veterinary students handbook the first two years - Downing College

Faculty Board of Biology
VETERINARY STUDENTS HANDBOOK
THE FIRST TWO YEARS
Faculty of Biology
17 Mill Lane
Cambridge CB2 1RX
OCTOBER 2012

UNIVERSITY OF CAMBRIDGE
VETERINARY STUDENTS HANDBOOK – MVST PARTS 1A & 1B
Contents
Page
Veterinary Education in Cambridge 1
The Aims of your First Two Years 2
Section A. Your duties as a veterinary student
The Veterinary Student Code of Conduct 3
Student Support and Guidance 6
Monitoring and Mentoring Student Progress 7
Confidential Sources of Advice 8
Section B. Course and Assessment Information
Outline of the Vet Course 9
Colleges and the University 10
Assessment and Exams 11
Complaints 12
Attendance at Teaching Sessions 12
First Year Courses 13
Preparing for the Veterinary Profession 13
Principles of Animal Management 14
Second Year Courses 14
The Third Year 14
The Clinical Veterinary Curriculum 15
Programme Outcomes 15
Lecture free final year 16
Student feedback and representation 17
Estimated additional course costs 2012-13 18
Course Organisers 19
Section C. Veterinary Students’ Register
Veterinary Student Register Agreement 23

Veterinary Medicine at Cambridge: The first two years
Welcome to Cambridge, and congratulations on gaining a place to study veterinary medicine. This is
the beginning of an exciting and challenging time: going to University, perhaps leaving home for the
first time and embarking on a demanding course which will lead you to qualification in a highly
respected profession. This handbook provides a general introduction to the Cambridge veterinary
course for students starting their course in October 2012, and covers mainly the first two years.
Dr David Good
Director of Education, Faculty of Biology
1

The Aims of the First Two Years of your Veterinary Education
It is sometimes difficult for veterinary students in the early years to see the relevance of the things
they are learning to their future careers as veterinary surgeons. With hindsight many wish they had
paid more attention to biochemistry as they struggle to understand the metabolic diseases of cattle
and sheep. Perhaps they did need to understand the physiology of the kidney as they sit up all night in
the intensive care unit with a dog in renal failure. Maybe knowledge of neurophysiology and anatomy
would help explain the uncontrolled twitching in the hind leg of a thoroughbred horse.
It is important for students beginning the veterinary course in year one to know that the clinical
course at Cambridge builds on the pre-clinical, relying heavily on knowledge, understanding,
problem solving and other skills developed in the first three years.
By the end of the first two years we aim to give you a sound grounding in the sciences needed for
veterinary practice and the basic knowledge and the skills to prepare you for the clinical part of the
course.
You will also learn technical skills, but there are other skills - notably listening and talking to people,
and being able to handle animals in a careful and safe manner - which are essential for a veterinarian.
We expect you to practise and develop these skills, and one of the best ways to develop your
communications skills is in the supervisions arranged by your College. Do participate in supervisions
- they are not just teaching sessions, they are learning sessions, and learning requires self-expression.
Also, ask questions in practical classes; the demonstrators are there to help.
Although most of the teaching that you receive during years one to three is under the supervision of
the Faculty Board of Biology, it is the Faculty Board of Veterinary Medicine, working through the
Director of Education in the School of the Biological Sciences (Dr David Good) and the Director of
Veterinary Teaching at the Veterinary School (Mr Andrew Jefferies), that is formally responsible for
overseeing the professional aspects of the veterinary course.
2

Veterinary Student Code of Conduct (Preclinical)
Fitness for Practice, Health and Conduct: Guidance for Veterinary Students
As members of the University, veterinary students are subject to the statutory provisions of
University Discipline as set out in the Statutes and Ordinances. In addition, the Royal College of
Veterinary Surgeons and the University expect all veterinary students to behave in a manner
appropriate to their future role as veterinarians.
The University has agreed a Code of Conduct for veterinary students to guide you during your
studies. The code of conduct expected of you with guidance notes is printed on the next page.
Veterinary students are also required to confirm their acceptance of the University's Veterinary
Student Code of Conduct and of the rules to be observed by veterinary students by signing the
Veterinary Student Register form. This imposes important obligations on you, and requires that your
name must be on the University's Veterinary Students' Register. A copy of the Register form is
included in this handbook, but at the start of the course you will be issued with a copy to sign and
hand in. The copy remaining in this booklet serves as a reminder of what you have undertaken.
It is important that you are aware that students whose health or conduct may lead them to be a risk to
patients, clients or Extra-Mural Studies placement providers may be removed temporarily, or
permanently, from the Veterinary Student Register and may not be permitted to enter the Final Vet
MB examinations for the award of the Vet MB and registration with the RCVS.
3

Veterinary Student Code of Conduct and Guidance
Respect others: clients, professionals, teachers and fellow students
Treat others politely and considerately, respect their views and the animals under your care.
Guidance note
In all your dealings with, or in relation to clients, teachers and colleagues, act without any
discrimination, whether on grounds of age, colour, disability, gender, illness, marital status,
national or ethnic origins, nationality, perceived economic worth, race, sexual orientation, social
status, religious or philosophical belief.
Be an effective and considerate communicator
Always make clear that you are a student and not a qualified vet; be aware of your limitations
and do not exceed your ability when giving information to clients.
Understand accept and agree to be bound by the principle of confidentiality of patient data and
also of information concerning staff and students.
Ensure that you can be easily contacted by University and Hospital Staff and always reply
promptly to all communications.
Do not use mobile electronic devices to record and store patient information.
Guidance note
Contribute to the review of teaching by completing feedback forms as requested by course
organisers and by reporting difficulties as they arise through the appropriate channels.
Do not discuss clients or their animals with other students or professionals outside the clinical
setting, except anonymously. When recording data or discussing cases outside the clinical setting,
ensure that clients and patients cannot be identified by others.
Do not use mobile electronic devices – cameras, mobiles, discs, data-sticks etc. to record or store
patient images or other information. Never use E-mail, social networking sites, ‘Blogs’,
‘Twitter’, ‘Facebook’ etc to share information about clients or patients.
Abide by rules and policies, follow procedures and guidelines
You must be aware of and comply with the rules, policies (including health and safety),
procedures and guidelines of the University, Colleges, Queen’s Veterinary School Hospital and
Extra Mural Studies placements.
Guidance note
Comply with rules and procedures laid down by the Director of Education in Biological Sciences,
Director of Teaching in the Department of Veterinary Medicine, General Practitioner in extra
mural studies, Head Nurse or their deputies. Be in attendance for the hours as directed by them
and as required to gain experience of emergency situations. As veterinary surgeons you will have
to make decisions not to go to places at the times you would like because of your clinical duties.
You have a responsibility to yourself, your financial sponsors and your future patients to
complete your rotations and EMS placements.
Comply with appropriate current and any new health-testing requirements. Be aware of potential
zoonotic infections and comply with control procedures.
Be open and honest
Do not break the law. Never threaten violence, act violently towards others or act dishonestly.
Guidance note
Just one criminal conviction could jeopardise your career prospects in veterinary medicine. Do
not cheat in examinations: cheating, at any level, destroys trust and those who cheat may also lie
and be unfit for veterinary practice.
4

