DVM Curriculum Revitalization

At the University of Minnesota College of Veterinary Medicine, we have defined the practice-ready graduate as one who possesses the competencies and confidence required to perform common veterinary activities across multiple species seen in individual and population animal practices. This includes preventive care and the clinical diagnosis, treatment, and management of routine cases autonomously or with minimal supervision. The practice ready graduate proactively seeks consultation as needed for moderately complex cases, recognizing the need for referral. Supported by a foundation in basic science, evidence-based practice, and One Health principles, they have the ability to critically evaluate information to make sound clinical decisions while providing care in a culturally competent manner. They can adapt to various practice settings, be productive members of the care team, and exhibit strong communication skills, ethical and legal awareness, business acumen, as well as a commitment to animal welfare.

By the end of the first curricular stage, students have practical understanding of the following key concepts:

• Animal life stages and behavior,

• Healthy animal/population structure and function,

• Infection control and preventive care, and

• Medical terminology, diagnostic testing and treatment methods

Students support maintenance of health and welfare via routine examination and foundational knowledge of husbandry, nutrition, and disease prevention principles. Students utilize knowledge of contextualized care (aka: spectrum of care) and human/animal welfare in case-based scenarios. They actively listen and foster bidirectional communication, adapting to meet the needs of coworkers and clients. Students reflect on their professional identity and embrace ethical and legal frameworks to inform their role as veterinarians.

OUTCOMES

1. Collect detailed and relevant patient history and signalment. Analyze population data (e.g., prevalence, incidence, Key Performance Indicators, etc.) with assistance.

2. Conduct a thorough and organized physical examination, differentiating normal from common/obvious abnormal findings. Document findings using standardized veterinary medical record keeping practices and communicate them using basic medical terminology.

3. Accurately describe and differentiate the major life stages and major production stages of common animal species and explain typical behavioral patterns associated with each stage. Select appropriate methods of physical restraint for various animal species in routine situations and perform handling and restraint techniques safely and effectively.

4. Use common veterinary medical terminology to describe anatomical structures, and basic physiological processes. Identify the correct anatomical structures and basic physiological and immunological attributes of healthy animals as defined within the context of species-specific normal ranges.

5. Demonstrate proper infection control protocols, including hand hygiene, disinfection techniques, and isolation procedures, in simulated clinical settings. Demonstrate proper biosecurity protocols across multiple animal population settings. Define principles of zoonoses, transboundary disease, risk of transmission and One Health/Ecosystem Health concepts. Describe and apply methods to protect self and others from zoonotic disease transmission.

6. Formulate basic preventive healthcare plans for common animal species, incorporating disease control measures and nutritional recommendations, while considering life stage and physiological status. Recognize options based on a spectrum of care, including their pros and cons. Realize the influence of the human-animal bond on animal care decisions and assess animal welfare on an individual and population level.

7. Recognize how common diagnostic tests function and describe or perform their procedures and sample collection methods as they are typically conducted in a clinical (non-laboratory) setting. Demonstrate a basic ability to adjust screening diagnostics based on a spectrum of care, taking into account relevant contextual factors.

8. Begin to recognize and analyze ethical, legal, and economic dilemmas in veterinary practice and research. Begin to identify relevant regulatory and spectrum of care frameworks to justify and understand the implications of their decision-making process. Demonstrate commitment to professional conduct and articulate the veterinarian’s role in society.

9. Communicate and collaborate with colleagues to seek input and demonstrate active listening skills (e.g. seeking input, utilizing and providing feedback). Attempt to adapt communication style to meet the needs of others. Uses active listening strategies to foster bidirectional communication in most situations.

Building on foundational science and knowledge of healthy animals acquired in the first stage, by the end of the second curricular stage, students practice the following key concepts:

• Identify and manage common diseases,

• Pathophysiology,

• Pharmacotherapeutics, and

• Selection, performance, and interpretation of test results in the context of patient signalment, history, and physical exam findings.

They follow biosecurity and farm/hospital protocols, and practice principles of animal welfare. They consider disease diagnosis and epidemiology to create, implement, and monitor treatment/nutritional plans and prevention protocols in cased-based scenarios, simulations, and authentic settings. This includes the ability to professionally communicate with other health professionals and clients and discuss public health issues, including zoonotic potential. They use the knowledge of pharmacotherapeutics to prescribe and administer medications, sedate/anesthetize/recover patients, and perform basic surgical skills and procedures. They develop and communicate preventative care and management plans using ethical and legal frameworks, including euthanasia as appropriate.

OUTCOMES

1. Applies an ethical decision-making framework in various contexts and manages clinical tasks in a slow-paced setting. Invites feedback, performs self-assessment, and identifies knowledge gaps to improve efficiency and enhance patient care management.

2. Gather individual patient or group history, perform systematic and thorough physical examinations, and identify major abnormalities. Develop a diagnostic problem list and a prioritized differential list with occasional omissions or prioritization challenges. Begin to refine and interpret appropriate diagnostic plans.

