VET352A Professional Studies A

The subject has two main parts (Veterinary Public Health and Communication) and is taught as a thread in the study, running from the first to the last semester. The goal of the subject is to serve as a link between the many different subjects in veterinary studies.

1. Veterinary Public Health and the veterinary regulations, where students will learn about the legal frameworks for veterinary professional practice, professional ethical considerations, and the veterinary social responsibility in important societal areas such as food production and food safety, disease control, animal welfare, environment, and sustainability. A One Health perspective is an important part of the training. The teaching starts in the 1st semester, continues in the 2nd and 6th semesters, and includes meat cinspection in the 9th semester. A thorough introduction to the veterinary regulations is given in the 11/12th semester.

2. Communication starts with a focus on communication and interaction in learning student groups in the 1st semester. Self-care and mental challenges in the veterinary profession are discussed in the 6th semester. As the clinic approaches, the focus shifts to communication with colleagues and clients in a clinical situation in the 8th semester.

Knowledge

Upon completion of the course, the student should:

Veterinary Public Health and Veterinary Regulations

• Understand the basic features of the regulations that govern veterinary activity, including the Food Act and central regulations in the so-called hygiene package, as well as the Animal Health Personnel Act and the Animal Welfare Act with regulations.
• Know the regulations that form the framework for the control of infectious diseases in animals and zoonotic infections, including import regulations.
• Be familiar with emergency routines, reporting obligations and principles for handling and combating serious/exotic infections in livestock and farmed fish.
• Know about the Food Safety Authority and its organization, management of regulations with the use of instruments, and cooperation with VKM and the use of risk assessments.
• Know the role of veterinarians in the legal system in dispute cases and criminal cases.
• Have a basic understanding of the veterinarian's professional role and our responsibility in relation to society and the relations to other subjects and professions.
• Be able to reflect on this in topics such as food safety, environmental protection, infection control, terrestrial and marine bio-production and sports and family animal medicine.
• Know central parts of the veterinary profession's history.
• Know professional ethical principles and ethical guidelines for the veterinary profession.
• Be able to place the veterinary profession in a One Health context. Understand the importance of the subject in development towards a sustainable bio-production, with a main focus on the Norwegian animal-based food chains.
• Know the responsibility attached to the term public veterinarian and understand the importance of meat inspection and the use of food chain information in meat inspection. Know the importance of environmental hygiene in the veterinary profession.
• Be able to describe the most relevant strategies for disease control and zoonosis control for our conditions, and be able to account for the knowledge elements that are essential to choose these strategies.
• Know the structure and function of important surveillance programs under the direction of the Food Safety Authority and the livestock industry.
• Know the main principles for interpreting and evaluating diagnostic tests. Know the main principles in infection epidemiology and how this is used in disease control.

Communication

• Understand how interaction in groups contributes to learning a complex subject like veterinary medicine.
• Know the principles of good communication with animal owners as an important part of good clinical practice.
• Know the importance of communication and interaction with veterinarians, animal nurses and administrative staff in the clinic.
• Know the principles of written communication of professional material in different channels.
• Be familiar with the importance of self-care in the profession and the mental challenges that the veterinary profession represents.

Skills

Upon completion of the course, the student should be able to:

Veterinary Public Health and the Veterinary Regulations

• Assess the use of relevant regulations in connection with cases that are under the veterinarian's professional responsibility.
• Know basic methods for reading professional literature and using it within evidence-based veterinary medicine.
• Be able to make professional choices in light of professional ethical guidelines and weigh different considerations in professional choices.
• Review and assess established disease control and surveillance programs and propose specific strategies for controlling infections in animals and zoonoses.
• Be able to perform ante- and post-mortem control of slaughter, including ante-mortem examination of emergency slaughter. Make relevant professional assessments regarding meat inspection assessment of slaughter.
• Perform a simple assessment of slaughter hygiene and animal welfare in the slaughterhouse.
• Have the ability to reflect on complex situations that veterinarians must handle, where intersecting societal interests meet.

Communication

• Function well in fixed colloquy groups and other group-based teaching.
• Communicate with the animal owner in a respectful and good way.
• Establish good relationships with other veterinarians, animal nurses and others in a clinical situation.
• Have good skills in written communication with others, including risk communication to society.

General competence

• Reflect on your own level of knowledge and skill level in relation to the learning outcome.
• Self-evaluate and identify your own academic strengths and weaknesses within the field.