Inform the Director of Teaching in the Department of Veterinary Medicine immediately if you
are involved in any University or police investigation which may lead to charges being brought;
concealment of involvement in a drunken brawl that may lead to prosecution may be viewed as
an even greater offence than the incident itself.
Take care of your appearance
Your appearance, personal hygiene and demeanour should always be modest and reasonably
conventional.
Guidance note
The appearance of a veterinary student or veterinary practitioner should not be such as to
potentially affect a client’s trust in that person’s veterinary judgement or standing.
Always wear an identification badge and show your face so that you can be recognised by clients,
teachers and staff. Headdress routinely worn for religious observance must not cover the face:
facial expression is an important part of communication and showing your face also makes it
easier for clients with a hearing impairment to hear you and/or lip-read.
When examining patients in any clinical setting, observe the appropriate clinical dress code as
laid down for the establishment or placement in which you are working.
Take action at an early stage when any problem arises
Inform the Director of Teaching at the Department of Veterinary Medicine or a College Tutor
immediately if you become aware of any problem (personally or in others) that may put the health
or well-being of clients or their animals at risk.
Guidance note
Veterinary Medicine is a demanding profession and, at times, all veterinary students are subject to
stress and anxiety; emotional problems and psychiatric conditions such as depression and eating
disorders are not uncommon; do not hesitate in seeking support (see Confidential Sources of Help
& Advice) as the earlier a problem is addressed, the greater the likelihood of a successful
outcome.
Seek advice if you think a veterinary surgeon or colleague has behaved in a way that suggests that
he or she is not fit for practice. Examples of such behaviour include:
• making serious or repeated mistakes in diagnosing or treating a patient’s condition
• not examining patients properly or responding to reasonable requests by owners for treatment
for their animals
• misusing information about patients
• treating patients without properly obtaining the owner’s consent
• behaving dishonestly in financial matters, or in dealing with clients, patients, or research
• making improper advances towards clients
• misusing alcohol or drugs
Do not abuse drugs and alcohol
Guidance note
Abuse of alcohol and other mind-altering substances may lead to behaviour that puts clients or
patients at risk; problems associated with such abuse e.g. violent and aggressive behaviour
jeopardise your career. Never obtain or seek to obtain drugs that have not been properly
prescribed, prescription or non-prescription, for yourself or others by any means.
5

Student Support and Guidance
As a veterinary student and future professional you must now be prepared to take responsibility for
your own actions and your own personal development. This means thinking about what you do and in
particular, facing up to and dealing with problems in the context of your work and relationships with
others. However, the University has many support systems in place. For a compendium of essential
information for any student in the University see the on-line student handbook:
http://www.cam.ac.uk/staffstudents/studenthandbook/
Motivational problems: are you on the right course?
If you are having serious doubts, talk about them immediately with your Tutor and/or Director of
Studies. There are people who suddenly realise, having got to this stage, that it was all a big mistake.
If you really do want to get out, then don't hesitate to say so; it is never too late to change your mind,
but it can become increasingly awkward. Cambridge offers exit routes from veterinary medicine into
other courses, so you will still acquire a degree.
Are you having difficulty coping with the demands of the course?
Again, talk to your supervisor and/or your Director of Studies. If you have a serious problem they
will help, or in some cases direct you to sources of professional help, but they should be your first
port of call.
Are you having Academic problems?
Begin by asking your College Supervisor in the appropriate subject, but University teachers can be
approached if a problem remains unsolved and, in practical classes, demonstrators are on hand to deal
with immediate queries. Problems with these lectures and practical sessions can be raised with those
who are lecturing or running a particular class.
Complaints or concerns about other students or staff
The Student Code of Conduct requires students to ‘take action at an early stage when any problem
arises’. All veterinary students should seek advice if they think another student has behaved in a way
that suggests he or she is not fit for practice. Examples of such behaviour include:
• misusing information about clients
• treating animals without properly obtaining consent
• behaving dishonestly in financial matters, or in dealings with clients, or research
• making sexual advances towards clients
• misusing alcohol or drugs
Complaints and concerns about your fellow students should again be raised in the first instance with
your College Tutor or Director of Studies. Complaints about academic staff should be raised with the
relevant course organiser or with the Director of Veterinary Teaching. The University has a formal
student complaints procedure which can be found on the web at:
http://www.cam.ac.uk/cambuniv/studenthandbook/complaints/procedure
6

