BRIEF HISTORY

The College of Veterinary Medicine (COLVET) took off in the 2001/2002 Session with 30 students that were offered admission into the 100 level of the six-year Doctor of Veterinary Medicine (DVM) degree programme.

 ACADEMIC DEPARTMENTS

The College has the following six Departments:

1. Veterinary Anatomy
2. Veterinary Physiology and Pharmacology
3. Veterinary Pathology.
4. Veterinary Microbiology and Parasitology
5. Veterinary Medicine and Surgery
6. Veterinary Public Health and Reproduction.

REGULATIONS GOVERNING THE AWARD OF THE DEGREE OF DOCTOR OF VETERINARY MEDICINE

 DURATION OF STUDY

Candidates admitted into the 100 level will be expected to undergo instructions for six academic sessions (12 semesters) before the award of the degree of DVM. Candidates admitted into the 200 level will be expected to undergo instructions for five academic sessions (ten semesters) before the award of the degree of DVM.

Any student who cannot meet all the requirements for the DVM degree within three academic sessions in excess of the minimum duration shall be required to withdraw from the degree programme except with the special approval of Senate on the recommendation of COLVET Board of Examiners.

 DVM CURRICULUM

1. The DVM degree curriculum consists of two parts: the pre-professional phase of two semesters (100 level) and the professional phase of ten semesters (200-600 level). The five years of the professional phase are also referred to as DVM 1 (200 level) to DVM V (600 level). The professional phase includes three semesters of pre-clinical courses, three semesters of para-clinical courses and four semesters of clinical courses.
2. All courses in the professional phase are compulsory i.e. must be taken and passed before the award of the DVM degree. The different Departments in the College shall jointly prepare a candidate for the award of the DVM degree.
3. Each student must undertake not less than six months of approved Field Study under the supervision of Veterinary Surgeons. On completion of a Field Study, each student shall submit a detailed report on the study countersigned by the supervising Veterinary Surgeon.
4. The DVM degree shall be unclassified, i.e. without class or honours.
5. All courses shall be graded out of a maximum of 100. The pass mark for each core course, that is, courses based in COLVET and other professional courses, shall be 50%.  For courses based outside COLVET, the pass mark shall be the same as that applicable in the Departments offering the courses.
6. A distinction will be awarded to a student who scores a mean of 70% or higher in all the courses in a given subject area, provided that all the courses are passed at the first attempt.
7. Only students duly registered for the DVM degree programme shall be eligible to register for any of the professional courses.
8. The subject code in COLVET shall be as follows:Pre-Clinical Courses: VBA: Veterinary Anatomy

   VBB: Veterinary Biochemistry

   VBP: Veterinary Physiology

   VBM: Animal Management

   Para-Clinical Courses: VPC: Veterinary Pharmacology

   VPR: Veterinary Parasitology

   VPM: Veterinary Microbiology

   VPT: VeterinaryPathology

   Clinical Courses:   VCM: Veterinary Medicine

   VCS: Veterinary Surgery

   VCH: Veterinary Public Health

   VCT: Theriogenology

   VCJ: Project

   VCC: Clinics

   Long Vacation Courses: VFS: Field Study

9. On completion of all the core veterinary courses in a subject area, there shall be a panel of Examiners for the subject area. Each panel shall consist of at least two Internal Examiners and an External Examiner.  At the end of the examination, both External and Internal Examiners shall jointly sign the examination results.
10. At the end of each academic semester, a meeting of the College Board of Examiners shall be summoned to consider the results for presentation to the University Senate.