Required Courses (8 credit hours + 1 zero credit enrollment)

All courses in the EAZMVC program are elective courses within the DVM curriculum.  Students in the EAZMVC must take 8 credit hours in the required elective courses (outlined below) and 6 credit hours in select elective courses (outlined below), and must obtain 50 points (pt) in the list of other training opportunities (outlined below).

* Because VCS 905 is considered a required course for students enrolled in the EAZMVC program, this course, when ranking, does not count as one of the 4th-year elective choices.
** Students must enroll in the zero (0) credit option of VCS901 during the 4th-year as verification that the 50 points of training opportunities have been completed and recognized.

Elective Courses (6 credit hours)

These are in addition to the credit hours listed under “required courses.”

Special Requirements

Students in the EAZMVC program will also have to complete a number of other training opportunities; ideally, these will align with their specific areas of interest in exotic animal/zoological medicine; 50 points (pt) required. Once 50 points have been awarded, the student will be enrolled in VCS 901 (Clinical Externship and/or Programmed Study) for 0 credit status (no financial cost).

• Actively participate as an officer or by attending 75% of the meetings in the KSU Exotic Animal Medicine Club (EAMC) (5 pt)
• Actively participate as an officer or by attending 75% of the meetings in the KSU Avian Medicine Club (5 pt)
• Actively participate in the KSU EAMC’s Herpetarium, as manager, co-manager, or by providing animal care at least 15 times (5 pt)
• Pre-clinical mentorships or externships at other approved exotic, wildlife, and zoo facilities (5 pt/week); include VCS 892 Pre-Clinical Mentorships and VCS 901 Externships
• Taking any credit hours over 6 from the above “available elective courses” list (10 pt/credit hour)         
• Safe Capture Certification Course (2-day course) (10 pt)
• International Wildlife Rehabilitation Council (IWRC) Basic Wildlife Rehabilitation (2-day course) (10 pt)
• Participate in other approved training programs, including the following (20 pt each):
  • MarVet (Marine Veterinary Medicine and Conservation): www.marvet.org
  • SeaVet (Aquatic Animal Health; University of Florida): http://conference.ifas.ufl.edu/seavet/
  • Aquamed (sponsored by the Gulf States Consortium of Colleges of Veterinary Medicine; Louisiana State University): http://www.vetmed.lsu.edu/aquamed.htm
  • Aquavet (Cornell University): http://www.vet.cornell.edu/aquavet/
  • Wildlife Vets (Nelspruit, South Africa): http://www.wildlifevets.net/
  • African Conservation Experience: https://www.conservationafrica.net/
  • Envirovet: http://vetmed.illinois.edu/envirovet/
  • Certification of Aquatic Veterinary Medicine (CERTAQV), through the World Aquatic Veterinary Medicine Association (WAVMA)
  • Introduction to Conservation and Wildlife Veterinary Medicine Online Certificate Program (Purdue University College of Veterinary Medicine): https://vet.purdue.edu/global/wildlife-certificate.php
  • Conservation Medicine and Diseases of Amphibian and Reptiles at Southwest Research Station
• Attend professional meetings: local (day-long; 5 pt), national or international (10 pt)
• Propose and complete an approved Capstone project/report as agreed upon in advance by the student and mentor (10 pt)
• Assist in research studies as agreed upon in advance by the student and mentor (5 pt)
• Experience in writing scientific papers for publication as an author or co-author (10 pt)
• Propose and complete an approved problems course (ie, pathology rounds as they pertain to our specialty) (10 pt)
• Completion of select webinars or courses online (1 pt/contact hour): numerous available, including WAVMA (WebCEPD program), Oxbow Animal Health Vet Connect, LafeberVet, etc.; student must take post-webinar test to get credit (R.A.C.E.); some may have student fees
• Progress towards (or completion of) an MPH, MS, or PhD in a field related to exotic pet/wildlife or zoological medicine (TBA)
• Join one or more professional organizations as an individual student member: American Association of Zoo Veterinarians (AAZV), Association of Avian Veterinarians (AAV), Association of Reptile and Amphibian Veterinarians (ARAV), Association of Exotic Mammal Veterinarians (AEMV), Wildlife Disease Association (WDA), International Association for Aquatic Animal Medicine (IAAAM) (5 pt)
• Other training experiences may be proposed by the student to the EAZMVC Committee

Total Credits Required: 14