SCAM13002U Companion Animal Internal Medicine and Speciality Cases - Systematic Diagnostic Decision Making

Volume 2024/2025
Education

This course is a compulsory course at the Master of Companion Animal Clinical Science. The master is a post graduate education targeted companion animal veterinarians seeking Continual Professional Development (CPD).

Content

The purpose of this course is to provide the students with theoretical and practical skills to perform rational diagnostic work up and clinical decision making and to extend the participants knowledge, personal skills and competences within the discipline of companion animal internal medicine and the subspecialties neurology, cardiology and oncology. The course will have special emphasis on the application of the problem oriented medical record (POMR) method as a systematic reflective diagnostic decision making tool in companion animal internal medicine patients. It will mainly be case based and interactive to further reflection, analysis and synthesis of patient problems from available data and background knowledge. The POMR method will be used to work up cases with simple or complex clinical manifestations of medical diseases. Evaluation and interpretation of blood samples, including haematological and biochemical profiles, as well as of urine samples and other laboratory results will be taught in relation to complex clinical cases.
 

Read more about the Master of Companion Animal Science.

Learning Outcome

Having completed the course, the student must be able to:


 Knowledge

  • Define, identify and discuss the systematic diagnostic decision making approach to the companion animal internal medicine patient as well as the cardiologic, neurologic, and oncologic patient using the problem based approach (POMR)
  • Explain and reflect about the systematic diagnostic decision making approach using POMR

 
Skills

  • Apply the POMR approach in complex companion animal internal medicine patients in relation to clinical manifestations of disease.
  • Interpret, assess and reflect on patient data in order to list patient problems, localise and identify the cause of disease (DAMNIT), establish a final diagnosis and perform follow up assessment based on POMR on complex internal medicine patients
  • Reflect about indications for and interpretion of laboratory and imaging data in relation to the internal medicine patient
  • Perform an advanced clinical cardiologic examination, neurologic examination, and examination of a patient with cancer
  • Perform case presentations for both companion animal dedicated and non-dedicated colleagues and clients
  • Apply evidence based approaches in internal medicine patients

 
Competences

  • Plan and evaluate a diagnostic work-up for a patient with a complex  history within companion animal internal medicine
  • Independently obtain, evaluate and elaborate on evidence based new knowledge within veterinary internal medicine
  • Collaborate and communicate within and between both companion animal dedicated and non-dedicated peers and lay persons involved in companion animal internal medicine patient management

Theoretical cases and practice case paradigms as well as an updated literature lists will be posted at least 1 month prior to course start. The participant should have theoretical knowledge updated prior to participation. Furthermore it is required that the paticipant has worked with all theoretical cases and prepared a presentation of a practice case (following the POMR paradigm)

Inclusion criteria for Master's Programme in Companion Animal Clinical Science: Degree in veterinary medicine and at least two years of relevant work experience.
Case based and problem oriented lectures, theoretical and practical exercises and workshops. E-learning may be used as well.
  • Category
  • Hours
  • Lectures
  • 10
  • Preparation
  • 134
  • Theory exercises
  • 12
  • Practical exercises
  • 10
  • Exam
  • 40
  • Total
  • 206
Written
Oral
Credit
7,5 ECTS
Type of assessment
Portfolio
Type of assessment details
The portfolio exam consists of two parts.
1) The course certificate, which supports, underpins, and focuses on the learning process (learning portfolio). All required components of the course certificate must be approved and include a) a minimum of 80% active participation and b) preparation and presentation of, and participation in problem oriented case discussions.

2) A graded evaluation, which focuses on the intended learning outcomes (evaluation portfolio). The graded evaluation includes a) an exam with multiple-choice, short answer, and/or essay questions and b) a written assignment: an evidence-based procedure.
Exam registration requirements

80 % active participation in the on-site course activities is required in order to obtain an approved course certificate. Both, an approved course certificate and a passed examination are required to pass the course. Students may attend examination without approval of course certificate.

Aid
All aids allowed
Marking scale
7-point grading scale
Censorship form
No external censorship
More than one internal examiner
Exam period

Exam dates will be published on the programme  homepage.

Criteria for exam assesment

To achieve the maximum grade of 12, the student shall be able to:


 Knowledge

  • Define, identify and discuss the systematic diagnostic decision making approach to the companion animal internal medicine patient as well as the cardiologic, neurologic, and oncologic patient using the problem based approach (POMR)
  • Explain and reflect about the systematic diagnostic decision making approach using POMR

 
Skills

  • Apply the POMR approach in complex companion animal internal medicine patients in relation to clinical manifestations of disease.
  • Interpret, assess and reflect on patient data in order to list patient problems, localise and identify the cause of disease (DAMNIT), establish a final diagnosis and perform follow up assessment based on POMR on complex internal medicine patients
  • Reflect about indications for and interpretion of laboratory and imaging data in relation to the internal medicine patient
  • Perform an advanced clinical cardiologic examination, neurologic examination, and examination of a patient with cancer
  • Perform case presentations for both companion animal dedicated and non-dedicated colleagues and clients
  • Apply evidence based approaches in internal medicine patients

 
Competences

  • Plan and evaluate a diagnostic work-up for a patient with a complex  history within companion animal internal medicine
  • Independently obtain, evaluate and elaborate on evidence based new knowledge within veterinary internal medicine
  • Collaborate and communicate within and between both companion animal dedicated and non-dedicated peers and lay persons involved in companion animal internal medicine patient management