Monitoring and mentoring student progress
The Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons has certain expectations regarding the attitudes, behaviour
and performance expected of veterinary students from the beginning of their course through to
graduation and provisional registration and places the responsibility for monitoring this on the
University.
In the University of Cambridge, much of the day-to-day responsibility for this rests with the College
tutorial and pastoral care system.
The Medical and Veterinary Student Progress Panel
The College tutorial and pastoral system is backed up by the Medical and Veterinary Student
Progress Panel, which maintains a general overview of veterinary student progression throughout
both the preclinical and clinical course at Cambridge. It will also monitor the cases of students who,
for one reason or another may be having problems with the course. This may be because of illness,
personal difficulties or due to repeated examination failures. The Medical and Veterinary Student
Progress Panel consists of senior members of the School of Clinical Medicine and Department of
Veterinary Medicine together with College tutorial representatives.
In co-operation with Colleges, through the Senior Tutors and the College pastoral system, the
Medical and Veterinary Student Progress Panel will review student cases with a view to offering
advice about support for students who are encountering difficulties with the course. The committee is
not a disciplinary body and is set up to provide support for students and Colleges. Its basic remit is to
try to ensure that students have a timely and, as far as possible, trouble-free progress through the
course. A more detailed description of the Panel and its functions can be found at:
http://www.bio.cam.ac.uk/sbs/facbiol/mvst/monitoring_student_progress.pdf
However, the Medical and Veterinary Progress Panel is aware of the RCVS expectations of
veterinary students and it will have the option of referring cases which raise serious concerns to the
Fitness for Practice Committee. Details of the Fitness for Practice Procedures are on page 220 of the
University regulations:
http://www.admin.cam.ac.uk/univ/so/2011/chapter02-section27.html
7

Confidential Sources of Advice
Student's
College
Clinical
Supervisors
Chaplains –
local place of
worship
Directors of
Studies
Nurse
Student
Mentors
Tutors
University
Counselling Service:
http://www.counselling.cam.ac.uk/
tel. (3) 32865 Email:
reception@counselling.cam.ac.uk
Mr Andrew Jefferies, Director of
Veterinary Teaching,
Department of Veterinary
Medicine, tel. (3) 37607
Email: arj10@cam.ac.uk
Dr David Good, Director of
Education (Biological Sciences),
tel. (7)66899
Email: dg25@cam.ac.uk
Occupational Health Service
Fenner’s, Gresham Road
tel.(3)36 594, Email:
occhealth@admin.cam.ac.uk
9am – 5pm Monday to Friday by
appointment
CUSU Welfare Officer
11/12 Trumpington Street tel.(3)33313
Email: welfare@cusu.cam.ac.uk
http://www.cusu.cam.ac.uk/welfare/
Managing Alcohol: University
Counselling Service
http://www.counselling.cam.ac.uk/alc
ohol.html
CUSU Eating Disorders Support
(EDS) tel. (7) 40555 (Mon & Wed,
8-10pm)
www.cusu.cam.ac.uk/campaigns/eds/
Mental Health Support Group:
www.srcf.ucam.org/mhsg
Disability Resource Centre
tel: (3) 32301
Email: disability@admin.cam.ac.uk
Student Linkline
http://www.linkline.org.uk/home.html
01223 367575 (BT)
01223 744444 (NTL)
External
General Practitioner: University or
Family
NHS Direct
24hr Helpline: 0845 4647
http://www.nhsdirect.nhs.uk
National University Counselling
Services:
http://www.student.counselling.co.uk/in
dex.htm
Samaritans
4 Emmanuel Road (all days: 10.30 am -
10 pm)
tel. 364455 or 08457 90 90 90 (Day or
night)
Email: jo@samaritans.org
CRISP (Cambridge Racist Incidents
Support Project)
62-64 Victoria Road tel. 462615
Email: crisp@cecf.co.uk
http://www.cam.net.uk/home/crisp/crisp
/index3.htm
Centre 33 Information & Counselling
Service, 33 Clarendon Street
tel. 316488
Email: help@centre33.org.uk
www.centre33.org.uk/
Drinksense
Dashwood House, 185 East Road,
tel. 01733 555532
Email: centraloffice@drinksense.org
http://drinksense.org/
Alcohol Concern:
www.alcoholconcern.org.uk
Rape Crisis:
http://www.rapecrisis.org.uk/
Down Your Drink NHS online alcohol
reduction programme:
http://www.downyourdrink.org.uk/
8

Section B. Course and assessment information
Outline of the Vet Course
In the first two years of the course, you will study biological sciences relevant to veterinary medicine
both as subjects in their own right, as well as a means to understanding disease in animals. The
official title of the course reflects this: it is called “The Medical and Veterinary Sciences Tripos”,
usually abbreviated to MVST (a Tripos is Cambridge-speak for a series of courses leading to a
degree). This is a traditional way of teaching veterinary medicine: learn the biomedical science first,
and then study its application to veterinary practice. Many students prefer to study this way, and by
choosing the Cambridge course you have declared your preference. During these first two years these
courses will give you instruction leading to both your professional medical qualifications (Second
Vet MB), and to your Cambridge degree (BA). In order to proceed to the Veterinary School (where
you take the Final part of your Vet MB), you have to pass all subjects in the Second Vet MB, fulfil
certain requirements of the Veterinary School for Extra-Mural Studies (EMS) and gain your BA.
An advantage of the Cambridge course is that all veterinary students have the opportunity in the third
year either to specialise in a medically related subject such as pathology, pharmacology or anatomy,
or to widen their educational horizons by taking courses in, for example, social science or
philosophy. This freedom of choice gives a wide range of educational opportunities.
You will graduate with a BA after three years but you have also embarked on professional training,
which should result in your acquiring the degree of Bachelor of Veterinary Medicine in six years’
time.
Year of Study
Year 1 MVST IA
Year 2
MVST IB
Year 3
Part II
What You Will
Study
Preclinical
veterinary
science
Part II course of
specialised study
Subjects and Courses
Veterinary relevant core
scientific knowledge and
skills
A wide range of courses and
subjects (other Tripos
courses are also available).
Qualifications
Obtained
Second Vet MB,
Tripos IA
Second Vet MB,
Tripos IB
B.A.
Year 4
Year 5
Year 6
Clinical
veterinary studies
in Cambridge
Clinical veterinary
medicine, leading to the
development of skills and
knowledge in a range of
specialities
Final Vet MB,
leading to B Vet
Med
Clinical Veterinary Study
Following on from the first three years, you will move to the Department of Veterinary Medicine at
Madingley Road, and complete your veterinary education there, graduating with a B Vet Med. An
outline of the clinical course is given on page 14 of this handbook. After completing your initial
veterinary education, and subject to demonstrating your fitness to practice, you will become a
member of the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons, and you will have to decide what sort of vet
you wish to become.
9

