The degree programme aims to train competent and conscious Veterinarians, ready to enter the world of work in the fields for which they are qualified, as well as to enrol in specialist, postgraduate programmes both in Italy and abroad.
The specific learning outcomes of the degree programme are in line with the Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) of the European System of Evaluation of Veterinary Training (ESEVT) currently in force, issued by the European Association of Establishments for Veterinary Education (EAEVE) and by the Federation of Veterinarians of Europe (FVE) in 2023. Several key aspects make this an innovative programme in the national context, including significant integration of the various subjects throughout the curriculum, a strong focus on the principles of One Health and Circular Health, and the acquisition of transversal and soft skills that complement the training of future Veterinarians.
The use of English, in addition to being convenient for accessing scientific literature and finding information on the Internet, encourages mobility before graduation, including participation in the Erasmus programme, internships and dissertations internships abroad. It can also facilitate access to postgraduate specialisation programmes, PhD programmes and other education and work opportunities, both in Italy and abroad.
In line with current Italian regulations, the degree programme lasts 5 years, totalling 300 University educational credits – ECTS.
During the first year, students are introduced to the basics of veterinary medicine and provided with transversal skills for the veterinary profession. In this way, they are immediately put in a position to safely carry out practical activities both in the laboratory and in animal procedure and holding rooms, and to approach patients correctly. A course unit is devoted to the structure and mechanisms of cells and their arrangement in tissues, paving the way for more specific course units focusing on the various organ systems and their functioning. These course units are characterised by close integration of the various subjects that contribute to providing a global picture of the animal in good health – i.e. anatomy, physiology, semeiotics, diagnostic imaging techniques, as well as certain elements of physics and biochemistry. This approach allows students to experience clinical care right from the outset, albeit gradually. In parallel, consideration is given to digital literacy, the evidence-based approach and the work-life balance, which are conducive not only to approaching the degree programme in the best possible way, but also to continuing training in the following years and after graduation.
The learning process in the second year continues with the general principles of veterinary immunology, microbiology and parasitology, ethology, animal welfare and nutrition, general pathology, clinical pathology and the fundamentals of anatomical pathology, as well as the basics of pharmacology, toxicology, anaesthesiology and animal testing. These subjects allow students to gain the knowledge they need to tackle the following section of the programme, which focuses on professional veterinary medicine training. The first two years end with a course unit that combines various crucial aspects for future Veterinarians, including transferable skills (veterinary ethics, legislation and economics, role of national and international authorities, One Health and sustainability, digitisation, big data and artificial intelligence) and other soft skills for personal and professional growth (effective communication, leadership and team building).
The third year is entirely devoted to production animals, veterinary public health, and the quality and safety of food of animal origin. Integrated course units follow a “from farm to fork” approach, providing knowledge in zootechnics, welfare, nutrition, reproduction, pathology and clinical care across a variety of production species (cattle, swine, rabbits, poultry, fish and insects), as necessary for Veterinarians working in the livestock industry. A veterinary public health course unit provides key knowledge in epidemiology, statistics, infectious disease surveillance and control, ecopathology of wildlife, and the national and international regulatory framework within which the competent veterinary authorities carry out their tasks. The year ends with two course units aimed at acquiring the necessary skills in the area of food hygiene and safety. The first of them deals with the inspection and control of meat, fish and edible insects, while the second one delves into the subsequent steps of processing and storage of products of animal origin.
The fourth year aims to provide future Veterinarians with the clinical care skills they need to work with companion animals, and includes a first course unit on elements of clinical methodology, surgery, pharmacotherapy and anaesthesiology common to the various species, as well as the fundamentals of hospital organisation and management. This is followed by several integrated course units, each devoted to different species (dog, cat, horse and non-traditional companion animals), which take a coordinated, evidence-based approach to cover aetiopathogenesis, diagnosis, treatment, diagnostic techniques and clinical care of the main medical, surgical and reproductive diseases. Another course unit is devoted to emergency medicine and intensive care for the various species. The core curriculum ends with a course unit on the fundamentals of scientific research, which provides the necessary skills to design, carry out and interpret veterinary research, by applying rigorous scientific methods, statistical tools, and scientific literature review and processing techniques.
The fifth and last year is devoted to the learning activities chosen by each student, including elective course units (the degree programme offers some multidisciplinary, highly job-oriented course units focusing on the various macro-areas of veterinary medicine, with a view to meeting the students’ interests), as well as the Elective Practical Training (in accordance with SOP ESEVT 2023) and thesis training. The latter two activities may either be separate from each other or closely connected and consequential, and may be performed either within the Department or outside the University, at Italian or foreign, public or private partner organisations, thus allowing students a certain degree of customisation in this final, job-oriented part of their training. In parallel, the Core Clinical Training (Tirocinio Pratico Valutativo - TPV) covers professional training activities in the various areas of veterinary medicine, which students carry out in small groups both at the Department’s facilities and at third-party organisations, based on a predefined, rotating schedule. At the end of this training, students must take the Practical Examination (Prova Pratica Valutativa - PPV) to assess the professional skills they have acquired, which is a compulsory requirement for admission to the final examination, pursuant to the recent law that has made the Veterinary Medicine degree a qualifying degree.
The achievement of the learning outcomes is supported by teaching modes that encourage the active engagement of students, such as workshops, clinical case discussions, problem-solving activities, flipped classrooms, use of advanced simulation software. The degree programme embraces the philosophy that students should never try anything for the first time on a living animal, and provides them with a Clinical Skills Lab where they can practice and improve their dexterity on a wide range of veterinary simulators and training models. The Department’s facilities (University Veterinary Hospital, Experimental Teaching Barn, National Institute of Artificial Insemination, Wildlife Veterinary Centre, teaching slaughterhouse, animal enclosures, anatomy and necropsy rooms, computer rooms and laboratories) and many external partners (pet clinics, farms, slaughterhouses, processing plants, IZSs and ASLs) allow students to benefit from a high-level learning environment throughout their learning path.
