Program Overview

Program Overview

The Certificate in Veterinary Diagnostic Pathology program is designed to provide veterinarians with prior training and demonstrated competence in various aspects of veterinary diagnostic pathology with an opportunity for additional, advanced training in veterinary diagnostic pathology under the supervision of experienced, highly qualified, veterinary diagnostic pathologists.

Program Details

• The program is a Graduate Certificate (G.Cert.) that can be completed in 1 year.
• The program does not include a project or thesis, and it is course-based.
• The Certificate in Veterinary Diagnostic Pathology program provides an excellent opportunity for veterinarians with an appropriate background to become eligible for, or further prepare for, the certifying examination of the American College of Veterinary Pathologists (ACVP).

Program Structure

The program consists of a single, year-long, nine-credit course—Advanced Veterinary Diagnostic Pathology—extending over three consecutive terms that is tailored to the individual graduate student and includes a variable combination of:

• participation in the diagnostic activities of Prairie Diagnostic Services, Inc., the Canadian Wildlife Health Cooperative at the Western College of Veterinary Medicine (or other locations in Canada), the Animal Health Centre in British Columbia, or other approved veterinary diagnostic laboratories
• supervision of trainees in veterinary diagnostic pathology who are early in their programs
• instruction and supervision of undergraduate veterinary students engaged in veterinary diagnostic pathology
• involvement in research, other scholarly activities, or both
• preparation and delivery of undergraduate veterinary student lectures and labs
• participation in departmental seminar series
• attendance and participation in relevant national and international meetings and conferences
• intensive self-study, particularly of the materials contained in the reading lists published by the American College of Veterinary Pathologists

Program Schedule

The Certificate in Veterinary Diagnostic Pathology program will typically start and end in mid-August. Of the 52 weeks, two are available for vacation and two fall on statutory holidays and other university closures. The remaining 48 weeks (16 weeks per term) will be about equally divided into 24 weeks of veterinary diagnostic pathology, teaching, or both, and 24 weeks of additional diagnostic work, research, scholarly activity, intensive self-study, and participation in relevant national or international meetings as determined by the student and their advisory committee.

Tuition and Funding

Funding

Applicants who are graduates of a recognized program of veterinary medicine and Canadian citizens or permanent residents may be eligible for financial support from the WCVM Interprovincial Graduate Fellowship fund on a competitive basis.

Tuition

Students in course-based programs pay tuition for each class they take. Every class is assigned a number of credit units (usually three) which determines their cost. If a student is not enrolled in any classes for a term, they will need to register in a 'Maintenance of Status' class that is assessed tuition equivalent to 3 credit units to stay in their program.

• The cost of the Maintenance of Status course is $879.00 CAD for Canadian students and $1,977.60 CAD for international students.
• The cost per graduate credit unit is $293.00 CAD for Canadian students and $659.20 CAD for international students.
• The cost per 3 credit unit graduate class is $879.00 CAD for Canadian students and $1,977.60 CAD for international students.

Student Fees

In addition to tuition, students also pay fees for programs like health and dental insurance, a bus pass, and other campus services. The amount you need to pay depends on if you are taking classes full-time or part-time, and if you are on campus or not.

• The student fees for the fall term are $578.45 CAD.
• The student fees for the winter term are $804.73 CAD.
• The student fees for the spring and summer terms are $36.75 CAD each.

Admission Requirements

To be accepted into the CVDP program, applicants must:

• be a graduate of a recognized program of veterinary medicine and, therefore, have earned a DVM degree or equivalent
• have prior training, and demonstrated competence, in veterinary diagnostic pathology
• possess a weighted average of at least 75% (USask grade equivalencies) during their veterinary diagnostic pathology training program, if applicable
• arrange for the submission of 3 strong letters of reference that predict success in a busy veterinary diagnostic pathology training program
• provide evidence, if necessary, of proficiency in English consistent with that required by the College of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies (CGPS)
• be eligible for licensure by the Saskatchewan Veterinary Medical Association

Application Process

The application deadline is October 15 for the fall term start.

• Personal information such as name, address, etc.
• Contact information of three referees
• Complete academic history from all previous post-secondary institutions
• The application takes about 30 minutes to complete and can be saved and returned to later.
• A non-refundable application fee of $125 for Canadian students and $145 for international students is required.

Required Documents

Once the online application is submitted, the following documents are required:

• Unofficial PDF copies of academic transcripts from each post-secondary institution attended
• Proof of English language proficiency (if required)
• Letter of intent
• Current curriculum vitae
• Transcripts from veterinary diagnostic training program
• Names and contact information for three people willing to provide letters of reference
• Identify a source of personal funding during the CVDP program