Foundational concepts preparing students for the study of unhealthy animals, with a focus on populations and public health: expanding on basic concepts from anatomic and clinical pathology, infectious disease, epidemiology, parasitology, clinical pharmacology, diagnostic imaging, nutrition, anesthesia, and immunology.
Athena Title
Foundations of Vet Med IIb
Non-Traditional Format
60 total contact hours, including lecture, lab, and small group integrative sessions.
Pre or Corequisite
Enrollment in the second year of the doctor of veterinary medicine curriculum.
Semester Course Offered
Offered spring
Grading System
S/U (Satisfactory/Unsatisfactory)
Student learning Outcomes
Students will be able to describe the structure and function of the dairy, swine, poultry, and beef industries.
Students will be able to identify issues that limit animal productivity in different industry segment.
Students will be able to identify issues in population, food safety, and public health.
Students will be able to assess likely cause(s) of disease in populations.
Students will develop surveillance and testing strategies to manage diseases in populations.
Students will be able to design basic disease prevention programs for animal facilities and populations.
Students will be able to effectively communicate health information to stakeholders.
Topical Outline
Structure and function of animal protein industries
a. dairy
b. beef
c. swine
d. poultry
e. contribution to global food security
Testing strategies for populations
a. surveillance
b. sampling strategies
c. reference intervals, diagnostic interpretation
d. evidence-based decision making
Managing diseases in populations
a. biosecurity and infection control
b. regulatory medicine
c. housing environment
d. antimicrobial stewardship
e. vaccination strategies and herd immunity
f. nutrition
Exploring public health issues and the One Health approach
Radiographic interpretation
a. identification of normal vs. abnormal radiographic anatomy
b. interpretation of radiographic findings in unhealthy animals
c. integration of imaging findings with data
