Companion Animal Neurology - Advanced Diagnostic Clinical Neurology
The advanced diagnostic toolbox
This course is a specialisation course at the Master of Companion Animal Clinical Science. The Master is a post graduate education targeted small animal veterinarians seeking Continuing Professional Development (CPD).
The purpose of this course is to further develop the participant’s diagnostic platform within clinical neurology to include the more sophisticated diagnostic thinking, competences and skills required to successfully approach the complex neurological patient. The participant should be able to combine knowledge collected from basic and advanced para-clinical tests with clinical patient data at an advanced level. The course will provide knowledge on neuroimaging including conventional diagnostic imaging as well as the digital image modalities, computer tomography (CT) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and their indication, interpretation and therapeutic consequences in the discipline of clinical neurology. Furthermore, both theoretical lectures and a wet-lab practice addressing cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) collection and interpretation is an integrated part of the course.
Neurological patient cases and results of clinical workup is used in an interactive dialogue with the participants in order to expand their competences in a problem-based patient approach.
Read more about the Master of Companion Animal Clinical Science.
Lectures, e-learning, theoretical and practical exercises. Case-study work.
As part of the course, you will have to perform oral presentations and hand in a number of written exercises / cases and procedure protocols.
Knowledge
Having completed the course, the participant should be able to:
- Define, identify and discuss veterinary methodology and para-clinical tools in systematised reflective clinical decision making in the companion animal clinical practice area of clinical neurology.
- Explain, reflect about and demonstrate overview of complex clinical decision making, patient therapy and management at an advanced level.
- Explain, reflect about and demonstrate overview of systematic clinical and diagnostic approach to the neurological patient at an advanced level.
- List, classify, and demonstrate critical reflection on existing and new approaches to patient diagnosis, therapy, management and client education in a specialty practice situation.
Skills
Within the area of clinical diagnostic neurology the graduate must be able to:
- Apply the quantitative and qualitative methodologies such as performing and applying clinical diagnostic thinking as well as master relevant practical diagnostic skills.
- Identify appropriate image modality and demonstrate knowledge of common diagnostic imaging hallmarks of the neurological patient.
- Understand the interpretation of computed tomography (CT), magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and be able to demonstrate critical reflection of pros and cons for CT and MRI and identification of neurological patients suitable for advanced neurological diagnostic procedures.
- Collect and perform interpretation of CSF samples.
- Interpret, assess and reflect on collected patient data in order to identify the nature of the neurological lesion and cause of neurological disease.
- Make clinical decisions, arrive at a diagnosis and consider evidence based scientific approaches in order to plan and administer further appropriate diagnostics, patient therapy and management.
- Continuously seek out, reflect on and apply new evidence based methods and solution models.
- Communicate and discuss academic issues and solution models with both peers and non-specialists at an advanced level and across disciplines within companion animal practice.
- Communicate effectively in writing and pass on results to relevant parties.
Competences
The graduate must be able to:
- Evaluate and diagnose companion animals with neurological diseases.
- Educate owners of patients with acute and chronic neurological disorders with respect to diagnostic approach, short and long-term treatment and prognosis.
- Work independently, take responsibility for, predict, prognosticate and make decisions within clinical neurology at an advanced level.
You must meet the following criteria to be admitted to this course:
- Hold a degree in Veterinary Medicine
- Hold one of the following certifications
- DVA Certificate in Small Animal Diseases (equivalent to the 4 compulsory courses of the Master of Companion Animal Clinical Science)
- Swedish / Norwegian / Finnish specialist in diseases of dogs and cats
- Equivalent competences
- Have a minimum of 2 years of relevant work experience from companion animal practice
- Be proficient in English
Find detailed information about the formal requirements for this course.
The course responsibles at the specialisation track in Companion Animal Neurology are:
- Professor Mette Berendt, Department of Veterinary Clinical Sciences, The Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Denmark.
- Associate professor Hanne Birgit Gredal, Department of Veterinary Clinical Sciences, The Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Denmark.
Lecturers at the specialisation track are:
- Joane Parent, DMV, MVetSc, DipACVIM Neurology, Professor Veterinary Neurology, University of Montreal, Canada
- Fraser McConnel, BVM&S, DVR, DipECVDI, CertSAM, MRCVS, RCVS Specialist in Small Animal Diagnostic Imaging & EBVS® European Specialist in Small Animal Diagnostic Imaging, University of Liverpool, United Kingdom
- Patrick Kenny, DVM, BVSc (Hons) DipACVIM Neurology, DipECVN, FHEA, MRCVS, SAHS-Vets Specialist Hospital, Sidney, Australia
Course details
Duration: | 5 days on campus |
Dates: | 15-19 April 2024 |
Frequency: | Only available every second year |
Course capacity: | 12 students |
Place: | University Hospital for Companion Animals, Frederiksberg, Denmark |
Course fee: | EU/EEA citizens Single course participant: 33,500 DKK Master student: 30,000 DKK Non-EU/EEA citizens Single course participant: 37,740 DKK Master student: 34,240 DKK Tuition fees include course materials and lunch/coffee. Books are not included in the tuition fees and must be purchased by the participants. |
Level and credit: | Master course; 6 ECTS |
Examination date: | Please consult the exam schedule |
Application deadline: | Master's programme: 1 May 2023 Course: 19 February 2024 |
Admission: | To be admitted, you must meet the admission criteria for specializations at Master of Companion Animal Clinical Science |
The opening of the application period is announced via the programme newsletter.
Download course curriculum