The complementary roles of the University and the Colleges
Cambridge is a collegiate University and responsibility for your education is shared between the
University and your College. You were admitted by a College and you will, I hope, soon make
friends with other students in your College. Your College Director of Studies will get to know you as
an individual, as will those that are appointed by your Director of Studies to act as your Supervisors
in the main subjects that make up your course. Supervisors, Director of Studies and Tutors provide a
pastoral network designed to support your studies.
The University body with responsibility for organising your teaching for the first three years is the
Faculty of Biology. The Faculty delegates responsibility for delivery of this formal teaching to
Departments, or to course management committees: the majority of your timetabled teaching
(lectures and practicals) is delivered by staff from seven departments (Biochemistry; Genetics;
Pathology; Pharmacology; Physiology, Development and Neuroscience; Psychology; and Veterinary
Medicine). This teaching will be augmented and enhanced by small-group teaching, (supervisions),
organised by your College. The supervision system can help with academic work, but also helps you
to develop communication and writing skills
Departments will provide course handbooks for each of the courses you take which will include
details of the arrangements for lectures and practical classes in that subject, and detailed guidance
about the form and conduct of examinations. Much more information, especially about timetables, is
available on the MVST pages of the Faculty of Biology web site and you should become accustomed
to consulting this:
http://www.bio.cam.ac.uk/sbs/facbiol/mvst
Study Skills - how to survive the term
University is not like school. There are significant differences between the way you were taught at
school and the way you will learn at University, and sometimes you may feel bewildered by the
transition. In place of relatively small school classes, information at University is delivered by means
of lectures, (essentially a 50-minute monologue) to groups of over 300 students. Lecturers will issue
hand-outs, but you will also need to develop your listening, concentration and note-taking skills to
get the best out of this. The material will be delivered quickly, and it is then up to you to understand
and assimilate it. The information you are provided with in lectures will be developed and set in
context in practical classes. Although classes may be large you will work in small groups with
demonstrators on hand to help and answer questions. These sessions are vital to your education and
attendance is mandatory.
The supervision system is there to complement the formal teaching and the onus is very much on you
to make use of it, and to develop study and time management skills to help you cope with and master
the material. College supervisions will play a very important part in your education. Make them
interactive and take full advantage of them to ask questions about any parts of the course you need
help with.
You will need to use the internet to consult library catalogues, past examination papers, databases of
scientific literature - and much, much more. The departments that provide your teaching are
providing increasing amount of supplementary information on their web sites, and the Faculty of
Biology website (www.bio.cam.ac.uk/sbs/facbiol/mvst/) also provides a lot of basic information.
You need to be aware that the University takes plagiarism very seriously. You can read more about
this on the Faculty website (http://www.bio.cam.ac.uk/sbs/facbiol/plagiarism.html).
10

Assessment and Exams
Courses have been designed to allow students, wherever possible, to learn for themselves rather than
being passive recipients of instruction, and you will get far more out of your course and are more
likely to do well in your exams if you regard university as an opportunity to study what interests you,
rather than just learning a syllabus to pass an exam.
You will encounter two kinds of assessment.
Formative assessment is designed to indicate to you how you are progressing, on a weekly or termly
basis. Your College supervisor is the person mainly responsible for providing this kind of feedback.
Formative assessment, more or less informal, may also form part of some University-based teaching.
Summative assessment (end of year exams) determines your ability to proceed with the rest of the
course. The main science courses in your first and second year will be examined for two
qualifications:
• Second Vet MB, which determines whether you are able to proceed to the clinical part of
your veterinary course;
• Tripos, on the basis of which you are classed and will receive your BA degree. In addition to
the main science courses, there are other courses which are assessed only for the Second Vet
MB.
Each of the main summer exams in June is divided into three sections, and Sections I and II count for
the Second Vet MB. The general format is a 1-hour theory exam (Section I), which covers the lecture
material and consists of MCQs or short notes, and a 1 or 2 hour practical exam (Section II) covering
the practical material. Because these Second Vet MB exams constitute a professional qualification,
you will be expected to pass these at a qualifying level, and to demonstrate a basic knowledge and
understanding of the whole of the subject material in the courses. The marks obtained in these two
sections will then be added to those of Section III, to give a final Tripos mark.
Students often ask, “How much do I need to know to pass the exams?” The bottom line is that to pass
your professional qualification (Second Vet MB) you will be expected to show a good working
knowledge of the subject material in all your courses. Furthermore, you will be expected not merely
to know this material but, more importantly, to understand it and apply that understanding to the
solving of problems.
Courses will provide you with the scientific knowledge which veterinary surgeons need to have in
order to cope with today’s clinical practice, but we are also trying to show you that learning is a
continuous process and that practitioners will have to continue to develop their knowledge and skills
throughout their working careers. To do well in the Tripos, you will need to show a deeper
understanding of the material, and to be able to marshal facts into coherent arguments.
If you do not pass the Second Vet MB in June you will have one further attempt at a separate Second
Vet MB examination in September, unless there are extenuating circumstances, such as illness or
other good cause. If you require a third attempt, your College has to apply for this on your behalf to
the Faculty Board of Veterinary Medicine.
Section III consists of a 2-hour exam, during which you will be asked to write essays from a wide
choice of topics; this section does not figure in your professional qualification, and the marks
obtained count only towards your Tripos class.
11

