ACADEMIC INFORMATION

Philosophy of the program of Veterinary Medicine in CTU

The Faculty of Veterinary Medicine (FVM), College of Agriculture (CoA), Can Tho University (CTU) has a primary objective of producing veterinarians capable of addressing a wide array of social and economic demands related to veterinary medicine. These demands encompass beyond diagnosing, treating, and preventing animal diseases; they extend to ensuring the safe supply of animal products, contributing to drug development and biochemistry, safeguarding and managing wild animals, and controlling zoonotic diseases. The Program of Veterinary Medicine in CTU plays a very important role for animal and human health for Mekong delta and Vietnam as well as in the world.

Nonetheless, understanding the diverse social roles of veterinary medicine necessitates a comprehensive knowledge of both cultural and social sciences, in addition to natural science. Equally important is the cultivation of scientific thinking, sound judgment, and an international perspective, as they play pivotal roles in resolving global issues related to veterinary medicine. Furthermore, learners are encouraged to embrace rich humanity and high moral values, essential qualities for veterinarians and researchers who will play a central role in promoting harmonious interface between animals and humans.

Educational Objectives

The FVM offers learners specialized knowledge and skills in veterinary medicine with the aim of nurturing a new generation of veterinarians characterized by a holistic personality, strong ethical values, and a global vision. Moreover, it aims to produce researchers capable of pioneering advancements in the field of veterinary medicine. Graduates are expected to play significant roles in safeguarding and enhancing animal health, improving public health, ensuring food safety, and advancing the life sciences. To achieve these Program Expected Outcomes (PEO), the FVM engages to:

• PEO1: Train and educate learners to possess good health, ethical, political and professional qualifications to work and manage at state-owned agencies, research institutes, universities, colleges, business units of animal-food production and veterinary drugs to meet the needs of society in the development of science and technology in veterinary medicine;
• PEO2: Train and educate learners to have practical approaches, effective and creative application of trained knowledge and new scientific and technical achievements in livestock and veterinary sciences to detect and solve arising veterinary and livestock problems in actual production, and in disease prevention management;
• PEO3: Train and educate learners to form scientific working methods, systematic thinking and analytical thinking, ability to present, to communicate and to work effectively in groups, and to advance in domestic and foreign working environments;
• PEO4: Train and educate learners to form ability to self-study, self-update knowledge, self-conduct scientific research and apply knowledge and techniques to continue the study path at a higher level.

The outlines of the Veterinary Medicine program are as follows.

- 1^st year: Enrolled learners study in different affiliations in CTU, which offers various courses in general knowledge block, including courses in humanities, social and natural sciences, general English courses and national defence and security education. It is highly advised for learners to actively participate in these courses to attain a high level of general education.

- 2^nd year: In addition to general knowledge courses, learners will start with introductory courses in fundamental knowledge block at the CoA campus. In this period, learners enroll in courses and conduct practical training in a range of basic veterinary sciences, such as anatomy, physiology, biochemistry, genetics, veterinary microbiology etc. in order to gain knowledge on the structures, functions of the parts, and responses in animal bodies and basis on animal diseases.

- 3^rd year: Learners study about pathogens that cause animal diseases and basis on diagnosis and prevention/treatment of the infectious diseases through specialized courses and practical training on virology, bacteriology, parasitology, epidemiology, pathology, and wildlife zoology.

- 4^th year: Learners deeply enroll in specialized courses and practical training on environmental and applied veterinary sciences, such as public health, toxicology, food hygiene, epidemiology and zoonoses, as well as in animal husbandry and fishery related subjects. From this year, learners are able to choose and join one of the research laboratories, where they take advanced courses and seminars and conduct tutorial research, based on their interests and/or plans for future job.

- 5^th year: The majority of learners in this year intensively spend their time for research activities to fulfill graduation thesis. Furthermore, learners engage in job hunting, prepare themselves for the entrance examination of higher education, English proficiency or cultivating their sense of responsibility as professional veterinarians in the future.

Course flow chart of the program of Veterinary Medicine in CTU