College of Veterinary Medicine

Two-week externship in the Cardiology rotation at NC State's College of Veterinary Medicine.

Cardiology – This course will provide training and experience in the following:

• Obtaining a thorough history and performing a complete examination, with particular emphasis on the cardiovascular and respiratory systems.
• Identifying, defining, and prioritizing health problems.
• Developing and initiating rational diagnostic and therapeutic plans communicating these plans and results to the client.
• Performing various diagnostic procedures (e.g., blood pressure measurement, ECG, thoracic radiographs, transtracheal aspiration , etc.
• Interpreting results of diagnostic tests and determining their importance to the patient and client.
• Communicating with clinicians, clients, veterinary technicians and staff, fellow students, and referring veterinarians in appropriate and effective manner.
• In addition, this course will provide the opportunity to learn the presenting signs, historical findings, breed predilections, methods of diagnosis, and medical and surgical interventions for the most commonly seen cardio respiratory conditions.

The full NC State CVM library, computer databases, rounds, journals, books, and a staff of knowledgeable veterinarians and veterinarian technicians.

Students will be expected to fully participate in the rotations. They will be expected to obtain a thorough history and perform a complete examination, with emphasis on the cardiovascular and respiratory systems. Students will identify, define, and prioritize health problems, and they will develop and initiate diagnostic and therapeutic plans. Students will need to communicate these plans and results to the client, and appropriate and effective communication with clinicians, clients, veterinary technicians and staff, fellow students, and referring veterinarians will be expected throughout the externship experience. Students will perform various diagnostic procedures and will interpret the results of the diagnostic tests, determining their importance to the patient and client.

Students will be expected to be in the clinic at least 40 hours per week - full rotation schedules and time requirements will be at the Course Coordinator's discretion.