In addition to the main science courses, there are other courses, for example Principles of Animal
Management and Preparing for the Veterinary Profession, which are only assessed for the Second
Vet MB.
Full details of the exams and how they relate to the course can be found in the tables at the back of
this booklet and on the MVST website http://www.bio.cam.ac.uk/sbs/facbiol/mvst/courses.html
Complaints
(a)
About courses
For each course that you take there is a Course Organiser (listed at the back of this booklet). If you
have problems with the organisation of a particular course, you should communicate with him/her.
You can also tell the student representatives who sit on the management committee for the course
you are concerned about and ask them to raise the problem on your behalf. It may be a general
problem and this is one way of bringing it to the notice of the organisers. A problem arising within a
particular department may be raised, if all else fails, with the Head of the Department.
Problems with the teaching provided for you by your College should be raised with your Director of
Studies or, if that fails, with your Tutor or with the Senior Tutor.
(b)
Queries or complaints about examinations
Any complaints about the conduct or the results of examinations must be raised in the first instance
with your College Tutor and not directly with the Examiners concerned. It is your Tutor’s
responsibility to advise on these matters. Cambridge exam rules and regulations make provision for
cases of illness or other misfortune; if you encounter any kind of illness or other impediment to exam
preparation, the sooner you inform your College Tutor, the better. All liaison between a student and
the central administration, particularly in matters relating to examinations, must be conducted
through your College Tutor.
Attendance at teaching sessions
Diligent attendance is a requirement of the Faculty Board of Biology as you will need a certificate of
diligent attendance to permit you to take the Second Vet MB examinations.
Attendance at practical classes (but not lectures) is recorded and, if your attendance at the practical
classes is unsatisfactory, the Head of the Department concerned will be unable to provide a certificate
of diligent attendance and your progression in the course and professional future will be in jeopardy.
If there are good reasons why you are unable to attend a practical class then you should tell your
Director of Studies and the appropriate Course Organiser. It may be possible for you to do the
practical at some other time. Organisers of practical classes may notify students and their Colleges if
a student’s attendance record is unsatisfactory.
As a student your timetable is likely to be very full. Most of the teaching in the first three years is
carried out on the University’s Downing site. If you haven't time to go to College for lunch,
undergraduates are welcome at the University Centre, which is at the end of Mill Lane.
12

First Year Courses
These courses are assessed for Second Vet MB and Tripos. They cover the following topics:
• the overall layout of the structures of the body in Veterinary Anatomy and Physiology (VAP)
• the chemical and molecular mechanisms underlying the functions of the body and the
mechanisms that govern inheritance in Molecules in Medical Science (MIMS)
• the mechanisms that underlie communication within the body, and the maintenance of the
stability of the internal environment in Homeostasis (HOM) and Histology (HIST)
These courses are assessed only for Second Vet MB, and during these you will cover:
• The Principles of Animal Management (PAM) which comprises two elements:
o basic animal husbandry and nutrition is introduced;
o the nature of the veterinary vocation as well as some practical training in animal
handling and restraint
• basic concepts of epidemiology and biostatistics as tools for critical assessment of the quality
of scientific evidence and appropriate inference are introduced in the Introduction to the
Scientific Basis of Medicine (ISBM)
Preparing for the Veterinary Profession (PfVP)
The Preparing for the Veterinary Profession course forms a clinical strand through first and second
years. It is aimed at giving you an introduction to the ethical, social and professional responsibilities
of the profession in society and the agricultural industry. As its name suggests, it aims to provide you
with the opportunity to learn some of the skills and knowledge that should facilitate the transition
from academic preparation to practice within the profession.
In the first year the course is taught within the Principles of Animal Management course alongside
basics of animal husbandry and nutrition.
There are three main aims for the first year course. Firstly, to introduce you to the veterinary course,
the ethos of the teaching of the Department of Veterinary Medicine and the nature of the veterinary
vocation (this will include ethical issues and animal welfare); Secondly, to show you the risks of
working with animals and the risks of working on farms; Finally to provide some practical training
on the handling and restraint of cattle, sheep, pigs, horses, and other species commonly treated by
vets.
The animal handling practicals will be held at the University Farm, the Department of Veterinary
Medicine and Milton Campus of the University of West Anglia. Transport will be provided and you
will be advised of the arrangements. You will be shown safe and humane animal handling techniques
and have an opportunity to practice them. Documentary evidence of satisfactory attendance at these
sessions, and of farm visits, must be provided (see your EMS book).
The material in first and second year of PfVP will be formally examined along with the second year
material, in a 45-minute MCQ examination at the end of the Lent term of your second year.
In addition to PfVP, you will need to complete twelve weeks of Extra Mural Studies (Preclinical
EMS) and will need to submit a report on visits to farm(s) and certificates to show you have
completed twelve weeks’ attendance at a variety of placements by the end of the Easter term
preceding the October in which you enter the first year of the clinical course (that is Easter of the
third year for most students; Easter of the second year for affiliates).
13

Each student will be allocated a Clinical Supervisor who will advise on EMS, both preclinical and
later clinical. If you have not been contacted by your Clinical Supervisor before the end of the second
week of term please contact Katheryn Ayres (kma28@cam.ac.uk).
Principles of Animal Management
This course is designed to provide basic animal health teaching and to ensure that students obtain
maximum benefit from their EMS.
The aims of the course are to provide you with an understanding of UK agriculture and the roles of
veterinary surgeons within the industry, to teach you basic animal husbandry of the major farm
animal species, and to ensure that you have a common understanding of fundamental concepts of
nutrition. The course consists of lectures, computer assisted learning (CAL) packages and practicals.
The CAL packages are available via the internet from the Vet School website. Although slots have
been timetabled for the use of CAL, students are free to use the packages at their own convenience, in
College, at home, or using central computing resources.
A Second Vet MB examination for the course will be held at the end of the Lent term of your first
year. As a Second Vet MB exam, the marks will not contribute to the Part I Tripos classification, but
you must achieve a pass in order to be eligible for progression to the clinical course.
Second Year Courses
Five courses are assessed for Second Vet MB and Tripos, and they cover:
• the mechanisms by which drugs act upon the body in Mechanisms of Drug Action (MODA)
• the biological processes underlying disease in Biology of Disease (BOD)
• the structure and function of animal reproductive systems in Veterinary Reproductive
Biology (VRB)
• the structure and function of the sense organs and the central nervous system and basis of
animal behaviour in Neurobiology and Animal Behaviour (NAB)
• further veterinary anatomy in Comparative Vertebrate Biology (CVB)
One course is assessed for Second Vet MB only, and during this course you will:
• further develop your experience in Preparing for the Veterinary Profession (PfVP)
Summaries of the subject matter in these courses and detailed timetables will be provided in the
individual course handbooks and on the MVST website.
The Third Year
After two years (unless you are an affiliated student) you do a further year’s study and take a final
Tripos exam to complete the requirements for the BA degree. In April 2014, you will be asked to
state preferences for which course(s) you want to take in your third year. If you are an affiliated
student, you will start the clinical part of your course in Cambridge in September 2014. A huge
advantage of the Cambridge system is that it offers an enormous range of courses in your third year.
You may choose to take in-depth courses in many of the subjects you studied in the first two years, or
you may take courses in something rather different, such as Anthropology, Management Studies or
Philosophy, or you may decide to combine different subjects via a course such as NST Part II
Biological and Biomedical Sciences.
14

