 blocks) | |
| VCS 86100 | Small Animal Medicine I |
| VCS 86201 | Small Animal General Surgery I |
| VCS 86502 | Large Animal Medicine I |
| VCS 86600 | Large Animal Surgery I |
| VCS 87201 | Veterinary Anesthesia |
| CPB 88501 | Necropsy |
| CPB 88502 | Microbiology |
| CPB 88503 | Clinical Pathology |
| VM 81000 | Externship (6 weeks; 2 consecutive blocks) |
Note: CPB 88501, 88502, and 88503 are taken concurrently in a single block. |
|
ONE block must be chosen from this group: |
|
| VCS 87100 | Small Animal Medicine II |
| VCS 87502 | Large Animal Medicine II |
ONE primary care block must be chosen: |
|
| VCS 86300 | Small Animal Community Practice |
| VCS 87105 | Pet Practice (6 weeks; 2 consecutive blocks) |
| VCS 86700 | Equine Community Practice I |
| VCS 87900 | Bovine Theriogenology/Production Medicine I |
Vacation Block: Students are encouraged to take a vacation block but an elective may be substituted.
Electives: SIX electives must be chosen unless Pet Practice was chosen above; in that case FIVE electives are chosen
| Non-practice Track Electives | |
| VCS 82100 | Clinical Neurology |
| VCS 86001 | Small Animal Emergency and Critical Care I |
| VCS 86002 | Small Animal Emergency and Critical Care II |
| VCS 86202 | Small Animal Orthopedic Surgery I |
| VCS 86203 | Shelter Medicine and Surgery |
| VCS 86300 | Small Animal Community Practice |
| VCS 86700 | Equine Community Practice I |
| VCS 87000 | Cardiology |
| VCS 87100 | Small Animal Medicine II |
| VCS 87102 | Oncology I |
| VCS 87104 | Clinical Investigations in Oncology |
| VCS 87105 | Pet Practice (6 weeks) |
| VCS 87202 | Small Animal General Surgery II |
| VCS 87203 | Small Animal Orthopedic Surgery II |
| VCS 87502 | Large Animal Medicine II |
| VCS 87600 | Large Animal Surgery II |
| VCS 87700 | Large Animal Lameness |
| VCS 87800 | Swine Production Medicine I |
| VCS 87900 | Bovine Theriogenology/Production Medicine I |
| VCS 87902 | Comparative Theriogenology |
| VCS 88000 | Ruminant Production Medicine I |
| VCS 88300 | Clinical Investigations in Theriogenology |
| VCS 88600 | Large Animal Surgery III |
| VCS 89100 | Diagnostic Imaging |
| VCS 89400 | Comparative Ophthalmology |
| CPB 88300 | Public Health |
| CPB 88400 | Laboratory Animal Medicine |
| CPB 88600 | Diagnostic Pathology |
| CPB 88700 | Avian Medicine |
| CPB 88800 | Clinical Microbiology |
| CPB 88900 | Clinical Pathology II |
| VM 89000 | Adjunct Independent Study |
| VM 89100 | Off-Campus Block |
Small Animal Track - Plan of Study
Each student needs a total of 17 3-week blocks. All courses are 3-week blocks unless indicated otherwise.
| Required Courses (10 blocks) | |
| VCS 86001 | Small Animal Emergency and Critical Care I |
| VCS 86100 | Small Animal Medicine I |
| VCS 87100 | Small Animal Medicine II |
| VCS 86201 | Small Animal General Surgery I |
| VCS 86202 | Small Animal Orthopedic Surgery I |
| VCS 87201 | Veterinary Anesthesia |
| VCS 89100 | Diagnostic Imaging |
| CPB 88501 | Necropsy |
| CPB 88502 | Microbiology |
| CPB 88503 | Clinical Pathology |
| VM 81000 | Externship (6 weeks; 2 consecutive blocks) |
Note: CPB 88501, 88502, and 88503 are taken concurrently in a single block. |
|
ONE primary care block must be chosen from this group: |
|
| VCS 86300 | Small Animal Community Practice |
| VCS 87105 | Pet Practice (6 weeks; 2 consecutive blocks) |
TWO blocks must be chosen from this group: |
|
| VCS 82100 | Clinical Neurology |
| VCS 87000 | Cardiology |
| VCS 87102 | Oncology |
| VCS 89400 | Comparative Ophthalmology |
Vacation Block: Students are encouraged to take a vacation block but an elective may be substituted.
Electives: THREE electives must be chosen if SA Community Practice was chosen above. TWO electives must be chosen if Pet Practice was chosen above.
| Small Animal Track Electives | |
| VCS 81900 | Small Animal Dentistry |
| VCS 82100 | Clinical Neurology |
| VCS 86002 | Small Animal Emergency and Critical Care II |
| VCS 86203 | Shelter Medicine and Surgery |
| VCS 86300 | Small Animal Community Practice |
| VCS 87000 | Cardiology |
| VCS 87102 | Oncology I |
| VCS 87104 | Clinical Investigations in Oncology |
| VCS 87105 | Pet Practice (6 weeks) |
| VCS 87202 | Small Animal General Surgery II |
| VCS 87203 | Small Animal Orthopedic Surgery II |
| VCS 88300 | Clinical Investigations in Theriogenology |
| VCS 89101 | Veterinary Diagnostic Ultrasound |
| VCS 89400 | Comparative Ophthalmology |
| CPB 88300 | Public Health |
| CPB 88400 | Laboratory Animal Medicine |
| CPB 88600 | Diagnostic Pathology |
| CPB 88700 | Avian Medicine |
| CPB 88800 | Clinical Microbiology |
| CPB 88900 | Clinical Pathology II |
| VM 89000 | Adjunct Independent Study |
| VM 89100 | Off-Campus Block |
