Current Topics in Veterinary Medicine

Catalog description

Discussion of the social, ethical, and economic aspects of current and emerging issues related to animal ownership and veterinary medicine emphasizing the appropriate citation of sources and writing about contemporary issues facing this field. Writing assignments will center on new and emerging issues facing today's veterinary professionals. Students completing this course will produce a writing portfolio that includes a range of works appropriate for different audiences, as well as having participated in extensive self and peer evaluation of writing. Students scheduling this course will first complete Engl 15 and Biol 110. Course objectives include teaching written communication skills that will prove valuable to VBSC majors. Upon completion of this course, students should be able to: develop focused writing objectives based on some knowledge of the target audience, find reliable sources of evidence, critically evaluate evidence and sources, correctly cite sources for various types of material, develop an effective outline, write and revise drafts for a final piece of written communication, perform self and peer evaluations of writing, and produce a final piece of written communication that achieves the original objective and is valuable to the target audience. Topics will surround veterinary shortages and possible solutions, gender demographics, animal rights versus animal welfare, small animal care inequity, euthanasia, laboratory testing and medicine, and more.