Outline

Overview

This unit extends students' foundational knowledge and skills for working effectively as a veterinary professional, by introducing key concepts in Practice Management. The unit also builds on and extends students' application of professional competencies introduced in VETS6101 (The Veterinary Professional 1) and VETS6201 (The Veterinary Professional 2) including communication, teamwork, cultural competence, professional reasoning, leadership and selfcare. It utilises a case-based approach to aid understanding of financial, legal and ethical perspectives in the management of problems encountered in Veterinary Practice. Students are given opportunities to review, critically evaluate and present their findings on case studies that reflect real life veterinary challenges. This is supplemented with keynote presentations from professional experts in business, finance and law. Specifically this will facilitate students' preparedness for clinical placements in DVM4 and Clinical Practice beyond graduation.

Unit details and rules

Unit code	VETS6308
Academic unit	School of Veterinary Science Academic Operations
Credit points	3
Prohibitions ?	None
Prerequisites ?	VETS6101 and VETS6102 and VETS6103 and VETS6104 and VETS6105 and VETS6106 and VETS6107 and VETS6108 and VETS6201 and VETS6202 and VETS6203 and VETS6204 and VETS6205 and VETS6206 and VETS6207 and VETS6208
Corequisites ?	None
Assumed knowledge ?	None
Available to study abroad and exchange students	No

Teaching staff

Coordinator	Ingrid Van Gelderen, ingrid.vangelderen@sydney.edu.au

Type	Description	Weight	Due	Length
Participation	Active participation in all RLAs 100% participation with Required Learning Activities (RLAs)	0%	Ongoing	See Canvas
Outcomes assessed:
Presentation	Group presentation with peer assessment Oral presentation	40%	Week 01 Due date: 13 Aug 2021 at 09:00	8 min talk with 2 mins of questions
Outcomes assessed:
Assignment	Individual assignment Written task	0%	Week 02 Due date: 20 Aug 2021 at 09:00	1000 words (max)
Outcomes assessed:
Final exam (Record+)	Written theory exam Multiple Choice Questions	60%	Week 07 Due date: 20 Sep 2021 at 09:00	1 hour
Outcomes assessed:
= group assignment ? = Type B final exam ?

Assessment summary

Group work: Submission of pitch and compliance statement and then team presentation with peer assessment of a case study applying veterinary practice management principles in the workplace.

Written examination: Multiple choice questions evaluating learning outcomes, based on lecture notes, class discussions, online modules, relevant literature and PeerWise questions. Includes writing and rating one meaningful PeerWise question for each module.

Individual assignment: Individual wellness plan designed to achieve balance in a range of dimensions with respect to individual pursuits in veterinary professional practice.

Assessment criteria

The University awards common result grades, set out in the Coursework Policy 2014 (Schedule 1).

As a general guide, a High distinction indicates work of an exceptional standard, a Distinction a very high standard, a credit a good standard, and a pass an acceptable standard.

For more information see sydney.edu.au/students/guide-to-grades

For more information see guide to grades.

Late submission

In accordance with University policy, these penalties apply when written work is submitted after 11:59pm on the due date:

Deduction of 5% of the maximum mark for each calendar day after the due date.
After ten calendar days late, a mark of zero will be awarded.

Academic integrity

The Current Student website provides information on academic integrity and the resources available to all students. The University expects students and staff to act ethically and honestly and will treat all allegations of academic integrity breaches seriously.

We use similarity detection software to detect potential instances of plagiarism or other forms of academic integrity breach. If such matches indicate evidence of plagiarism or other forms of academic integrity breaches, your teacher is required to report your work for further investigation.

You may only use artificial intelligence and writing assistance tools in assessment tasks if you are permitted to by your unit coordinator, and if you do use them, you must also acknowledge this in your work, either in a footnote or an acknowledgement section.

Studiosity is permitted for postgraduate units unless otherwise indicated by the unit coordinator. The use of this service must be acknowledged in your submission.

Learning support

Simple extensions

If you encounter a problem submitting your work on time, you may be able to apply for an extension of five calendar days through a simple extension.  The application process will be different depending on the type of assessment and extensions cannot be granted for some assessment types like exams.

Special consideration

If exceptional circumstances mean you can’t complete an assessment, you need consideration for a longer period of time, or if you have essential commitments which impact your performance in an assessment, you may be eligible for special consideration or special arrangements.

