Program Overview

---

Program Overview

The University of Copenhagen offers a summer school program in Companion Animals, designed for veterinarians and graduate students. The program provides hands-on experience in the daily work of the University Hospital of Companion Animals, under the direction of responsible veterinarians.

Program Details

• Volume: 2025/2026
• Education: The program is intended for veterinarians (graduate students).
• Content: Students participate in the daily work of the University Hospital of Companion Animals, including elective cases, community practice, referral service, and emergency patients.
• Language: The daily language in the hospital is Danish, but all staff members are familiar with English and will speak English with the students.
• Working Hours:
  • Daytime: 8.00 am – 4.00 pm
  • Evening: 4.00 pm – 00.00 am
  • Weekend daytime: 8.00 am – 4.00 pm

Clinical Training

Clinical training can be within the following rotations (at least one full week for each rotation):

• General practice
• Internal medicine
• Surgery
• Anaesthesiology
• Emergency service (day shift)
• Emergency Service (evening shift)
• Companion Animal Veterinary Imaging
• Veterinary Clinical Pathology (cytology)
• 1 week combination of specialty services (Cardiology, Oncology, and Neurology)

Learning Outcome

During the course, students will achieve first-hand experience within one or more of the above-mentioned clinical rotations at the University Hospital of Companion Animals.

• Knowledge:
  • Describe some common medical and surgical diseases in companion animal general practice
  • Describe the use of problem-based clinical examination and interpretation methodology in companion animal clinical practice
• Skills:
  • Apply problem-based clinical examination and interpretation methodology in companion animal clinical practice
  • Perform a full clinical investigation of a companion animal patient
  • Determine and justify diagnostic and treatment plans as well as prognosis in selected patients
  • Choose, justify, and interpret relevant para-clinical- and clinical tests in selected clinical scenarios
  • Obtain and process selected clinical diagnostic samples
• Competencies:
  • Identify, evaluate, and interpret elements of a clinical case to compile and implement diagnostic and therapeutic plans
  • Use professional communication by implementing correct medical terminology

Literature

Relevant literature within companion animal practice

Recommended Academic Qualifications

The students have to be on their last year of veterinary study.

Teaching and Learning Methods

Practical clinical training

Remarks

Students must bring stethoscope, thermometer, scissors, appropriate disinfectable footwear such as clogs, blue scrubs, lab coat, and note block/pencil.

Workload

• Category: Practical exercises
• Hours: 288.75
• Total: 288.75

Assessment

• Type of assessment: Continuous assessment
• Type of assessment details: The student will be evaluated during the rotations
• Examination prerequisites: The student must attend each of the rotations for a minimum of 80%
• Aid: All aids allowed
• Marking scale: Passed
  ot passed
• Censorship form: No external censorship
• Exam period: During the course
• Re-exam: To be arranged with the course responsible

Criteria for Exam Assessment

To achieve the grade passed, the student shall (in an adequate level) be able to:

• Knowledge: Contribute to clinical discussions concerning patients by showing knowledge relevant to a particular patient
• Skills: Demonstrate relevant clinical skills such as the ability to perform diagnostic tests and clinical examinations related to companion animal veterinary patients
• Competencies: Present a summary of a particular patient's status at a particular time, in the form of a "SOAP Note" (subjective, objective assessment plan)

Course Information

• Language: English
• Course code: SVEK13029U
• Credit: 10.5 ECTS
• Level: Full Degree Master
• Duration: 7 weeks in the period from the end of June until the end of August
• Placement: Summer
• Schedule: Not specified
• Course capacity: 5 students per week with a maximum of 20 individual students during the course months (July and August)
• Study board: The Study Board for Veterinary Medicine and Animal Science
• Contracting department: Department of Veterinary Clinical Sciences
• Contracting faculty: Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences
• Course Coordinators: Fintan McEvoy
• Lecturers: Clinicians at University Hospital of Companion Animal

The program is also available as continuing and professional education.