Portland Community College | Portland, Oregon

This course is designed to give the student hands-on experience by working on actual animal cases in a clinical veterinary setting.   Students will be able to gain confidence in their abilities and develop increased proficiency in these clinical rotations.

VT280C is designed for second year veterinary technology students and is a graduation requirement for the Associates Degree in Applied Sciences in Veterinary Technology. Credits in this course are not transferable to a four year school towards a baccalaureate degree.

There is no specific text required for this course.  

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Upon successful completion, students should be able to:

• communicate with clients and veterinary staff in a professional manner.
• consistently present a professional appearance and perform duties in a timely, accurate, and hygienic manner.
• identify areas for improvement in hands-on skills or knowledge base.
• perform basic clinical skills in a realistic and potentially stressful medical environment.
• engage in effective client education, including advice on home care.
• recognize housekeeping or facility maintenance issues that need to be addressed.
• interact with clients, extract patient history, measure vital signs and perform basic procedures without direct oversight by a licensed DVM.
• recognize and respond appropriately to animal patients in compromised states.
• work independently on professional duties specific to Certified Veterinary Technicians.
• assist DVMs in a wide variety of clinical situations, including at least three of the following: anesthesia, surgical assisting, laboratory procedures, radiography and routine animal nursing.

This is a four-credit-hour course that meets for sixteen-lab hours per week. Students are matched to a veterinary hospital or clinic for the course practicum. The match is determined by the Department Chair or the Cooperative Education Specialist in the event of the Department Chair’s absence. Each student is expected to attend 160 total hours at the clinical site and complete a term paper.  

The student shall be evaluated on their attendance, term paper, punctuality, ability to function on-the-job, completion of the Task Accomplishment Sheet, and by the written evaluation of their performance from their clinical supervisor. Based on the satisfactory completion of the above items, a pass or no pass grade will be issued by the Cooperative Education Specialist.  

1.0   Term Paper

INSTRUCTIONAL GOAL:
The goal is for the student to assess their own level of development during their cooperative education experience and assess the quality of training they received based on the hospital and personnel who have supervised them.

 OBJECTIVES:  

1.1          Using a computer and a word processing program, answer the questions on the evaluation form submitted to them.   Format the paper to be double- spaced, 1” margins all around, and 12 point print.