Special consideration applications will not be affected by a simple extension application.

Using AI responsibly

Co-created with students, AI in Education includes lots of helpful examples of how students use generative AI tools to support their learning. It explains how generative AI works, the different tools available and how to use them responsibly and productively.

Weekly schedule

WK	Topic	Learning activity
Week 01	Introduction to unit and assessment	Lecture (1 hr)
	Business finance - veterinary business structures, KPIs and industry benchmarking	Lecture (2 hr)
	Business finance - price setting and managing inventory	Lecture (2 hr)
	Business finance - veterinary business structures and the impact on financial management of a veterinary	Lecture (1 hr)
	Business finance - effective budgeting and financial statements	Lecture (2 hr)
	Introduction to final year mentoring program/ group assignment introductory session	Lecture (1 hr)
	Self-directed group work for group assignment- supported by facilitator	Tutorial (3 hr)
	Customer experience - marketing and practice branding- guest speaker	Lecture (1 hr)
	Customer experience - customer service	Lecture (2 hr)
	Customer experience - client adherence	Lecture (1 hr)
	Customer experience - influencing customer behaviour and animal welfare	Lecture (1 hr)
	Group 1 - self-care and designing a personal wellbeing plan workshop	Tutorial (2 hr)
	Managing others and self - self-care strategies	Lecture (1 hr)
	Self-directed group work	Independent study (1 hr)
	Self-directed group work	Independent study (2 hr)
Week 02	Managing others and self - HR	Lecture (2 hr)
	Managing others and self - careers development	Lecture (2 hr)
	Group 2 - self-care and designing a personal wellbeing plan workshop	Tutorial (2 hr)
	Responsibilities and Professionalism - Veterinary registration, CPD, hospital licencing	Lecture (1 hr)
	Responsibilities and Professionalism - talking about money	Lecture (2 hr)
	Responsibilities and Professionalism - conflicts of interest	Lecture (1 hr)
	Group 3 - self-care and designing a personal wellbeing plan workshop	Tutorial (2 hr)
	Responsibilities and Professionalism - strategies for ongoing system improvement	Lecture (1 hr)
Week 10	Preparation for veterinary practice	Seminar (5 hr)
Week 10	Preparation for veterinary practice	Seminar (3 hr)

Attendance and class requirements

Students in all years of the DVM are expected to attend all Required Learning Activities (RLAs) (practical classes, tutorials, research workshops) and other sessions as announced on Canvas.

Attendance at RLAs will be monitored using the University’s Student Relationship Engagement System (SRES) or similar. Absence from more than 10% of RLAs for any course may lead to the award of a fail grade for the unit of study.

Study commitment

Typically, there is a minimum expectation of 1.5-2 hours of student effort per week per credit point for units of study offered over a full semester. For a 3 credit point unit, this equates to roughly 60-75 hours of student effort in total.

Learning outcomes

Learning outcomes are what students know, understand and are able to do on completion of a unit of study. They are aligned with the University's graduate qualities and are assessed as part of the curriculum.

At the completion of this unit, you should be able to:

LO1. critically evaluate and apply principles derived from management strategies, current legislation, ethical and animal welfare standards to address challenges in diverse veterinary contexts
LO2. design personal wellbeing plan to provide care of the highest standard for self and others in the context of a veterinary professional career.

Graduate qualities

The graduate qualities are the qualities and skills that all University of Sydney graduates must demonstrate on successful completion of an award course. As a future Sydney graduate, the set of qualities have been designed to equip you for the contemporary world.

GQ1	Depth of disciplinary expertise Deep disciplinary expertise is the ability to integrate and rigorously apply knowledge, understanding and skills of a recognised discipline defined by scholarly activity, as well as familiarity with evolving practice of the discipline.
GQ2	Critical thinking and problem solving Critical thinking and problem solving are the questioning of ideas, evidence and assumptions in order to propose and evaluate hypotheses or alternative arguments before formulating a conclusion or a solution to an identified problem.
GQ3	Oral and written communication Effective communication, in both oral and written form, is the clear exchange of meaning in a manner that is appropriate to audience and context.
GQ4	Information and digital literacy Information and digital literacy is the ability to locate, interpret, evaluate, manage, adapt, integrate, create and convey information using appropriate resources, tools and strategies.
GQ5	Inventiveness Generating novel ideas and solutions.
GQ6	Cultural competence Cultural Competence is the ability to actively, ethically, respectfully, and successfully engage across and between cultures. In the Australian context, this includes and celebrates Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures, knowledge systems, and a mature understanding of contemporary issues.
GQ7	Interdisciplinary effectiveness Interdisciplinary effectiveness is the integration and synthesis of multiple viewpoints and practices, working effectively across disciplinary boundaries.
GQ8	Integrated professional, ethical, and personal identity An integrated professional, ethical and personal identity is understanding the interaction between one’s personal and professional selves in an ethical context.
GQ9	Influence Engaging others in a process, idea or vision.

