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Curriculum Structure

Clinical Year Curriculum

Lincoln Memorial University-College of Veterinary Medicine (LMU-CVM) has established and is advancing a hybrid distributed community based educational model in which premier institutions partner with LMU-CVM in the education of future veterinarians. Prepared fourth year veterinary students rotate through select, high quality clinical affiliate sites and LMU-CVM overseen sites where students obtain real world learning experiences from highly qualified veterinarians and other professionals.

The 52 week LMU-CVM Clinical Year Curriculum consists of 44 weeks of hands-on immersive clinical experiences. Clinical experience comprise eleven four week rotations. Students may substitute 1 four week rotation with 2 two week externships.

All students attend clinical rotations at Primary Instructional Sites in which LMU-CVM faculty oversee the clinical experience. Secondary Instructional Sites are institutions in which LMU-CVM have developed a relationship and have been visited, doctors and staff have undergone training and the physical facility meet AVMA-COE standards. Twenty eight weeks of clinical experience are considered required core curriculum occurring at Primary and Secondary Instructional Sites.

For the balance of required clinical year course work and upon conversation with their career advisor, students take 16 weeks of electives that meet the individual student's career goals. Whether a student's goal is to be a companion animal practitioner, a mixed animal practice doctor, a food animal veterinarian, an equine practitioner, a researcher or other field of veterinary medicine, the LMU-CVM curriculum can meet these goals.

  •   CORE CURRICULUM (28 WEEKS)
         
    •   PRIMARY INSTRUCTIONAL SITES (12 WEEKS)

      CVM 772 | Small Animal Community & Population Medicine

      CVM 773 | Diagnostic Pathology

      CVM 774 | DVTC Large Animal-Equine Clinical Rotation

      CVM 778 | Diagnostic Radiology (virtual)

      CVM 779 | Clinical Pathology (virtual)

    •   SECONDARY INSTRUCTIONAL SITES (8 WEEKS)

      CVM 770 | Small Animal Clinical Practice

      CVM 771 | Specialty / Referral Practice (Small Animal)

    •   SELECTIVE AT SECONDARY INSTRUCTIONAL SITES (8 WEEKS)

      CVM 771S | Specialty / Referral Practice (Small Animal, Large Animal, Equine, Other)

      CVM 770 OR CVM 771S | Either a Small Animal Clinical Practice Rotation OR a Specialty / Referral Practice Rotation (Small Animal, Large Animal, Equine, Other)

  •   ELECTIVE COURSES (16 WEEKS)

    Select from a combination of below (each 4 weeks unless otherwise noted).

    CVM 770E | Small Animal Clinical Practice Rotation

    CVM 771E | Specialty / Referral Practice (Small Animal, Large Animal Equine, Other)

    CVM 775E | Mixed Animal Practice

    CVM 780SPE | Elective Clinical Rotation (student proposed elective, limit 3 per student)

    CVM 780 | Elective Clinical Rotation (pre-approved, no limit per student)

    CVM 781 | Elective Externship Clinical Rotation (2 weeks each, limit 2 per student)

    CVM 782 | Elective Rotation at LMU-CVM

  •   ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS (8 WEEKS)

    NAVLE Preparation and Test Scheduling (3 weeks)

    Self-Study (4 weeks)

    CVM 777 | Launch Week (1 week)

Rotations at Primary Instructional sites and Secondary Instructional sites may be taken as electives. Two 2 week Externship Rotations (CVM781) may be taken in lieu of one four week elective rotation. Also a NAVLE Preparation course rotation is available on the LMU-CVM campus prior to the November-December NAVLE® window. All LMU-CVM students will return to LMU-CVM to participate for a 1 week assessment and evaluation of the program. All students have a 4 week block designated as a Self-Directed Study block (Vacation) where students have time to pursue career interests, study and seek career opportunities. Additionally all students have a 3 week block off from clinical rotations in order to study and sit for the November-December NAVLE®. Elective rotations that meet necessary LMU-CVM standards and approval may be taken anywhere in North America or the world.

Customize Your Clinical Year

THE CLINICAL YEAR ALLOWS FOR THE STUDENT TO CUSTOMIZE THEIR ROTATIONS TO EMPHASIZE THEIR UNIQUE PREFERENCES AND INTERESTS. BELOW ARE JUST A FEW EXAMPLES OF HOW THE CLINICAL YEAR CAN ALLOW FOR A STUDENT TO PREPARE FOR THEIR INDIVIDUAL CAREER PATH.

COMPANION ANIMAL

Students interested in a career in companion animal practice could potentially take 24 weeks of small animal practice rotations (course break down – 2 core, 4 elective) in addition to 8 weeks of small animal specialty/referral practice or a combination, having 32 weeks of companion animal clinical year experience.

MIXED ANIMAL

Students interested in a career in mixed animal practice could potentially take 16 weeks of mixed animal practice rotations as electives in addition to 4 weeks of a large/mixed specialty/referral practice, 4 weeks at the DVTC Large Animal-Equine rotation, 4 weeks of companion animal experience and 4 weeks of small animal specialty/referral experience having a total of 32 weeks of mixed animal clinical year experiences.

FOOD ANIMAL

Students interested in a career in food animal practice could potentially take 16 weeks of food animal practice rotations as electives in addition to 4 weeks of a large/mixed specialty/referral practice and 4 weeks at the DVTC Large Animal-Equine rotation, for a total of 24 weeks of food animal clinical year experiences.

EQUINE

Students interested in a career in equine practice could potentially take 16 weeks of equine practice rotations as electives in addition to 4 weeks of an equine specialty/ referral practice experience, and 4 weeks at the DVTC Large Animal-Equine rotation, for a total of 24 weeks of equine clinical year experiences.

RESEARCH

Students interested in a career in research could potentially take 16 weeks of research experience as electives with an additional 4 weeks as a CVM771S Specialty/Referral rotation for a total of 20 weeks of clinical year research experiences.

STUDENT ADVISING

All students are required to have their assigned LMU-CVM faculty advisor or an LMU-CVM career advisor review and approve their clinical year schedule.

For more information on clinical year courses, view course descriptions here.

To view the clinical year academic calendar, click here.