Unit information: Professional Studies 3 in 2022/23

Unit name	Professional Studies 3
Unit code	VETS24001
Credit points	0
Level of study	I/5
Teaching block(s)	Teaching Block 4 (weeks 1-24)
Unit director	Dr. Slingsby
Open unit status	Not open
Units you must take before you take this one (pre-requisite units)	Completion of BVSc 2
Units you must take alongside this one (co-requisite units)	All other units in BVSc 3
Units you may not take alongside this one
School/department	Bristol Veterinary School
Faculty	Faculty of Health Sciences

Unit Information

This unit is vertically integrated with Professional Studies units in Years 1, 2, 4 and 5, allowing continuing development of an understanding of the complex issues and responsibilities associated with being a veterinary professional.

Communication skills - The teaching will facilitate the development of sound and effective communication skills within the context of the veterinary consultation.

Professional conduct ethics and law - Key aspects of UK legislation associated with animal welfare are explored, as well as ethical issues integral to working in veterinary general practice.

Business management - UK Veterinary business models are discussed alongside exploration of key concepts in pricing and charging for products and services, as well as developing an understanding of the practice team and their roles.

Health and safety - Health and safety law and practice in the UK are elaborated in relation to veterinary work, especially radiation safety, controlled drugs and clinical waste.

Study learning and investigation - Critical evaluation skills are developed in the context of diagnostic tests and clinical cases and an understanding of the important aspects of the research process.

Aims:

• To develop understanding of the structure and function of the veterinary consultation
• To equip students with effective communication skills within the framework of the veterinary consultation
• To develop knowledge and understanding of the application of the relevant legislation and guidance on professional conduct
• To develop knowledge and understanding of UK veterinary business models
• To develop knowledge and understanding of key concepts associated with pricing and charging for products and services in the context of veterinary business
• To develop knowledge and understanding of the practice team and the different roles within the team
• To develop knowledge and understanding of health and safety legislation applicable to veterinary work
• To develop skills of critical evaluation in relation to diagnostic tests and data from clinical cases
• To develop knowledge and understanding of the important aspects of the research process

Your learning on this unit

Communication skills. Students should be able to:

• Describe the NUVACS consultation model and identify the communication skills integral to its application
• Identify their own and peers skills in gathering and giving information with tutors and trained medical actors

Professional conduct, ethics and law: Students should be able to:

• Describe and discuss the nature of animal abuse and its recognition in the UK
• Discuss ethical issues integral to working in practice prior to EMS clinical placements such as client confidentiality and informed consent

Business management. Students should be able to:

• Distinguish between marketing products and marketing services
• Discuss relationship marketing and how a practice can build the practice-client relationship
• Identify the common marketing methods used by practices and how effective these are for client retention and gaining new clients
• Discuss how they themselves can contribute to building good client relationships
• Describe key concepts associated with pricing products and services and apply these to a specific veterinary issue
• Describe the structure of the practice team and the roles of different members of that team

Health and Safety. Students should be able to:

• Describe and apply Health and Safety legislation to a wide range of clinical settings
• Describe Health and Safety legislation and practice in specific situations, notably radiation safety, storage and disposal of medicines (including Controlled Drugs) clinical waste and carcasses, and the storage and transport of tissues

Study Learning and Investigation. Students should be able to:

• Identify the appropriate critical analyses for differing data sets associated with diagnostic testing
• Critically evaluate the outcome of diagnostic tests, and demonstrate understanding of the issues of sensitivity, specificity and quality control
• Critically evaluate the diagnostic and quantitative elements of a clinical paper
• Reflect on their personal approach to studying and EMS, on the strengths and weaknesses of their techniques, and on changes might increase their effectiveness in these areas
• Evaluate published research in an informed manner and draw sound conclusions

How you will learn

• Lectures
• Seminars
• Debate
• Practicals
• Technology-enhanced learning
• Reflective journal
• Individual and group work on directed self-education (DSE) tasks

How you will be assessed

• Written/computer-based exam - 60%
• Directed self-education (DSE) task (Communication) - 20%
• Directed self-education (DSE) task (Research training) - 20%
• ePortfolio reflective journal entry - pass/fail

There will be an opportunity to resit the examination during the resit period.

Resources

If this unit has a Resource List, you will normally find a link to it in the Blackboard area for the unit. Sometimes there will be a separate link for each weekly topic.

If you are unable to access a list through Blackboard, you can also find it via the Resource Lists homepage. Search for the list by the unit name or code (e.g. VETS24001).

How much time the unit requires
Each credit equates to 10 hours of total student input. For example a 20 credit unit will take you 200 hours of study to complete. Your total learning time is made up of contact time, directed learning tasks, independent learning and assessment activity.

See the Faculty workload statement relating to this unit for more information.

Assessment
The Board of Examiners will consider all cases where students have failed or not completed the assessments required for credit. The Board considers each student's outcomes across all the units which contribute to each year's programme of study. If you have self-certificated your absence from an assessment, you will normally be required to complete it the next time it runs (this is usually in the next assessment period).
The Board of Examiners will take into account any extenuating circumstances and operates within the Regulations and Code of Practice for Taught Programmes.