Duration
20h Clin.
Number of credits
| Veterinary surgeon | 1 crédit |
Lecturer
Constance de Meeûs d'Argenteuil, Daniel Desmecht, Mutien-Marie Garigliany, Thierry Jauniaux
Coordinator
Language(s) of instruction
French language
Organisation and examination
All year long, with partial in January
If a student fails an examination during the first term:
- They are permitted to resit the assessed subject during the second term (May-June);
Schedule
Units courses prerequisite and corequisite
Prerequisite or corequisite units are presented within each program
Learning unit contents
Dead animals from veterinary clinics or those subjected to necropsy by practicing veterinarians are ideal for student training. More than 1,000 necropsies of domestic and wild animals, as well as hundreds of necropsies of poultry, are routinely performed each year.
Learning outcomes of the learning unit
Learn to identify and describe lesions, and to establish correlations between lesions and diseases of various systems and organs.
Establish a differential diagnosis and determine the cause of death.
Confirm or establish an etiological diagnosis and recommend the appropriate additional tests.
Learn to write a postmortem report using appropriate medical terminology and indicating the relative importance of each observation.
Prerequisite knowledge and skills
Theoretical medical backgrounds taught in 1st and 2nd blocks in association with the various clinics are an essential prerequisite. Besides, specific backgrounds taught in "General pathology" and "Systemic Pathology" courses are unescapable prerequisites.
Planned learning activities and teaching methods
Students in the third block of the Master's program conduct a postmortem examination each day, either individually or in groups, regardless of the animal species involved. They perform the postmortem examination and dissection of the animal, identify and describe the macroscopic lesions, and then interpret them to formulate a diagnostic summary.
Based on their observations, students are required to write a necropsy report in accordance with the principles of scientific and professional communication, intended in particular to convey the results to the referring veterinarian.
The sessions are supervised by teaching assistants, who support students in their diagnostic process, answer their questions, and guide them in interpreting the lesions. The course emphasizes an active and reflective approach, encouraging students to formulate their own hypotheses and develop their diagnostic reasoning before any corrections are made.
A group case review is then held to compare the observations and interpretations of the different groups, discuss the main differential diagnoses, and conduct a collective review and summary under the supervision of the teaching assistants.
Mode of delivery (face to face, distance learning, hybrid learning)
Face-to-face course
Further information:
Clinical training in these subjects takes the form of a one-week clinical rotation, attended in person in the necropsy room. Attendance at the clinic is compulsory from 8.30 am to 12 noon. The rotation timetable is distributed to students at the start of the academic year.
Course materials and recommended or required readings
Platform(s) used for course materials:
- eCampus
Further information:
Documents relating to the week's programme, as well as the theoretical lectures delivered during the second module of the Master's programme, are available on the ecampus platform and must be consulted before the autopsy clinical week.
Continuous assessment
Out-of-session test(s)
Further information:
Students are assessed on an ongoing basis throughout the autopsy week. Each day, students are assessed on the quality of their autopsy, the drafting of their autopsy report, as well as their professional conduct and level of engagement. This continuous assessment accounts for 50 per cent of the overall mark.
At the end of the week, this is supplemented by an oral examination, which accounts for the remaining 50 per cent of the overall mark. This consists of two questions relating to the autopsy cases observed and discussed during the week, as well as the prerequisites necessary for their understanding and interpretation (courses in general and systemic pathology, and theoretical modules from the Master's 2 programme).
Work placement(s)
Organisational remarks and main changes to the course
Attendance is systematically tracked in the clinic. Any absence must be justified and made up according to the procedures established with the teaching assistants. A "justified" absence is defined as any absence associated with (1) a health issue duly attested by a medical certificate or (2) the death of a first- or second-degree relative, duly attested by a copy of the death certificate. Proof of the absence must be sent to the student office and also provided to one of the teaching assistants or the clinical coordinator.
Any unexcused absence will result in a penalty when the exam grade is determined. In addition, unexcused absences will be taken into account during grading deliberations.
Contacts
D. DESMECHT (coordinator), M. GARIGLIANY? C. DE MEEUS D'ARGENTEUIL
Morphology and Pathology Department
Secretary's office : 04/366.40.74