Existence of new correspondence independent study program.

[Thistledowne]

A vet student was telling me 3rd hand that someone had mentioned to her the existance of a new program where one could take all the academic courses online or via correspondence in an independent study fashion, and then once that's out of the way, apply to take the hands courses with labs and practical, and then clinicals. She thought it was in California but was unable to recall details. I've exhausted my abilities to search online for this school. Does anyone know of the existence of such a school?

---

Members don't see this ad.

 

[dvm'08]

A vet student was telling me 3rd hand that someone had mentioned to her the existance of a new program where one could take all the academic courses online or via correspondence in an independent study fashion, and then once that's out of the way, apply to take the hands courses with labs and practical, and then clinicals. She thought it was in California but was unable to recall details. I've exhausted my abilities to search online for this school. Does anyone know of the existence of such a school?

I hope that this school doesn't exist.

 

[kate_g]

I believe that there are vet *tech* programs that work this way. In fact, I think I know someone who was doing one, although I don't know what school it was through.

 

[twosoakers]

vet assistant, not vet tech, i think. most states are requiring licensed technicians, now, from accredited institutions.

 

[CookieBear]

I had heard that a school in St. Petersburg, Florida, had an online available veterinary *technician* program. I heard about it because it's supposedly accredited by at least New York state.

 

[Thistledowne]

I hope that this school doesn't exist.

I for one very much do. Being a vet is the only thing I've ever wanted to do. But due to the requirements of heavy course loads (23 hrs here at the University of Missouri) and a rather annoying Learning Disability, I instead had to get a Computer Science degree.

I am intelligent and able to grasp and utilize any/all of the material; I am just not able to do so at the established pace and learning environment.

There's no reason that the "Book Learnin'" cannot be done on one's own, especially if the program offers 1 on 1 time with the course instructor for questions, clarifications, and updates and tidbits not included in the course materials.

Done this way, I can achieve a 4.0 on all course work, and then enter a program in conjunction with this one to do all the hands-on learning and experience.

I submit to you that my understanding of the material would end up being more in-depth as courses usually have to pick and choose from material in a curriculum due to time constraints, and students quickly develop a strategy to learn what they have to succeed in the class, and gloss over the rest. Of course they do... The course load is unreasonable for real in-depth learning of a topic, and I believe that students in all medical fields suffer for it.

This program (rumored) was for DVM, not Assistant, Technologist, Technician.

If it exists and is established, I'm sure concerns would be addressed as required by the AVMA accreditation requirements.

 

[dvm'08]

I for one very much do. Being a vet is the only thing I've ever wanted to do. But due to the requirements of heavy course loads (23 hrs here at the University of Missouri) and a rather annoying Learning Disability, I instead had to get a Computer Science degree.

I am intelligent and able to grasp and utilize any/all of the material; I am just not able to do so at the established pace and learning environment.

There's no reason that the "Book Learnin'" cannot be done on one's own, especially if the program offers 1 on 1 time with the course instructor for questions, clarifications, and updates and tidbits not included in the course materials.

Done this way, I can achieve a 4.0 on all course work, and then enter a program in conjunction with this one to do all the hands-on learning and experience.

I submit to you that my understanding of the material would end up being more in-depth as courses usually have to pick and choose from material in a curriculum due to time constraints, and students quickly develop a strategy to learn what they have to succeed in the class, and gloss over the rest. Of course they do... The course load is unreasonable for real in-depth learning of a topic, and I believe that students in all medical fields suffer for it.

This program (rumored) was for DVM, not Assistant, Technologist, Technician.

If it exists and is established, I'm sure concerns would be addressed as required by the AVMA accreditation requirements.

Unfortunately, the book learning is intimately tied to the practical/clinical hand on material. You can learn anatomy from a book - in theory- but you actually have to DISSECT the cadaver to appreciate its relationships to surrounding structures. Without concurrent dissection, i would suggest that an classroom based anatomy course is a waste of time. Physiology is slightly more theoretical, and i think likely could be learned via a text book. But courses like microbiology, parasitology, surgery, medicine - not to mention pathology, all have significant practical components that you cannot simply dissociate from the theoretical lecture based material. I believe it is important to do the lecture and the lab material concurrently.

