The Graduate Certificate in Essentials in Veterinary Medicine will provide students with a foundation in animal behavior, ethics, law and welfare, clinical anatomy, imaging diagnostics, toxicology, and clinical pharmacology as they apply to common disorders of dogs and cats in veterinary medicine. Student population would include individuals applying to veterinary school, looking to increase their application credentials and knowledge base prior to attending a veterinary program. Veterinary technicians looking to advance their knowledge and skills in the workplace would also benefit from this graduate certificate.
Finally, students who are interested in the Master of Science in Veterinary Clinical Care, Plan B program (MSB VCC) must be accepted into the MSB VCC graduate program. Only credits for courses completed with a B grade or higher in the Graduate Certificate may be applied to the MSB VCC program.
Students interested in graduate work should refer to the Graduate and Professional Bulletin.
Learning Objectives
Successful graduates will be able to:
- Evaluate animal behavior and Fear Free techniques in a clinical setting.
- Assess animal welfare and ethical situations as they relate to veterinary medicine.
- Evaluate common domestic animal anatomy and differentiate situations that require surgical intervention.
- Differentiate normal from abnormal imaging of domestic animal cases.
- Identify and coordinate anesthetic and analgesic options for domestic animals in need of intervention.
- Differentiate toxins that affect small animal veterinary patients and provide differential diagnoses for clinical scenarios.
- Formulate pharmacological solutions and evaluate medical care of various differential diagnoses in small animal medicine.
Effective Spring 2025
Additional coursework may be required due to prerequisites.
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| VS 501 | Animal Behavior and Welfare | 2 |
| VS 502 | Clinical Anatomy | 2 |
| VS 503 | Principles of Radiology and Ultrasound | 2 |
| VS 522 | Toxicology | 1 |
| VS 523 | Clinical Pharmacology | 3 |
| Program Total Credits: | 10 | |
*This certificate may have courses in common with other graduate certificates. A student may earn more than one certificate, but a given course may be counted only in one certificate program.