Your Director of Studies will be able to help you make a decision about what to take in the third year,
and there will be an opportunity for you to attend a Subjects Fair in March 2014 where the various
course organisers will set up their stalls and explain what they offer.
The Clinical Veterinary Curriculum
The clinical training is an integrated core teaching programme based on separate but related courses
given over the first six terms of the three clinical years. Some courses have a body systems basis
(alimentary) and some a discipline (anaesthesia) or species basis (equine). Alongside this there is
small group practical teaching on a rotational basis dealing with such things as clinical methods, post
mortem work, radiography, clinical pathology and gynaecology. Regular formal assessment takes the
form of course exams spread throughout the five terms, the aim being to encourage steady work and
personal development.
There is a proportion of elective work in the clinical course with fourth year veterinary public health
assignments and sixth year clinical electives, when students can choose areas of interest to study in
greater depth than in the core curriculum.
The final three terms are essentially lecture-free and consist of small group rotational work through
the clinics of the Department of Veterinary Medicine. There is an increasing emphasis on students
taking responsibility for their own learning and development, with case and client management under
supervision.
Continuous assessment forms an important part of this rotational work and contributes marks towards
the Final Veterinary Exam Part (III) that completes the course at the end of the sixth term. Students,
on passing this exam, can then be registered as members of the Royal College of Veterinary
Surgeons.
Throughout the clinical years students undertake a minimum of 26 weeks extra mural training in
veterinary practices and other establishments, sometimes with overseas experience.
The formal objectives of the clinical course are set out below, and the foundations for many of these
are laid in the pre-clinical course.
Programme outcomes
The clinical veterinary course occupies the final 9 terms of the 18 term veterinary course at
Cambridge.
On completion of the first level of the clinical course (Final Vet MB Part I & Part II), at the
beginning of the 6 th term of the clinical course (12 th term of whole course), students should have:
Knowledge and understanding
• a knowledge of the structure and function of healthy animals, which will allow students to
recognise and understand abnormal and disease states of body systems;
• a sympathetic understanding of the handling, management and nutrition of domesticated
animals and of their needs in health and disease;
• a knowledge of the principles and practice of preventive veterinary medicine and veterinary
public health;
• a knowledge of reproductive physiology and genetics sufficient to understand breeding
management in large and small animals;
15

• an understanding of the principles underlying the pathogenesis, diagnosis, epidemiology and
control of disease;
• basic knowledge of the law and ethical codes affecting veterinary practice;
• knowledge of the principles of surgical techniques;
• basic knowledge and interpretation of diagnostic imaging (radiography and ultrasound), and
have received a basic introduction to advanced imaging techniques, e.g. nuclear medicine,
MRI;
• basic clinical knowledge of veterinary pharmacology, pharmacy and toxicology.
• a basic knowledge of clinical pathology;
Intellectual Skills
• basic skills in diagnostic problem solving, and in formulation of treatment strategies.
Practical Skills
• the ability to take a clinical history from an owner;
• the ability to carry out a full clinical examination in all the main domestic species;
• the ability to handle and restrain animals safely;
• the ability to dispense and administer drugs to animals;
• the ability to undertake basic clinical diagnostic problem solving;
• the ability to formulate disease treatment and prevention strategies.
Transferable skills
• an understanding of scientific method, and an ability to apply basic scientific knowledge,
sufficient to enable students to extend their knowledge of, and utilise future developments in,
veterinary science;
• basic communication skills.
Lecture free final year
The second level of the clinical course occupies the final four terms. By the time they sit Part III of
the Final Vet MB examination, students should have applied their theoretical knowledge and
increased their practical skills in the areas above, and should also have acquired:
Intellectual skills
• knowledge of techniques necessary to carry out under supervision common surgical
procedures in domesticated animals, including anaesthesia of most species;
• the ability to draw up a list of differential diagnoses following investigation of disease;
• the ability to devise and carry out a treatment or management plan following clinical
assessment of common medical problems.
Practical Skills
• an ability to manage common obstetrical problems;
• the ability to perform intravenous catheterization and to take a blood sample;
• the ability to perform basic surgical techniques;
• the ability to perform basic diagnostic laboratory techniques.
16

Transferable Skills
• the capacity to communicate effectively with clients and with colleagues both in the
veterinary profession and in other disciplines;
• the ability to work well as a member of a team;
• the capacity to undertake successfully an extended study of a topic and to communicate the
results verbally and in writing.
Student Feedback and Representation
Course organisers will actively solicit opinions from you about your perception of their teaching.
Many of the good things about the teaching you will receive have come about as a response to
suggestions made in previous student questionnaires. You owe it to those coming after you to
respond to questionnaires, so that those responsible for organising the teaching know when
something is right and when something is wrong. When you complete a questionnaire try to be
honest, informative and, if possible, helpful.
Course liaison committees also have student representatives and it is at this level that most of the
useful work is done in providing feedback to those who teach from those who are trying to learn.
The Faculty Board also has student representatives and we hope that some of you will wish to
contribute in this way to discussions about how the teaching is organised. There is also a Faculty
Committee - the MVST Part I Committee, which oversees MVST IA and IB, and includes student
representatives. Please feel free to take any thoughts you have about the course to any of your student
representatives.
Student Societies
Within Cambridge there are societies organised by and run for veterinary students. Here are
‘welcome’ messages from two of them:
Cambridge University Veterinary Society:
CUVS is the Cambridge University Veterinary Society and we are the representative body of the vet
students at Cambridge. We have a 17 strong committee composed entirely of students whose main
role is to act as a platform for student opinion and a source of information, advice and entertainment.
Our many functions include: sitting on several committees round the vet school, arranging weekly
talks on topics of veterinary interest, ordering vet school ‘stash’ and, most importantly, organising
entertainments for you, the vet students! The committee will be introduced to you early on in your
first term and one of you will even have the chance to become ‘1 st year rep’ at this point, so make
sure you keep an eye out for emails and leaflets in your college pigeonholes to tell you more about it!
Cambridge University Veterinary Zoological Society (CUVZS):
Are you interested in working with exotic animals, zoo animals or wildlife? The Cambridge
University Veterinary Zoological Society warmly welcomes all vet students to join our society and
learn more about how to become an exotics vet. With fortnightly talks, weekend events and our
annual symposium attended by vet students from all seven vet schools, CUVZS offers exciting
opportunities to meet and learn from exotics, zoo and wildlife vets. Take a look at our website
www.cuvzs.com for information on becoming a member and the latest events.
17