I simply cannot see medicine, or veterinary medicine ever being taught as a distance-learning style course.


Incidentally, i checked the AVMA list of accredited north american institutions, and this program does not exist.

 

[Thistledowne]

Indeed. As I have stated twice now. Any course that was not previously a classroom course would not be a course that would be offered, and those hands-on courses would have to be taken in person. I too have searched and come up dry. For the moment I'm trying to explore the rumor mill to find if anyone is attempting to establish such a school (as has been rumored here at UMC) Thanks.

 

[julieDVM]

Indeed. As I have stated twice now. Any course that was not previously a classroom course would not be a course that would be offered, and those hands-on courses would have to be taken in person. I too have searched and come up dry. For the moment I'm trying to explore the rumor mill to find if anyone is attempting to establish such a school (as has been rumored here at UMC) Thanks.

i think the point dvm'08 was trying to make was that pretty much the entire DVM course is hands on. There was a practical component to every class I took, and i doubt very much that you could single out classes that are solely "classroom courses." Hence, i agree, that a DVM program of this nature wouldn't be feasible, let alone successful in training competent grads.

 

[Mylez]

I've heard of the program, but like another poster said, it is for veterinary TECHNICIAN, not veterinarian. And even then, that kind of learning is really new, I'm sure some states like it and others don't.

If that program did exist, I'd imagine you would have to have the same pre-requisites, GPA, GRE scores, and experience just like anyone else applying to a normal four year program. But you probably wouldn't be as good of a vet (JMO).

 

[Thistledowne]

I see. Thank you. If ever there is a college that will allow one to proceed at a more normal pace, or even at an accommodating pace for a non-traditional student who must work and care for a family while being education, I will finally be able to pursue my career desires.

 

[Hollycozza]

I definitely think there's something to be said for innovative programmes and also agree that the full-on setup of vet school can lead to a rather "cram and forget" style of learning...

Interestingly we were asked to fill out a survey asking whether we would be happy to have 25% less class room time and do more of our theoretical stuff through our computer programmes.

Unless you have a good lecturer, lectures can be a bit of a waste of time after all, and you just end up learning it all at home anyway.

So while I can't imagine a DVM course being *mostly* online, surely if you do learn a lot of content online it isn't an issue as long as there is adequate assessment?

 

[conservationgal]

Maybe this is going to sound bad, but I personally do not think this program would be appropriate for a DVM degree. I would not want to take my beloved pets to a vet that earned their DVM degree online (just as I would not want to get surgery from an MD that got their degree online)...I am just saying that concurrent hands-on coursework is a key aspect of proper learning and much more can be gained from it than just staring at a textbook with pictures and diagrams. Hopefully this doesn't come off as mean, it's just my opinion.

 

[Cheska]

I do think would be an interesting idea for vet school, but how practical- ?. And I can't see how the clinical years would work out....

My bf's college roommate went to Ohio State medical school and took their independent study option for his first two years. He loved it, lived just off campus, and studied whenever he wanted to. You would have to be incredibly disciplined, but it seems like a great way to avoid sitting in a lecture hall all day long.

But if it works in a medical school setting, I suspect a vet school setting would work out too.

Just in case you are curious:

"THE INDEPENDENT STUDY PATHWAY allows students to utilize highly structured objectives, resource guides, web and computer-based materials to learn on their own. The ISP curriculum is organized into interdisciplinary study units called modules, arranged by organ systems, focusing on Normal Human (healthy) the first year and Pathophysiology the second year."

http://medicine.osu.edu/futurestudents/curriculum/

 

[CookieBear]

Thistle, if it ever comes to fruition, go for it and kick ass.

It's a fact that each of us learns best in different ways. Some folks are more visual-oriented, others are not, etc.

If a complete, equivalent program could be forged online, and you were able to attend the practical, hands-on afterwards/during, whatever, and you can demonstrate competence, why not?

I can recall one foreign graduate who lacked compassion for animals, their owners, and had terrible medicine. Yet that person successfully completed all DVM requirements and passed the foreign board here, etc. and was licensed to practice.

Perhaps attending traditional veterinary school will change my mind.

Good luck, Thistle.