Doctor of Veterinary Medicine

The program of study will be four years full time, and will be delivered at the Parkville campus (Years One and Two) and at the Werribee campus (Years Three and Four).

The DVM curriculum will assume prior knowledge and experience of scientific thought processes. This will allow for the early introduction of an integrated, interdisciplinary approach to veterinary studies, an approach that provides opportunities for students to apply their understanding to authentic cases, to practise evidence-based decision-making, to solve clinical problems and to acquire clinical competencies in an ordered and sequential way, from the first year of their course. By the time they reach the final year of the DVM, students will be immersed in a community of best practice in the University’s Hospital, where the explicit teaching of the lecture theatre, practical class and tutorial room gives way to peer to peer teaching and experiential learning.

Students successfully completing the Veterinary Bioscience specialisation of the Animal Health and Disease major of the BSc will have guaranteed progression to the DVM, with credit for all subjects inDVM1.

The primary aim of the Melbourne DVM curriculum is to graduate highly capable veterinary scientists whose abilities to solve problems, to draw on the substantial body of veterinary knowledge, to interpret evidence, and to make decisions and act upon them within a clear ethical and professional framework embody all of the graduate attributes to which the Faculty aspires.

The DVM curriculum has been developed around five learning domains that describe the student’s progressive acquisition of the graduate attributes of a veterinary scientist. These domains or strands, that traverse all subjects of the DVM program, are:

• the scientific basis of clinical practice
• ethics and animal welfare
• biosecurity and population health
• clinical skills, and
• personal and professional development.

Year One

Students enrolled in the DVM:
VETS70003 Veterinary Bioscience 1 (62.5 points)
VETS70006 Applications in Animal Health 1 (37.5 points)

Students enrolled in the BSc Veterinary Bioscience specialisation:
VETS20014 Foundations of Animal Health 1 (12.5 points)
VETS20015 Foundations of Animal Health 2 (12.5 points)
VETS30015 Veterinary Bioscience: From Cells to Systems (12.5 points)
VETS30016 Veterinary Bioscience: Digestive System (12.5 points)
VETS30017 Veterinary Bioscience: Metabolism & Excretion (12.5 points)
VETS30014 Veterinary Bioscience: Cardiovascular System (12.5 points)
VETS30018 Veterinary Bioscience: Respiratory System (12.5 points)
VETS30013 Animal Health in Production Systems (12.5 points)

Year Two
VETS70004 Veterinary Bioscience 2 (62.5 points)
VETS70008 Applications in Animal Health 2 (6.25 points)
VETS70005 Infections, Population and Public Health (31.25 points)

Year Three Summer Semester
VETS70007 Principles of Clinical Practice (12.5 points)

Year Three Semesters One and Two
VETS70011 Companion Animal Medicine and Surgery (50 points)
VETS70010 Production Animal Medicine and Surgery (37.5 points)

Year Four
VETS70009 Veterinary Professional Practice (100 points)

All subjects in the DVM are compulsory - there are no majors/minors/specialisations

The Doctor of Veterinary Medicine is a four year graduate degree program that builds on a solid foundation of scientific knowledge acquired in a Bachelor of Science (or equivalent) degree program. As all students commencing studies in the DVM program must possess knowledge of the organic and cellular structure and molecular function of biological organisms, successful completion of at least 12.5 points of study in biology and 12.5 points of study in biochemistry in the undergraduate degree is an essential criterion for eligibility for selection into the DVM.

1. The Selection Committee will evaluate the applicant’s ability to pursue successfully the course usingthe following criterion:

• successful completion of a Bachelor of Science (or equivalent) degree that includes at least 12.5 points of study in biology and 12.5 points of study in biochemistry.

2. The Selection Committee may consider any experience applicants may have gained in fields relevant to veterinary science, call for referee reports or employer references, and conduct interviews to elucidate any of the matters referred to above.

A second pathway for entry to the DVM degree is available to students who have completed two years of a science degree (BSc or BBiomed) at the University of Melbourne (including the prerequisite subjects of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology (or equivalent), Foundations of Animal Health 1 and Foundations of Animal Health 2), and who are selected at the end of the second year into the quota-limited Veterinary Bioscience specialisation of the Animal Health and Disease major of the Bachelor of Science program. Students who successfully complete the Bachelor of Science including all subjects in the Animal Health and Disease major (Veterinary Bioscience specialisation) will be guaranteed entry to the DVM program, with credit for all subjects at the DVM first year level (100 points).

The Selection Committee will evaluate the applicant’s ability to pursue successfully the Veterinary Bioscience specialisation of the Animal Health and Disease major in the Bachelor of Science using the following criterion:

• successful completion of first and second year of the Bachelor of Science or Bachelor of Biomedicine degree at the University of Melbourne, including the prerequisite subjects of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology (or equivalent) and Foundations of Animal Health 1 and 2.

The Faculty of Veterinary Science has received approval for guaranteed entry to the Veterinary Bioscience specialisation of the BSc (with guaranteed progression to DVM) for high-achieving school leavers as follows:

For a Commonwealth supported place:

• achieve an ENTER (or equivalent) of 98.5 (in the final year of schooling in Australia); commence a Bachelor of Science degree at the University of Melbourne following completion of schooling; and complete first and second year science with the appropriate prerequisite subjects with a minimum H2 (70 per cent) average in both first and second year science subjects

For a fee place (international):

• achieve an ENTER (or equivalent) of 95.0; commence a Bachelor of Science degree at the University of Melbourne following completion of schooling; and complete first and second year science with the appropriate prerequisite subjects with a minimum H2 (70 per cent) average in both first and second year science subjects

In addition, if a student’s residency status changes after acceptance of a fee place with guaranteed progression, the CSP ENTER score for guaranteed progression will be retrospectively applied.

Prospective students are advised to familiarise themselves with the Faculty's Academic Requirements Statement http://www.vet.unimelb.edu.au/docs/CoreParticipationReqs.pdf

The DVM program encourages students to achieve the attributes of all graduates of the University of Melbourne in terms of academic excellence, knowledge acquisition, community leadership and responsibility, cultural sensitivity, and international awareness.

In particular, the Melbourne School of Veterinary Science intends that graduates of its DVM program should:

• be able to seek solutions to problems through the application of knowledge, the ability to initiate and integrate new ideas, an appreciation of the broad picture of science, and an understanding of the importance and application of scientific method
• deal with integrity and honesty with professional colleagues, clients and the general public
• demonstrate empathy and concern for animals and people
• possess an understanding of both scientific and vocational aspects of veterinary science
• be motivated to be a veterinarian, aware of the veterinarian’s place in society, and prepared to be a leader in the community
• have broad knowledge of veterinary science and be able to develop intellectual and physical skills as circumstances dictate
• be trained in all disciplines and aspects of veterinary science
• be adaptable to changes in their specific field of employment and to advancements in veterinary science in general
• be confident in their veterinary capabilities on day one post-graduation whilst recognising the limitations of their training
• be aware of the global society and equipped to contribute to it
• be a graduate of choice for employers.

As a Masters level course, the DVM assumes and builds on the prior knowledge and experience in scientific thinking of students entering the course. From the first year of study an integrated and interdisciplinary approach is adopted. Students are expected to appraise data critically, to integrate concepts acquired in different disciplines, and to apply their understanding to authentic cases. They will be provided with opportunities to practise evidence-based decision-making, to solve clinical problems and to acquire clinical competencies in an ordered and sequential way.