Estimated additional course costs 2012-13
In addition to the standard living costs, vet student should expect to have to meet the following
estimated costs:
Lab coat £ 10.00
Dissection kit, gloves, safety glasses, loan of locker and key, loan of dog
£ 24.00
skeleton
Veterinary Dissection Manual which includes course guides for
Veterinary Anatomy and Physiology (1st Year) and Neurobiology and £ 14.00
Comparative Veterinary Biology (2nd Year)*
Wellington boots £ 12.00
University approved calculator £ 14.00
Electron micrographs (optional) £ 2.00
EMS (preclinical) 12 weeks practical vacation experience with animals,
particularly farm animals. Insurance cover provided but no subsistence
grants payable
Veterinary Medicine (Clinical)
Overalls £ 13.50
Boots (with steel toecaps) £ 12.50
Stethoscope £ 4.95
EMS - 26 weeks required by RCVS - variable depending on chosen
placements (Grants are available to assist with costs)
BVA insurance cover, at a cost of £27.00 per annum, will be met by the
Veterinary School
*The manuals essentially replace the need for a text book of human or veterinary anatomy.
18

Course Organisers - MVST Part 1A (2012-13)
Name of Course Organiser Email Address Telephone
Number
Principles of Animal
Management (PAM)
Dr Pearce (Clinical
Veterinary Medicine)
gpp28@cam.ac.uk 37678
Histology
Homeostasis (HOM)
Introduction to the
Scientific Basis of
Medicine (ISBM)
Molecules in Medical
Science (MIMS)
Preparing for the
Veterinary Profession
(PfVP)
Veterinary Anatomy
and Physiology (VAP)
Dr J T Tiffert
(Physiology, Development
& Neuroscience) (PDN)
1 st + 2 nd Terms – Dr J T
Tiffert
3 rd Term - Dr C
Schwiening(PDN)
Professor K-T Khaw
(Clinical Medicine)
Professor E Laue
(Biochemistry)
Dr Pearce (Clinical
Veterinary Medicine)
Dr D Bainbridge
(Veterinary Anatomy)
jtt1000@cam.ac.uk 33830
jtt1000@cam.ac.uk
cjs36@cam.ac.uk
33827
kk101@cam.ac.uk 36927
edl1@cam.ac.uk 33677 or
46287
gpp28@cam.ac.uk 37678
db125@cam.ac.uk 33799
Course Organisers - MVST Part 1B (2012-13)
Name of Course Organiser Email Address Telephone
Number
Biology of Disease
(BOD)
Dr I B Kingston
(Pathology)
ibk1000@mole.bio.cam.
ac.uk
33330
Mechanisms of Drug
Action (MODA)
Neurobiology and
Animal Behaviour
(NAB)
Preparing for the
Veterinary Profession
(PfVP)
Veterinary Reproductive
Biology (VRB)
Comparative Vertebrate
Biology (CVB)
Dr L MacVinish
(Pharmacology)
Dr Steve Edgley
(PDN)
Dr Hugh Matthews (PDN)
Dr J Brearley
(Veterinary Medicine)
Dr D Bainbridge
(PDN)
Dr J H Brackenbury
(PDN)
ljm1000@cam.ac.uk 34034
sae1001@cam.ac.uk
hrm1@cam.ac.uk
33812
jcb78@cam.ac.uk 37658
db125@cam.ac.uk 33799
jhb1000@cam.ac.uk 33847
19

First Year Courses and Assessment -MVST PART 1A
This table summarises the first year courses, and how they are assessed. First year students take both
Second Vet MB and Tripos examinations. The main sitting for the Second Vet MB/Tripos
examinations is in June. Resits for all Second Vet MB subjects are in September.
Course
Homeostasis
(HOM)
Molecules in
Medical
Science
(MIMS)
Veterinary
Anatomy
and
Physiology
(VAP)
Introduction
to the
Scientific
Basis of
Medicine
(ISBM)
Exam paper
structure
Section
1 hour
I
Section
II
Section
III
Section
I
Section
II
Section
III
Section
I
Section
II
Section
III
One
paper
Principles of
Animal One
Management paper
(PAM)
Preparing
for the
Veterinary
Profession A
(PfVPA)
Material
Assessment Exam format Notes
examined
Lecture
material
2 hours Practical
material
2 hours Whole
course
1 hour
Lecture
material
2 hours Practical
material
2 hours Whole
course
1 hour
Lecture
material
2 hours Practical
material
2 hours Whole
course
45
minutes
1 hour
2nd
MB
2nd
MB
2nd
MB
2nd
MB
2nd
MB
2nd
Vet
MB
2nd Vet
MB
2nd Vet
MB
2nd Vet
MB
2nd Vet
MB
2nd Vet
MB
2nd Vet
MB
2nd Vet
MB
Tripos MCQs or Short Notes
Tripos
Practical questions (by
MCQs)
Tripos Essay questions
Tripos MCQs
Tripos Practical questions
Tripos Essay questions
Tripos MCQs
Tripos
2nd Vet MB
Practical questions
(short notes and
MCQs)
Tripos Essay questions
MCQs
MCQs
Sections I
& III taken
as a single
3 hour
paper
Sections I
& II taken
as a single
3 hour
paper
Sections I
& III taken
as a single
3 hour
paper
Note 2
Note 1 Histology will be examined as part of the Homeostasis practical.
Note 2 First and second year strands of PfVP will be assessed in the Lent term of their second year.
Note 3 In order to validate the BioMedical Admissions Test (BMAT) IA Tripos results will be released, under conditions of
strict confidentiality, to the University of Cambridge Local Examinations Syndicate who run the BMAT on behalf of the
University and Colleges. Tripos results will be compared with BMAT results to assess the validity of the test.
Note 4 The regulations for MVST IA stipulate that each subject of the IA examination should carry the same marks.
Form and Conduct Notices have been published in the Reporter, which describe in detail the format of each examination.
20

