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Unit of Study VMED3007 - General Medicine (2027)

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Unit Snapshot

  • Enrolment information

    1. To pass the unit, students must submit all assessment tasks. 2. Attendance: It is important to recognise the relationship between attendance, participation, student success and retention. Please take advantage of all classes and engagement activities as it will increase your opportunity for learning, progression in the course, and success as a veterinarian. For units with practicals and other learning activities that directly relate to developing AVBC day one competencies that are required for veterinary accreditation, attendance is required. These will be identified within each unit and attendance requirements clearly communicated to students.

Unit description

This advanced unit provides Year 4 veterinary students with a comprehensive, case-based approach to managing complex medical presentations in companion animals. It focuses on the integration of diagnostic, therapeutic, and ethical considerations across a range of systems and specialties, preparing students for final-year clinical rotations and real-world practice. Through a series of themed weeks—covering dentistry, ophthalmology, oncology, dermatology, endocrinology, and euthanasia and palliative care—students will refine their clinical reasoning and develop evidence-based treatment strategies. Each module blends theory with practical application, utilising clinical cases, diagnostic test interpretation, and simulated client interactions to encourage reflective decision-making and collaborative problem-solving. Emphasis is placed on managing chronic and systemic conditions, navigating owner communication, and balancing ethical responsibilities with clinical outcomes. The unit culminates in integrated case rounds that require synthesis of multisystem knowledge and justification of patient-centred management plans. By the end of this unit, students will be equipped to make confident, ethical, and informed decisions in complex clinical settings involving companion animals.

Unit content

  1. Comparative behavioural medicine: prevention and clinical management across species
  2. Clinical endocrinology: diagnosis and management of hormonal disorders
  3. Clinical ophthalmology: ocular examination, diagnosis, and therapeutic planning
  4. Principles of veterinary oncology: diagnosis, staging, and case management
  5. Veterinary dentistry: oral examination, diagnosis, and disease management
  6. Clinical dermatology: diagnostic approaches and management of skin disease

Availabilities

Not currently available in 2027

Learning outcomes

Unit Learning Outcomes express learning achievement in terms of what a student should know, understand and be able to do on completion of a unit. These outcomes are aligned with the graduate attributes. The unit learning outcomes and graduate attributes are also the basis of evaluating prior learning.

On completion of this unit, students should be able to:

evaluate and apply evidence-based approaches to the prevention, diagnosis, and management of common behavioural conditions across species encountered in veterinary practice

analyse clinical presentations involving endocrine, dermatological, dental, neoplastic, and ocular disease to identify likely underlying pathophysiology and formulate appropriate diagnostic pathways

evaluate diagnostic and therapeutic options across endocrinology, dermatology, dentistry, oncology, and ophthalmology to support evidence-based clinical decision-making in companion animal practice

integrate clinical findings and diagnostic information to justify initial management plans and referral considerations within the scope of supervised veterinary practice.