Tracking??

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remi4301

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I'd love some clarification on tracking. Do you state what area of medicine such as large animal or small animal in your first year, and then the electives you take are according to that? What schools track? I'd love a general overview of it :p

Thanks!!!

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NCSU and VMRCVM track. I haven't yet been admitted to vet school, so I can't comment on the exact structure of each institution's curriculum. Tracking can be an advantage if you're dead set certain on a specialty early on in your career. That being said, both tracking/non-tracking curricula prepare you to pass the NAVLE- both styles of education prepare you to become a world class veterinarian. Residencies and internships are truly where your specialty education begins.
 
Each school sets their own curriculum, and so you'd have to research each school you're interested in to find out if they track, and if they do, what is involved with it.

At UC Davis everybody has the same curriculum the first two years, and then you decide where you want to track. Some tracks then split off again a bit later in third year. (large animal students will spend the first semester together, and then the equine students split from the livestock students for the remainder of third year).
 
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At VMRCVM tracking is a way to gain education and experience above and beyond what is required for the NAVLE in an area that you are interested. I wouldn't say that it is the first step towards "specialization" at all.
Our tracks are small animal, food animal, equine, mixed (SA/FA, SA/EQ, EQ/FA) and public/corporate (geared towards working in government, working internationally, research etc). We all take the same core courses, then each track has required track courses, then there are electives. Anyone can take the electives-foodies can take SA Therio if they want. Also all of the track core courses are open to anyone not in the track, as long as the cap has not been met (only really an issue in courses with animal use labs).
Our 4th year your track determines how many rotations in a specific area you must do. For example, while everyone does an food animal PMM rotation, FA trackers must do more than one. It is a way for some to really prepare for a job after graduation by getting concentrated hands on experience in one area, while still getting a broad education. For others it is a way to do something fun in school, even though it is not all about what you're going to do after graduation. (I fall into this category, a lot of mixed trackers do.)
But at the end, we'll all be prepared to practice as GP for most species, just as any graduate of another vet school.
Hope this answered your questions:) If not, check out our website http://www.vetmed.vt.edu/acad/dvm/whatistracking.asp
 
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Our 4th year your track determines how many rotations in a specific area you must do. For example, while everyone does an food animal PMM rotation, FA trackers must do more than one. It is a way for some to really prepare for a job after graduation by getting concentrated hands on experience in one area, while still getting a broad education. For others it is a way to do something fun in school, even though it is not all about what you're going to do after graduation. (I fall into this category, a lot of mixed trackers do.)
But at the end, we'll all be prepared to practice as GP for most species, just as any graduate of another vet school.
Hope this answered your questions:) If not, check out our website http://www.vetmed.vt.edu/acad/dvm/whatistracking.asp
From what I understand, LSU "tracking" is basically just the rotations part that CanHardlyWait described. There are a few electives (I think 4 classes), but you don't have to pick a "track" until you start planning externships/rotations in third year. There's no structured specialization for most of your years, but there is room for some in externships and taking more of different rotations. Just so that you can have some idea of how it works at a school that doesn't really track.
 
Mizzou does not specifically "track" .. The first two years everyone takes the same courses..

Then 3rd year you start clinics in October.. Once in clinics you take the "core rotations" just like the rest of the class.. But you can "self track" by taking elective rotations in your field of interest.. We also get a substantial amount of time for preceptorships/ externships which you can also use to "self track" .. Hope that helps!
 
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