Clinical Reasoning in Veterinary Medicine

Adria Rodriguez, DVM, MSc, CVA, CVCH, MS TCVM

Associate Professor, Small Animal Medicine and Surgery and Professional  Development

• Email: AIRodriguez@sgu.edu 
• Office: Cassia Building Ground Floor (SGU Campus map #17)
• Office Hours: By appointment 

Collaborating Faculty: See schedule

ONLINE Live Zoom Seminars/Panopto

ONLINE Sakai Weekly Requirements

Software requirements: Sakai, Zoom, Panopto, Turning Point Mobile, Google Drive, Google Slides

Clinical Reasoning in Small Animal Medicine; Madison, Volk and Church, 2015

1. Students who need accommodations should contact Student Accessibility and Accommodations Services (SAAS), located in the Welcome Center, inside the International Students Office.
2. Information can be found at mycampus.sgu.edu/group/saas

• Equipment: Desktop or laptop computer, and/or tablet or other smart mobile device; functional camera, speakers and microphone
• Reliable internet connection 

This selective course for term six students will allow students to recall information learned in previous courses and will provide students with additional opportunities to successfully utilize the clinical reasoning approach will be explained and demonstrated by discussing selected clinical cases in different fields and specialties in veterinary medicine. A clinical case will be presented each week through lecture, skit or interactive session to facilitate group discussion. Each lecture will focus on a different area to assist students in collecting relevant clinical data, developing a problem list in order of significance, creating a differential list and diagnostic plan using an evidence based approach, and aiming to reach a diagnosis by the end of the lecture. The students will then work independently to create a treatment plan/ discharge summary and/ or a referral letter and/ or a case report for case presentation rounds. The main goal is to increase the students proficiency in utilizing the critical reasoning approach to analyze clinical cases information and demonstrate their understanding of the case by producing and/ or presenting a specified component of the patient medical record, while promoting the effective use of professional communication and interaction. 

Upon successful completion of this course, the student will be able to: Successfully utilize the clinical reasoning approach when tackling veterinary clinical cases by way off 1) generating a problem list based on history and physical exam findings, 2) generating a differential diagnosis list, 3) practicing and enhancing clinical decision making process/skills, 4) demonstrating accurate, practical, and efficient case management, and 5) communicating professionally with clients, colleagues, and while presenting and/or referring cases or providing feedback to peers and clients. 

1. Use clinical reasoning through discussions of small/ large animal veterinary clinical cases in different fields and specialties to extrapolate relevant clinical data
2. Create a problem list by applying the clinical reasoning approach
3. Utilize clinical reasoning to generate differential diagnosis lists
4. Select and interpret appropriate diagnostic tests derived through utilizing the clinical reasoning approach
5. Appropriately and accurately analyze clinical data, design an appropriate treatment plan, and determined the prognosis for different disease processes
6. Recognize emergency presentations, and apply clinical reasoning skills to manage these cases
7. Promote decision making skills
8. Communicate professionally when presenting or referring a case to other clinicians/specialist, and communicating with peers and clients

1. The course will be graded according to the SVM grading scale published in your gradebook. Grade will be determined by:
   1. Successful completion and timely submission of all assignments and peer assessments (see below)
   2. Mandatory engagement in the course content which includes: 
      1. Attendance of all synchronous Zoom sessions
      2. Completion of pre and post discussion tasks by the due dates. Unexcused absences are not allowed.  Any absences or technical difficulties must be immediately addressed by emailing  the course director (Dr. Adria Rodriguez at airodriguez@sgu.edu). Failure to attend mandatory lectures and/or engage in course content without following the appropriate reporting/excused absence protocols outlined in Section XVIII may result in course failure AND the student may be placed on non-academic probation by the CAPPS committee. 
2. Course Assignments: Students will be responsible for completing a specific pre- and post-case discussion task weekly (8 total). In addition, students will complete peer evaluations on the weekly task (8 total). Each weekly task should take the student 45 minutes to one hour to complete. Peer evaluations using a rubric should take approximately 15-30 minutes to complete. See course schedule for brief description of weekly post discussion assignments.

Open dates for the weekly task are Monday after the lecture. The task is due and will close at 11:55pm AST on Friday of that week and the peer assessment is due and will close Sunday at 11:55pm AST. Please keep this in mind throughout the course.

Course content will be released week by week. Students must visit the weekly requirements tab in Sakai to ensure they complete all the necessary requirements. Once all live lectures are attended/viewed and the different activities and assignments are completed, the student will have successfully attained the intended knowledge and will have achieved the course learning outcome.

1. The student is expected to adhere to the guidelines provided throughout this syllabus including attendance and assignment submission.
2. The student is expected to communicate with the Course Director professionally and in a timely manner in the event of technical difficulties, inability to attend lectures or turn in assignments on time for any reason.

Always exhibit professional and respectful behavior towards colleagues, faculty and staff. Please be on time and engaged in course content as directed. Student’s may be asked to turn on their cameras during live sessions. Please be mindful of this regarding attire and surroundings. If you are asked to turn on your camera and you are not able to, please email your lecturer in advance prior to the live session.

Students are expected to be available during the standard 8:30am-5:20pm AST school day, to attend, engage with in-person/online content, and participate in all classes and clinical rotations for which they have registered. Employment is not an excusable absence. Although attendance, engagement, and participation may not be recorded at every academic activity, attendance, engagement, and participation is graded for mandatory sessions. Students’ lack of attendance, engagement, and participation may adversely affect their academic status as specified in the grading policy.  

If failure to attend, engage, or participate in individual classes, examinations, and online activities, or from the University itself is anticipated, or occurs spontaneously due to illness or other extenuating circumstances, proper notification procedures must be followed.

Zoom Synchronous Seminar Attendance policy (ALL students): Attendance is mandatory. If a student has received an excused absence or there are external circumstances which are communicated to the course director in a timely manner, students will be required to view the video of the lecture by Sunday 11:55pm AST of the week of the missed lecture.

Students who fail to attend an examination (Sakai quiz/test or ExamSoft) or submit an assignment by the deadline without a valid reason (see student manual: SGUSVM POLICY ON AN EXCUSED ABSENCE (EA) FOR STUDENTS) will receive a score of “0” points for the examination.

Students who have technical issues during assignment submission MUST inform the  Course Director (Dr. Adria Rodriguez airodriguez@sgu.edu) and IT  (tellexaminationservices@sgu.edu OR support@sgu.edu OR call 1-631-665-8500 ext. 4444 (US, NU, International) OR 1-473-439-2000 ext. 4444 (Grenada), AND Dean of Students (DOS@sgu.edu) during the open period for the examination. Failure to do so immediately will result in the student receiving the highest score recorded at the time, but NOT being eligible for a remediation. Scheduling of remediations is at the discretion of the Course Director and the School.

Failure to adhere to attendance and engagement guidelines may result in course failure AND the student may be placed on non-academic probation by the CAPPS committee.

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The materials (such as slides, handouts and audio/video recordings) provided to students who are taking courses at St. George’s University (SGU) are the intellectual property of the Faculty and/or Administration of SGU. Students are free to use these materials solely for the purpose of group or individual study. Reproduction in whole or in part is prohibited.