3. Evaluate a herd/flock production system, including housing/environment, management practices, and production records. Assess commonly used key performance indicators.

4. Demonstrate the ability to identify indications and contraindications for common veterinary diagnostic and surgical procedures, perform common procedures using aseptic technique in a simulation setting, and participate in pre- and post-procedural care and management with veterinary oversight.

5. Recognize clinical signs of common diseases, including zoonotic and transboundary diseases; implement appropriate barrier precautions; and recommend health and safety practices to protect animal, public, and ecosystem health. Apply basic regulatory standards. Comply with established safety protocols in veterinary practice.

6. Develop and implement population management and biosecurity plans that consider economic, legal, and welfare factors. Analyze data with guidance.

7. Prioritize animal well-being on an individual and population level.

8. Generate spectrum of care diagnostic and treatment plans with guidance that incorporates unique patient/group findings and available evidence, adapting to variations in species or clinical situations while considering client input, therapeutic options (including euthanasia), and economic factors (along a spectrum of care).

9. Engage in self-directed learning and consult easily accessible and familiar resources with occasional prompting to expand depth of investigation. Select and apply evidence-based information with guidance, translating knowledge into educational materials that enhance understanding for diverse stakeholders.

10. Communicate professionally and effectively using a relationship-centered approach, adapting terminology to diverse audiences, and documenting relevant information accurately while incorporating feedback for improvement.

11. Recognize limitations in knowledge and resources and seek consultation or referral when needed to ensure optimal patient care in life-threatening and urgent situations, for example, reportable diseases (domestic and foreign), non-reportable disease outbreaks, threats to individual animal life.

12. Explain the fees for common preventative veterinary services and procedures. Explain the implications of practice solvency on contractual obligations and earning potential to balance financial and career goals for long-term success. Develop an evidence-based personal financial plan, including loan repayment.

13. Promote personal and professional well-being, develop an evidence-based plan recognizing the need for professional support. Plan and complete experiences to expand clinical expertise and professional networks.

14. Demonstrate respect for team input and contribute independently to assigned roles in routine clinical situations, engaging in productive conflict management with guidance, communicating adequate key information for continuity of care, and acting with cultural humility in all team and patient interactions.

By the end of the third stage of training, students continue to refine their clinical and communication skills in authentic settings using a contextualized care approach. Students incorporate One Health, food safety, and antimicrobial stewardship into their management plans. With supervision, students:

• Develop their skills and abilities to recognize and respond to emergency patient situations.

• Develop a working knowledge of clinics and business acumen including fees for standard veterinary services.

• Gain exposure to more complex communications (e.g. difficult situations involving diagnostic uncertainty, prognostic uncertainty, heightened client emotions, financial challenges, etc.).

Students are competent and confident members of the care team.

OUTCOMES

1. Advocates for animal welfare, demonstrates ethical behavior regardless of setting or circumstances and follows professional, federal, and state regulations and guidelines.

2. While minimizing fear, anxiety, and stress for the patient, the student gathers a history, performs an examination, documents findings, and creates a prioritized differential diagnosis list.

3. Develops an appropriate diagnostic plan and interprets results, integrating information from multiple sources including population data, epidemiological data, and literature when appropriate, to refine their plan and determine a diagnosis.

4. Adapts and refines management and treatment plans based on patients’ response and animal welfare standards (e.g., managing pain, sedation in patients with comorbidities, drug resistance, food safety).

5. Demonstrates capability in performing anesthesia and anesthesia monitoring, and performing common surgical procedures on a stable patient, including pre-operative and post-operative management.

6. Recognizes and triages a case that needs urgent or emergent care and initiates evaluation and management.

7. Develops and implements a tailored preventative healthcare/management plan for individual patients and herds considering individual client factors (including finances and economic realities) and preferences while providing justification for each component and maintaining a focus on animal welfare and one health.

8. Formulates relevant questions and efficiently retrieves evidence from reputable sources to develop evidence-based practices.

9. Quickly recognizes transboundary, zoonotic, and regulated diseases and responds according to standard regulatory guidelines (e.g., food safety, occupational health).

10. Develops and implements biosecurity protocols (including occupational health and safety), evaluates their effectiveness, and makes adjustments as necessary.

11. Demonstrates effective client-centered communication skills by clearly presenting care options with associated benefits, risks, and outcomes; actively engages in professional, bidirectional, and culturally respectful dialogue that addresses client concerns and expectations; and effectively adapts communication approaches to diverse audiences while maintaining cultural humility and patient advocacy.

12. Communicates with specialists and clients to facilitate continuity of care when a patient would benefit from advanced care, consultation, and/or referral.

13. Demonstrates a growth mindset through receiving and incorporating constructive feedback as appropriate and actively engaging in self-directed learning and continual professional improvement.

14. Demonstrates preparedness for future job opportunities to support a successful career: demonstrates business acumen to manage professional and personal decisions; operates with a team-based approach; and uses effective conflict management skills.

15. Demonstrates the ability to utilize a range of effective personal and professional coping strategies and seeks help when needed.