Applicants and enrolled veterinary medical students must possess the general physical and mental health necessary to perform the duties of a student and veterinary physician/surgeon in training without endangering the health, safety, or welfare of clients, patients, colleagues, faculty, staff, or members of the public with whom they may come into contact.
Candidates for the Doctor of Veterinary Medicine (DVM) degree must possess adequate somatic sensation, functional use of the senses of vision and hearing, sufficient sensory and motor function, and the intellectual and interpersonal skills necessary to carry out the activities described in the sections that follow. Candidates must be able to integrate consistently, quickly, and accurately all information received through the senses and must possess the intellectual ability to learn, integrate, analyze, synthesize, and apply information appropriately.
A candidate for the DVM degree must demonstrate abilities and skills in five areas: observation, communication, motor function, intellectual abilities (conceptual, integrative, and quantitative), and behavioral and social attributes. Reasonable accommodations and technological assistance may be available for certain disabilities in accordance with applicable laws and University policies; however, candidates must be able to perform in a reasonably independent manner. The use of a trained intermediary, or any individual performing essential functions on behalf of the candidate, is not permitted where such assistance would substitute for the candidate’s own judgment, observation, or performance of essential functions.
Observation
The candidate must be able to observe and participate in required demonstrations, laboratory exercises, and experiments in the basic and clinical sciences, including but not limited to anatomical dissections, microscopic studies, diagnostic procedures, and clinical demonstrations. The candidate must be able to observe animal patients accurately, both at a distance and at close range. Observation requires the functional use of vision, hearing, and somatic sensation.
Communication
The candidate must be able to communicate effectively with clients, animal owners, faculty, staff, fellow students, and members of the veterinary healthcare team. The candidate must be able to speak, hear, observe, read, and write in English sufficiently to obtain and convey information accurately and efficiently.
The candidate must be able to communicate effectively and sensitively with clients and animal owners, obtain relevant histories, explain findings and recommendations, document clinical information accurately, and collaborate effectively with members of the veterinary healthcare team.
Motor Function
The candidate must possess sufficient motor function to perform essential laboratory and clinical tasks, including the use of microscopes, diagnostic equipment, and laboratory instruments. The candidate must be able to obtain information through palpation, auscultation, percussion, and other diagnostic procedures and must possess sufficient motor skills to perform physical examinations and basic clinical procedures.
The candidate must be able to execute the motor movements reasonably required to provide veterinary care and emergency treatment to animal patients. Examples include cardiopulmonary resuscitation, administration of medications, venipuncture, wound management, restraint of animals, surgical procedures, obstetrical procedures, and other clinical interventions involving a variety of animal species.
These activities require coordination, balance, and appropriate sensory and motor abilities, with reasonable accommodations where approved. Required clinical competencies are defined in the curriculum and course syllabi.
Intellectual Abilities
Problem-solving is a critical skill required of veterinarians. Candidates must be able to learn, retrieve, analyze, organize, synthesize, integrate, and apply information efficiently and effectively. Candidates must also be able to reason appropriately, make sound clinical judgments, measure and calculate accurately, understand three-dimensional relationships, and appreciate the spatial relationships of anatomical structures.
Behavioral and Social Attributes
Candidates must possess the emotional health and maturity necessary for the full utilization of their intellectual abilities, the exercise of sound judgment, the timely completion of responsibilities associated with veterinary medical education, and the development of mature, sensitive, and effective relationships with clients, animal owners, faculty, staff, colleagues, and members of the public.
Candidates must be able to work effectively as members of a healthcare team, tolerate physically and emotionally demanding workloads, and function effectively under stress. They must be able to adapt to changing environments, demonstrate resilience and flexibility, and function effectively in the face of uncertainty inherent in veterinary medical practice.
Compassion, integrity, professionalism, concern for others, interpersonal skills, collegiality, motivation, and a commitment to lifelong learning are personal qualities considered essential for the successful veterinary physician/surgeon.