Standards for Curricular Completion

• A student admitted into the Texas Tech University (TTU) School of Veterinary Medicine (SVM) program must meet basic and essential requirements that are necessary for obtaining employment and performing as a veterinarian. The education of a veterinarian includes pre-clinical didactic classwork, hands-on clinical and professional skill courses, clinical field rotations at working veterinary practices, and lifelong continuing education. A variety of animals will be encountered including, but not limited to, food producing animals, horses, dogs, cats, and many other species.
• The technical standards each student must master involve cognitive, physical, and behavioral characteristics that are identified in the following:
  • Observation: The applicant/student must possess the ability to observe required demonstrations, visual presentations in lectures and laboratories, and written and audiovisual presentations. Examples of perceptual abilities include, but are not limited to, gross and microscopic studies of organisms, cadaver dissections, and various diagnostic tests such as interpretation of echocardiograms, ultrasound examinations, and radiographic images. The applicant/student must be able to observe patients accurately and completely, both at distance and closely using functional visual, hearing, olfactory (smell, odor, etc), and somatic sensation (touch, pressure, cold, warmth, pain, etc).
  • Communication: The applicant/student must possess the ability to communicate effectively with clients to elicit information, including nonverbal communications, and describe changes in mood, activity, and posture with immediate assessment of information provided. Individuals must possess the ability to communicate effectively with clinical-affiliate veterinarians and other members of the veterinary healthcare team, didactic and clinical faculty, and colleagues. The applicant/student must possess the ability to effectively and sensitively communicate in oral, written, and electronic form with clients and members of the veterinary health care team in order to provide safe and effective patient care.
  • Motor: The applicant/student must possess sufficient gross and fine motor function, equilibrium, and sensation to elicit information from patients through customary techniques for physical assessment such as visual observation/inspection, palpation, percussion, and auscultation as well as carry out diagnostic maneuvers and technical procedures involved in the practice of veterinary medicine and surgery. Examples reasonably required of veterinarians include equine lameness examinations, application of pressure to stop bleeding, venous and arterial punctures, suturing, surgery, palpation per rectum of large animals, obstetrical maneuvers, and resuscitation. The student must possess the ability to move out of dangerous situations such as situations encountered with large animal movement.
  • Intellectual, conceptual, integrative, and quantitative abilities: The applicant/student must possess the ability to comprehend three dimensional relationships and spatial relationships of structures; and be able to collect, organize, prioritize, analyze, and synthesize large amounts of detailed and complex information to apply in problem-solving and decision-making in clinical and educational settings including lectures, laboratories, small group discussions, and clinical settings.
  • Behavioral and Social Attributes: The applicant/student must be able to tolerate physically and mentally taxing workloads, function effectively under stress, adapt to changing environments, display flexibility, and function in the face of uncertainty inherent in the evaluation and treatment of patients. The applicant/student must have the emotional health to fully use his/her intellectual ability, exercise good judgment, and complete all responsibilities necessary to the diagnosis and care of patients. The applicant/student must possess integrity, compassion, and effective interpersonal skills to interact with clients and members of the veterinary health care team with sensitivity to cultural differences. The applicant/student must be able to understand and apply the concepts of veterinary ethics and demonstrate ethical behavior.
  • Ethical and Legal Standards: Candidates must meet the legal standards to be licensed to practice veterinary medicine in the State of Texas. As such, candidates for admission must acknowledge and provide written explanation of any felony offense or disciplinary action taken against them prior to matriculation in TTU SVM. In addition, should the student be convicted of any felony offense while in veterinary school, they agree to immediately notify the Office of Academic Affairs as to the nature of the conviction. Failure to disclose prior or new offenses can lead to disciplinary action by TTU SVM that may include dismissal.
• Candidates for selection to the veterinary program will be required to verify that they understand and meet the essential functions or believe that, with reasonable accommodations they can meet the standards. TTU OP 40.04 complies with the American with Disabilities Act (ADA), Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, and state and local requirements regarding students with disabilities. Under these laws, no otherwise qualified and competitive individual with a disability shall be denied access to or participate in services, programs and activities of TTU solely on the basis of the disability. For additional information, please see: Student Disability Services - https://www.depts.ttu.edu/sds/