Second Year Courses and Assessment-MVST PART IB
This table summarises the second year courses, and how they are assessed. The main sitting for
Second Vet MB/Tripos examinations is in June, but the Second Vet MB examination in Preparing for
the Veterinary Profession is at the end of the Lent term. Resits for all 2nd Vet MB subjects are in
September.
Course
Biology of
Disease (BOD)
Mechanisms of
Drug
Action(MODA)
Neurobiology
and Animal
Behaviour
(NAB)
Veterinary
Reproductive
Biology (VRB)
Comparative
Vertebrate
Biology (CVB)
Preparing for
the
Veterinary
Profession
(PfVP)
Exam
Structure
Section
I
Section
II
Section
III
Section
I
Section
II
Section
III
Section
I
Section
II
Section
III
Section
I
Section
II
Section
III
Part I
Part II
One
Paper
1
hour
Material
examined Assessment
Lecture
material
2 Practical
hours material
2 Whole
hours course
1
hour
Lecture
material
2 Practical
hours material
2 Whole
hours course
1
hour
1
hour
Lecture
material
Practical
material
2 Whole
hours course
1
hour
1
hour
1½
hrs
1½
hrs
1½
hrs
Lecture
material
Practical
material
Whole
course
Whole
course
2nd
MB
2nd
MB
2nd
MB
2nd
MB
2nd Vet
MB
2nd Vet
MB
2nd
Vet
MB
2nd
Vet
MB
2nd
Vet
MB
2nd
Vet
MB
2nd
Vet
MB
2nd
Vet
MB
2nd Vet
MB
Exam
format
Notes
Tripos MCQs Sections
I & III
Practical taken as
Tripos
questions a single
Essay
3 hour
Tripos
questions
paper
Tripos
Tripos
Tripos
Tripos
Tripos
Tripos
Tripos
Tripos
Tripos
Tripos
MCQs
and short
notes
Practical
questions
Essay
questions
Sections
I & III
taken as
a single
3 hour
paper
Short
Answer
Questions Sections
I & III
Practical
questions
Essay
questions
MCQs
Practical
questions
Essay
questions
Steeple
chase
Essay
questions
45mins 2nd Vet MB MCQs
taken as
a single
3 hour
paper
Sections
I and III
taken as
a single
2½ hour
paper
21

The regulations for MVST IB stipulate that the maximum marks allocated to each subject at IB
should be in the following proportions:
• Biology of Disease 10
• Mechanisms of Drug Action 10
• Neurobiology with Animal Behaviour 10
• Veterinary Reproductive Biology 8
• Comparative Vertebrate Biology 8
Note: The first and second years of the PfVP course are assessed together at the end of the Lent term
of the second year.
Form and Conduct Notices have been published in the Reporter, which describe in detail the format
of individual examinations.
22

VETERINARY STUDENT REGISTER AGREEMENT 2012
If you have a difficulty with any element of this declaration, please contact your college Senior Tutor to discuss
how this might be resolved.
1 I have read the following information:
‣ The University’s Veterinary Student Code of Conduct and explanatory notes i ;
‣ The University’s Confidential Sources of Help and Advice ii .
2 I will comply with the rules and procedures laid down by the Faculty Boards of Biology and Veterinary
Medicine;
3 I recognise that all information obtained about any patient or their owner during the course of my duties is
strictly confidential and may not be divulged to anyone other than in a clinical context;
4 I recognise that my conduct and dress when engaged in the care of patients and while undertaking Extra-
Mural Studies will be appropriate to the status of a veterinary practitioner;
5 I will inform the Director of Education (Biological Sciences) and the Director of Veterinary Teaching
immediately if I am involved in any police investigation, which may lead to charges being brought against
me;
6 I will inform the Director of Education (Biological Sciences) and the Director of Veterinary Teaching
immediately if I am no longer able to meet the requirements of this agreement or if I become aware of any
change to my physical or mental health which may put at risk the health and well-being of patients or their
owners.
7 I understand that the Fitness for Veterinary Practice Committee may share information about my registration
with other bodies in the public interest and has the authority to remove my name, either temporarily or
permanently, for failing to observe the Veterinary Student Code of Conduct or failing to progress
academically.
8 I understand that I will remain on the Cambridge Veterinary Students Register and observe the University’s
Veterinary Student Code of Conduct until I have:
‣ completed the requirements of the clinical Veterinary course satisfactorily;
‣ withdrawn from the veterinary course;
‣ sat any Vet MB examination on two occasions without passing;
‣ been suspended by the Fitness for Veterinary Practice Committee.
9 I understand that, if I fail to abide by this agreement and the Code of Conduct, I will be responsible for
paying any reasonable costs arising from a review of my fitness for practice in the event that such review
leads to me being found unfit for practice or fit for practice only on certain conditions.
10 I give my consent to the processing of my data by the University.
Student Name: ………................................
(BLOCK CAPITALS)
Signature: ………..........................................
Witness Name: ………................................
Signature: ………..........................................
Date: ........................
Note that you will be reminded annually of the importance of these statements.
Please return this form, at your first Veterinary Anatomy and Physiology (VAP) practical on the morning of
Thursday, 4 October 2012, to Dr David Bainbridge.
i Available in your handbook and on the web at:
http://www.bio.cam.ac.uk/sbs/facbiol/mvst/vethbk.html
ii Available in your handbook and on the web at:
http://www.bio.cam.ac.uk/sbs/facbiol/mvst/vethbk.html
23