Outcome map

Learning outcomes	Graduate qualities
Learning outcomes

Alignment with Competency standards

Outcomes	Competency standards
	Australasian Veterinary Boards Council Attributes - 13. An ability to perform effectively in a workplace including an understanding of organisational systems, human and physical resource management, performance indicators, occupational health and safety, knowledge management and quality control 8. The veterinary legislative environment American Veterinary Medical Association - 8. ethical and professional conduct; communication skills including those that demonstrate an understanding and sensitivity to how clients’ diversity and individual circumstance can impact health care European Coordination Committee for Veterinary Training (EECVT) Day One Competencies - 1.1. Understand the ethical and legal responsibilities of the veterinary surgeon in relation to patients, clients, society and the environment. 1.12. Demonstrate that they recognise personal and professional limits, and know how to seek professional advice, assistance and support when necessary. 1.2. Demonstrate a knowledge of the organisation, management and legislation related to a veterinary business. 1.7. Understand the economic and emotional context in which the veterinary surgeon operates. World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE) Day One Competencies - 2.9. Veterinary legislation and ethics
	Australasian Veterinary Boards Council Attributes - 14. Self-management and group leadership 18. An ability to recognise when a clinical problem exceeds their capacity to deal with it safely and efficiently and of the need to refer the case for help from others when this occurs 19. A willingness to work effectively in a team with other relevant professionals European Coordination Committee for Veterinary Training (EECVT) Day One Competencies - 1.12. Demonstrate that they recognise personal and professional limits, and know how to seek professional advice, assistance and support when necessary. 1.7. Understand the economic and emotional context in which the veterinary surgeon operates.

Responding to student feedback

This section outlines changes made to this unit following staff and student reviews.

No changes have been made since this unit was last offered.

Additional information

Work, health and safety

Q-fever vaccination and completion of the Canvas module “Zoonosis Awareness” is compulsory.

We are governed by the Work Health and Safety Act 2011, Work Health and Safety Regulation 2011 and Codes of Practice. Penalties for non-compliance have increased. Everyone has a responsibility for health and safety at work. The University’s Work Health and Safety policy explains the responsibilities and expectations of workers and others, and the procedures for managing WHS risks associated with University activities.

Disclaimer

The University reserves the right to amend units of study or no longer offer certain units, including where there are low enrolment numbers.

To help you understand common terms that we use at the University, we offer an online glossary.

Current students

Overview

Overview

Unit details and rules

Teaching staff

Assessment

Assessment

Assessment summary

Assessment criteria

Late submission

Academic integrity

Learning support

Learning support

Simple extensions

Special consideration

Using AI responsibly

Weekly schedule

Weekly schedule

Attendance and class requirements

Study commitment

Learning outcomes

Learning outcomes

Graduate qualities

Outcome map

Alignment with Competency standards

Responding to student feedback

Responding to student feedback

Additional information

Additional information

Work, health and safety

Disclaimer

On this page

Useful links

Media

Student links

About us

Connect

Current students

VETS6308: Veterinary Practice Management

Semester 2, 2021 [Normal day] - Remote

Overview

Overview

Unit details and rules

Teaching staff

Assessment

Assessment

Assessment summary

Assessment criteria

Late submission

Academic integrity

Learning support

Learning support

Simple extensions

Special consideration

Using AI responsibly

Weekly schedule

Weekly schedule

Attendance and class requirements

Study commitment

Learning outcomes

Learning outcomes

Graduate qualities

Outcome map

Alignment with Competency standards

Responding to student feedback

Responding to student feedback

Additional information

Additional information

Work, health and safety

Disclaimer

On this page

Useful links

Media

Student links

About us

Connect