Proposed Curriculum
Once accredited and approved, the CVM Curriculum will help students grow in their scientific knowledge using a thoughtfully structured professional framework. The four-year curriculum includes a basis of foundational knowledge with an emphasis on clinical and professional skills.
The first three years of the curriculum will be conducted on the new, state-of-the-art Clemson CVM campus. The fourth year will allow students to become a part of their surrounding communities through clinical clerkships. From general practice to specialty to zoo medicine, students will experience and learn from a wide array of professionals.
For an in-depth look at the curriculum, see below.
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Proposed Curriculum
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Curriculum Overview and Course Catalog
Our stair graphic depicts the CVM curriculum from years one through four. Students will build on each year of the curriculum, gaining foundational knowledge, professional development, and clinical skills.
Take an in-depth look at the CVM Course Catalog in the proposed curriculum. The four-year DVM program is comprised of 160 credits. Students must pass all courses each semester to progress in the program and meet degree requirements for graduation.
For a breakdown of each year, please click the dropdowns below.
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Competency-Based Education
The curriculum will follow best practices in medical education by being competency-based. The framework of the College of Veterinary Medicine coursework and assessments are based on the peer-reviewed American Association of Veterinary Medical Colleges (AAVMC) Competency-Based Veterinary Education (CBVE) model. This ensures that our curriculum is learner-centered and outcomes-based.
The Clemson CVM Program Outcomes consist of nine domains. Through the organization of these domains and the competencies provided in each, students will be given a roadmap for understanding the goals and outcomes required to be a successful, competent veterinarian upon completion of the program.
Domains of Competence
Clinical Reasoning and Decision-Making
Individual Animal Care and Management
Animal Population Care and Management
Public Health
Communication
Collaboration
Professionalism and Professional Identity
Financial and Practice Management
Scholarship
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Year 1
The first year of any DVM program is challenging. At Clemson, the structure of this transition year has been developed with the students’ well-being in mind. The Professional Development courses will help with this transition and lay the foundation in important areas like communication, well-being, financial literacy and ethics.
The scientific coursework in the first few weeks will allow students to revisit what they learned in their undergraduate courses, framing that knowledge in the context of clinical veterinary practice. This knowledge will be put to the test as students learn anatomy, physiology and imaging of domestic animal species in The Healthy Animal course series.
The content in these courses will align with the Clinical Skills courses where students are immersed right away in hands-on learning with both simulation models and live animals (of all shapes and sizes!).
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Year 2
The second year revisits and expands on what was learned in the first year by switching gears to The Diseased Animal course series. Using a systems-based team-taught approach, students will learn to associate clinical problems with diagnoses in areas like pathology, parasitology, virology and microbiology.
The Professional Development and Clinical Skills course series also progresses, presenting students with more complex knowledge and skills. By the end of the second year, students will use an ultrasound probe, be confident in their surgical knots and anesthesia protocols and be comfortable with gathering a history from any client!
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Year 3
The Fall of the third year is when the students get to put their knowledge and skills from the 1st two years into practice! In service to local shelter and rescue groups, the students will perform free exams, preventative care measures, spay/neuters and dental procedures. Under the guidance of our talented faculty, students will take the lead on case management from start to finish. This, combined with their case-based lecture courses in small animal, equine and farm animal, makes for a busy semester.
The last Spring semester on the Clemson CVM campus is dedicated to preparedness for the 4th year clerkships. A focus is placed on clinical reasoning, case management and achieving milestones for basic medical and surgical competencies in a set of “miniature rotations” both on and near the Clemson campus.
Aside from client communication labs, the Professional Development course series will prepare students to enter their clinical clerkship rotations, take the NAVLE®, and negotiate for that perfect job!
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Year 4
Year four of the Clemson DVM Program, referred to as the Clerkship Program, will provide students with hands-on clinical training across the spectrum of veterinary workplace environments and clientele. Clinical rotations (i.e. Clerkships) throughout the year will take place at approved off-campus clinical sites located throughout South Carolina and surrounding areas. During the clerkship experience, students will perform all the essential activities expected of a general practitioner. Workplace training will occur with the entire clinical team including DVMs, LVTs, practice managers and client support specialists. Supervision of the entire training process is provided by the on-site veterinarians and Clemson CVM clinical faculty members.
Clinical Training Network sites (approved partner practices for clinical training) include practices and experiences in all corners of the state, encompassing all types of veterinary practice. These practices are organized by geographic hubs shown below on the state map. Students can select and rank their choices for clerkship experiences based on geographic location and career goals. Scheduling the 44 weeks of clerkship rotations will be completed with consideration for students to live near home and/or family support, thus reducing financial burden when possible.
See the image below for a view of the clinical training network map*.
*The clinical training network is organized into regional “communities” to provide a range of opportunities and minimize relocations for year four students. Partners outside of these communities can still apply to participate. Future communities may develop as the program grows.
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Degree Requirements
The Clemson College of Veterinary Medicine four-year DVM program is comprised of 160 credits. Students must pass all courses each semester to progress in the program and meet degree requirements for graduation. Graduates must also achieve proficiency in all required competencies.
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Statement on Community Engagement, Belonging and Access
The College of Veterinary Medicine (CVM) is committed to the University's core values of honesty, integrity and respect leading to community, belonging and access. We aspire to create a community that welcomes all students, staff and faculty working as a team towards common goals. Furthermore, the CVM aspires to foster a community of belonging where all members thrive and will do so by building positive relationships, broadening collective understanding, providing experiential learning opportunities and engaging in innovation and collaborative research.
