ISU surgery curriculum

[sumstorm]

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Can anyone share ISU's surgery curriculum? Recently, someone noted that the curriculum was pretty extensive compared to other schools and worth noting during job applications post graduation. I am curious as to how our's compares.

Thanks!

 

[cuitlamiztli]

I don't think we can share/discuss the curriculum.

 

[heylodeb]

I don't think we can share/discuss the curriculum.

? You aren't allowed to talk about your curriculum? That's.....weird....

 

[sumstorm]

interesting. I wasn't asking for the documentation from it or a detailed schedule. I am just wondering if it is at all similar to ours, or if it goes more in depth.

We start learning sutures during first year orientation, during second year we have a lecture course on surgery, demonstrate skills like suture patterns, instrument ID, anesthesia set up, plus do our first spays and neuters (1 each per student) on dogs. We also have some labs with some techniques on cadavers. During third year we have another surgery course which includes spay/neuters on cats and other procedures on a pig (splenectomy, gastrotomy, cystotomy, jejunal anastomosis, etc.) Each year students have access to selectives that include surgery on ferrets, rabbits, etc, or a course on surgical anatomy on cadavers, and there are regular wetlabs and S/N trips.

While I was on an externship, I was complimented on my comfort level with surgery and was asked if our program was modeled after ISU (though he wasn't sure what ISU's current program is, just what it was quite a few years ago.)

 

[cuitlamiztli]

interesting. I wasn't asking for the documentation from it or a detailed schedule. I am just wondering if it is at all similar to ours, or if it goes more in depth.

I realized that. I checked a few things to see if I was mistaken... but we're not allowed to discuss the junior surgery course on public forums or outside of Iowa State.

As far as the beginning of our surgical training, it starts second year. Fall is spent on instruments, suture patterns + practicing technique, suture material, aseptic technique, etc. while spring is spent on specific surgical techniques. Anesthesia is a separate course during spring of second year. All I can say about junior surgery is that it is required during fall and is an elective during spring. Other than that, there are opportunities like the equine castration wetlab, monthly feral cat clinics, Neuter-a-Tom days where you can gain additional surgical experience prior to fourth year.

 

[sunshinevet]

I realized that. I checked a few things to see if I was mistaken... but we're not allowed to discuss the junior surgery course on public forums or outside of Iowa State.

Erm... can you give us a reason why not? Surely if its so fantastic, it would be something they would be marketing to prospective students??? 😕

 

[bunnity]

We're not either... animal rights groups concerns. Annoying since I think it just breeds the idea that we're doing something wrong when we're not.

 

[heylodeb]

Ah. Yes. Duh. I agree it is more suspicious than anything else to forbid you from discussing it. Oh well.

For others - if you jump over to another thread regarding surgery in this forum you'll probably figure out why they can't discuss it. 😛

 

[sunshinevet]

Ah. Yes. Duh. I agree it is more suspicious than anything else to forbid you from discussing it. Oh well.

For others - if you jump over to another thread regarding surgery in this forum you'll probably figure out why they can't discuss it. 😛

I swear we've had big threads in the past detailing the surgery curriculum and experience offered by each school. Thats why I find it so weird that one in particular is like "we can't talk about it!!!"

 

[cuitlamiztli]

Yep, animal rights groups concerns are the main reason, but I agree that it makes it seem like we're doing something wrong. It's definitely frustrating.

 

[nyanko]

The biggest problem I have with the fight club type rules is that some students might want to choose schools to apply to based on how these types of courses work.

 

[sumstorm]

Thank you for how much you have shared! You answered the gist of what I was asking for. You said 'specific surgical techniques'; does that mean you have oppurtunities to do surgeries other than spay neuter hernia repair, dental extractions on living patients during those courses? I think our programs might be very similar; I had a lot of technique practice in cadavers, plus some live animals as noted above.

 

[cuitlamiztli]

Thank you for how much you have shared! You answered the gist of what I was asking for. You said 'specific surgical techniques'; does that mean you have oppurtunities to do surgeries other than spay neuter hernia repair, dental extractions on living patients during those courses? I think our programs might be very similar; I had a lot of technique practice in cadavers, plus some live animals as noted above.

There were a few dentistry lectures scattered throughout our core courses. Other than that, there is an elective (which is online through the University of Illinois) and a wetlab that is offered to those who have completed the elective. As far as the 'specific surgical techniques' -- they basically lectured to us on everything. Spays, neuters, hernia repair, fracture repair, ventral slot, etc. I can't comment on actual surgical opportunities, but hopefully that helps.

 

[bunnity]

The biggest problem I have with the fight club type rules is that some students might want to choose schools to apply to based on how these types of courses work.

Agreed. We can talk about at least, but not post it on teh interwebz. I'm pretty sure if you asked at an interview they would be able to tell you (I'm not involved with admissions though so don't take my word for it).

 

[sumstorm]

Seems like an interview would be a very expensive point to ask about things that would determine if you apply to a particular vet school. I guess it was good that the schools I applied to didn't prohibit such information, I didn't have a couple hundred to spare!

So does that mean ISU students can't list what procedures they are familiar with on a resume if they are going to post that resume to AAHA or AVMA?

 

[cuitlamiztli]

So does that mean ISU students can't list what procedures they are familiar with on a resume if they are going to post that resume to AAHA or AVMA?

That's a very good question and I'm not sure what the answer is. My guess would be that we can list procedures on our resumes, since the AAHA and AVMA career centers aren't a public forum (i.e. require a login to access the resumes).