Transcript
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Kristin M. Canga, RVT Veterinary Clinical Pathology (VTHT 2323) [email protected] and Kmcanga.yolasite.com

Course DescriptionThis course is designed to familiarize the student with diagnostic laboratory procedures commonly performed in the veterinary field and interpretation of collected data.  Discussion includes veterinary pathophysiology, hematology, immunology, clinical chemistry, urinalysis, cytology, and microbiology.  In addition, sample collection and handling are covered along with instrumentation and equipment maintenance.

GradingHomework, Assignments, Labs, Quizzes and Tests: 90%Final Project: 5%Professionalism: 5%

The following scale will be used:

A: 90-100 4.0B: 80-89 3.0C: 70-79 2.0Unacceptable 60-69 1.0F: Below 60 0.0

Lab assignments require active participation, and cannot be made up if missed. Record of skill completion becomes part of the student’s academic record at VTI. Certain skills must be accomplished in order to receive credit for completing Clinical Pathology and to graduate; therefore good attendance and lab participation is critical in this course. It is students’ responsibility to arrange with the instructor to make up any missed labs on their own time. The instructor will make sure the student has necessary supplies, but may not be available to assist with the lab.

Attendance/Makeup PolicyBecause we are utilizing block scheduling for this class, missing one class period counts as 2 absences. Attendance will be recorded daily and will be factored into final grade per school policy. Remember that Engrade does not allow us to deduct from grades for attendance; it must be manually factored in at the end of the semester.

There will be one, 10-minute break during each M, T, W, Th class periods at 8:40. This break is 10 minutes only. Students who return chronically late will be marked absent, or may miss any unannounced quizzes over the first portion of the lecture.

A tardy will be recorded for students absent for fifteen minutes or less of any class period. Students absent for more than fifteen minutes will be considered absent for that class period. Note: three times tardy = one absence.

In the event of an absence REGARDLESS OF THE REASON, the student must notify the instructor PRIOR to the absence in order to be eligible to make up a test. Any absence that results from a documented medical emergency, jury duty, or court hearing, or when a student has three or

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more consecutive absences that constitute “extenuating circumstances” (per VTI Attendance policy), missed tests can be made up at instructor’s discretion. With any other absence, students will not be permitted to make-up missed tests. However, they may write an essay (according to guidelines set forth by the instructor) to earn up to 50% of the point value of the original test. Other assignments must be completed and turned in on time to receive credit. In the event of a documented, excused absence, homework will be accepted at a 5% deduction per day late. Quizzes (announced or unannounced) cannot be made up – NO EXCEPTIONS!!

Required TextbooksLaboratory Procedures for Veterinary Technicians by Sirois & Hendrix, Clinical Anatomy & Physiology for Veterinary Technicians by Colville & Bassert.Occasionally, required reading assignments will be provided to the student either online or in handout format.

EngradeAll students are required to register in Engrade and utilize it as a tool to communicate with your instructors. Some required assignments could be given solely through Engrade.

ProfessionalismSince professionalism is an important aspect of the veterinary medical field, here at VTI, you will be held to a high professional standard throughout your veterinary technology educational experience. In Clinical Pathology, a professionalism grade of 5% will be instituted throughout the course based on your professional conduct. Points may be added or deducted at the instructor’s discretion. Students who are disrespectful to the instructor or their classmates, those who are chronically absent, sleep, text or talk in class to one another during lecture or who show unprofessional behavior of any other sort as determined by the instructor are all subject to losing professionalism points in 5 point increments.

Professionalism grade will be affected on the second warning if wearing facial piercing, texting/using phone in class, or sleeping in class. Dismissal from class may occur at the instructor’s discretion.

Academic IntegrityAcademic integrity goes hand in hand with professionalism. Any student who participates in plagiarism, unauthorized collaboration, or any other form of cheating is subject to receiving a zero on the said assignment with no opportunity to make it up, losing 10 points from their final professionalism grade, and possible suspension or expulsion from VTI. Please see additional handout on Academic Dishonesty and Unauthorized Collaboration for clarification of what is considered cheating.

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Class Expectations

What you can expect from me

I will do my best to protect our ‘sacred learning environment’. I will give you the necessary tools you will need to be successful, but you must use them. I will be available to help you but you must let me know that you need help. If you don’t turn in assignment, I will not ask you for it, I will assume that you are content

with a zero for the assignment. I will follow and enforce VTI policy on academic dishonesty and unauthorized

collaboration. I will do my best to help you to be successful in this course but I cannot learn FOR you.

What I expect from you

I expect that you want to be here, know the workload required, and will spend an appropriate amount of time studying DAILY exclusively for Clinical Pathology.

You will observe basic classroom courtesy (turn off cell phone, stay awake, refrain from whispering, talking, or writing notes to your classmates during class)

You will do the required reading and you realize that you may need to read it more than once in order to fully understand the material.

You will take notes over class discussion and you understand that you will be tested over both written and spoken material.

I expect that if you miss class, you will obtain notes from classmates on your own and you will contact me prior to your absences in order to arrange to turn in any missed assignments or discuss make-up eligibility.

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Study Tips for Success

Students learn in a variety of different ways. It is my goal to incorporate as many of these methods as possible into Clinical Pathology. Additionally, the following tips will help you to be successful in this course:

1. Spread out the time when practicing recall.  Doing a recall exercise for 15 minutes a day for 4 consecutive days produces a greater degree of retention and recall than doing 1 hour on one day.  Same amount of invested time, very different results.  Carry flash cards with you everywhere you go, and if you have 10 minutes before class, are waiting for a bus, have a few minutes before your favorite television show comes on.... pull out the cards and go through a couple of dozen of them.

2. Remove the source of information when doing the recall exercise.  Students who practice recalling while they still have the book in front of them perform less well on retention and recall than the student who puts the material away and attempts to recall without any cues from the original material from which they created their flashcards, self-questions, etc.   If you cannot recall something, then go back to the original content, re-study that particular material, perhaps create another flash card or review question, then test yourself again.

3. The magic number seems to be three.  Being able to recall a fact on a flashcard or in a self-question 3 times successfully probably means the info is encoded in your brain well enough and further intensive recall practice isn’t likely to improve the odds of being able to recall it on an exam.  However, the question or flashcard should still be reviewed every couple of days to prevent information-fade.  Remember 80% of what is learned today in class is gone by next week.  So once a flashcard set is successfully mastered, it still needs to be briefly reviewed every couple of days to keep it in working memory and enhance the odds of being able to recall the information.

4. Create cues.  Research has showed that if a student makes little cues to remember facts (drawings, word play, rhymes, colors, other mnemonic devices, etc.) and creates those cues on a separate sheet while reading, these cues can facilitate retention and retrieval of new information.  In running through the recall exercise (flashcard drill, self-questions, etc.) keep a page of “cues” that you created out so you can refer to them.  Many times the cues that you create come from concepts that are already in your memory and can be used to link new information. Eventually you can get to the point without relying on the written cues and your link to the new information is firmly tied.


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