Program Overview

Program Overview

The University of Copenhagen offers a comprehensive program in Equine Clinic Track, designed to equip students with the knowledge and practical skills necessary for a career in veterinary medicine, specifically in the field of equine care.

Program Description

The Equine Clinic Track program is a differentiation course within the veterinary medicine curriculum, focusing on clinical problem-solving, diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of diseases in horses. The program aims to train competent clinicians in equine medicine, emphasizing both theoretical and practical skills.

Program Objectives

• To understand principles and methods used in clinical equine practice and hospital settings for diagnosis, treatment, prognosis, and prevention of diseases in horses.
• To analyze, interpret, and plan diagnostic, treatment, and preventive measures for common equine diseases in Denmark, both in individual animals and populations.
• To evaluate horse patients daily.
• To perform commonly used technical procedures in equine practice.
• To be familiar with common hospital and practice procedures.
• To advise on horse management.
• To diagnose, treat, and evaluate the prognosis of diseases, both in daily work and in emergency situations.
• To perform routine reproductive work.
• To perform common diagnostic, therapeutic, and surgical procedures as a practicing equine veterinarian.
• To communicate professionally among veterinarians and laypeople.
• To update knowledge using scientific literature.
• To interpret and apply clinical research related to equine diseases.

Curriculum

The program includes clinical modules at the University Hospital and an introductory common module for veterinary and medical students regarding One-Health challenges related to antibiotic resistance in clinical practice. Additionally, students become familiar with private equine veterinary practice through external practical training (EPT), focusing on communication, practice management, and diagnosis and treatment of equine diseases in Denmark.

Course Content

• Clinical rotations:
  • Hospital, Internal Medicine: Introduction to medical conditions referred to the hospital.
  • Hospital, Surgery: Introduction to surgical and orthopedic conditions referred to the hospital.
  • Outpatient practice: Introduction to first-opinion cases and client communication.
  • Reproduction: Introduction to reproduction-related conditions in horses.
  • Emergency work: Participation in emergency work confronts students with acute patients.
• All rotations are supervised by instructors, and teaching is based on patients, clinical cases, practical procedures, seminars, excursions, e-learning, and theoretical reviews.
• Students also participate in self-chosen external practical training (EPT) in private equine veterinary practice for 14 days.

Evaluation Model

The evaluation model is dialog-based, with a focus on continuous feedback throughout the course.

Course Requirements

• Formal academic requirements include:
  • Approved course certificates in specific prerequisite courses.
  • Passed courses in medicine, surgery, and reproduction for small and large animals.
• Teaching materials include recommended literature such as "Large Animal Internal Medicine" by Bradford P. Smith, "Veterinary Anesthesia and Analgesia" by Lumb & Jones, "Equine Surgery" by Jorg A. Auer and John A. Stick, and "Noakes Veterinary Reproduction and Obstetrics."

Examination

The examination is a practical oral exam, 3 hours long, where the student must perform a clinical examination and discussion of a selected patient unknown to the student before the exam.

Examination Requirements

• To pass the course, students must have both an approved course certificate and pass the examination.
• For an approved course certificate, requirements include:
  • 80% active and participating attendance in modules.
  • Approval of written journals submitted via Absalon.
  • Approval of the One-Health group report.
  • 80% attendance at the external practical training, and an approved case log from this training.

Assessment Criteria

To achieve the highest grade, the student must demonstrate:

• Knowledge: Understanding of principles and methods used in clinical equine practice and hospital settings for diagnosis, treatment, prognosis, and prevention of diseases in horses.
• Skills: Ability to perform correct clinical examinations of horses, establish a problem list and prioritized diagnostic plan, and use professional language.
• Competencies: Ability to design a plan for examination, diagnosis, treatment, prognosis, and prevention of diseases, and discuss relevant aspects of horse care.

Course Information

• Language: Danish, with some international lectures or guest students potentially conducted in English.
• Course Code: SVEK13012U.
• ECTS Points: 26.5.
• Level: Master's.
• Duration: 2 blocks.
• Placement: Blocks 3 and 4 for one group, Blocks 1 and 2 for another.
• Student Capacity: 26 students, reserved for veterinary students.

Study Board

The study board for Veterinary Medicine and Animal Science is responsible for the program.

Offering Institute

The Institute for Clinical Veterinary Medicine (IKV) offers the program.

Offering Faculty

The program is part of the Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences.

Course Responsible

Hanne Gervi Pedersen is the course responsible.