Concurrent DVM Certificate Programs

Certificates provide an opportunity for currently enrolled DVM students to receive additional credentialing at graduation. Certificate programs include a set number of core and elective courses, demonstrated competence in clinical skills, and additional co-curricular experiences in specific professional areas. Click here to sign up for a program.

Veterinary Medicine Sustainability Certificate

The Veterinary Medicine Sustainability Certificate program will encompass a wide breadth of topics covering three pillars of sustainability (Environmental, Social, and Economic) and provide experiential learning opportunities. Students will gain knowledge in the economic aspects of veterinary practice management, including basic business management skills. The program also provides students with a broad understanding of the environmental pillar, covering topics such as the environmental impacts of food animal production, emissions of anesthesia gases and waste disposal.

Requirements

Certificate requirements (starting with class of 2026)

Required Electives (6 credits)

VCS 822: Introduction to Sustainable Beef Systems (1 cr) Y1-2-3
OR
VCS 892N: Concepts in Sustainable Small Animal Practice (1cr) Y1-2
VCS 832: Antimicrobial Resistance in Bacteria: A One Health perspective (1 cr) Y1-2-3
VCS 891Y: Topics in Business Principles for Veterinary Practice (1 cr) Y1-2
Fourth Year
VCS 901: Externships with emphasis on Veterinary Practice Sustainability (3 cr)

Electives Courses (8 credits minimum)

VCS 820 Topics in Global Veterinary Medicine (1 cr) Y1-2 — SPRING
VCS 840 Communication with the Agricultural Worker (2 cr) Y2-3 — SPRING
VCS891C Applied Small Animal Behavior (1 cr) Y2-3 — FALL
VCS892 L Pre-clinical Veterinary Sustainability Mentorship (1-3 cr) Y1-2-3
VDMP 816 Trade and Agricultural Health (2 cr) Y1-2-3 — FALL
VDMP 888 B Globalization & Food trade (1 cr) Y1-2 — SPRING
VDMP 891 E Ecotoxicology (1 cr) Y2 — SPRING
VDMP 891 A International Animal & Zoonotic Disease (1 cr) Y1-2-3 — SPRING
VCS 892-E Practicing Vet Med in a multicultural society (1cr) Y1-2-3 — Spring & Fall
VAP 897 Animal Welfare (1cr) Y2 — SPRING
VCS 890 B Community Outreach Fundamentals (1cr) Y1-2 - FALL
Fourth Year
VCS 917: Advanced Rural Food Animal Business Management (1 cr)
VCS 949 Shelter Medicine - Community Outreach (1cr)

View the Veterinary Medicine Sustainability Certificate guide (pdf)

Food Animal Veterinary Certificate

The Food Animal Veterinary Certificate (FAVC) will prepare DVM students for long-term success in food animal veterinary practice by incorporating skills in varied areas including animal health, production medicine, practice management, and client communications which go beyond the content of the core DVM curriculum. Graduates will become part of a veterinary workforce capable of meeting the needs of livestock producers in a sustainable practice environment.

Requirements

Core courses (4 credit hours):

Third year

- VCS 891 Elective Topics: Production Medicine (1cr

Fourth year

- VCS 901 Clinical Externship: Food Animal Focus (2cr)
- VCS 917 Rural Business Management (1cr)
Elective courses (must take 10 total credits)

Pre-clinical

- VCS 822 Intro to Sustainable Beef Systems (1cr)
- VCS 832 AMR in Bacteria: One Health Perspective (1cr)
- VCS 840 Communication with the Ag. worker (2cr)
- VCS 891 Basics of Bovine Theriogenology (1cr)
- VCS 891 Bovine Palpation (1cr)
- VCS 891 Issues in Rural Practice (1cr)
- VCS 891 Rural Practice Management (1cr)
- VDMP 891 Herd Disease Outbreak Investigation (2cr)
- VDMP 816 Trade and Agricultural Health (2cr)
- VDMP 891 Backyard poultry disease (1cr)
- VDMP 891 Elective Topics: Ecotoxicology (1cr)
- VDMP 892 Mentorship-Food animal focus (1cr)
- VDMP 888 Globalization and Food Trade (1cr)

Clinical (Fourth year)

- VCS 901 Clinical Externship: Food Animal Focus (additional 1-6cr)
- VCS 913 Advanced Feedlot Production Medicine (2cr)
- VCS 915 Advanced Cow Calf Production (1cr)
- VCS 919 Food Animal Bull Reproduction (2cr)
- VCS 947 Advanced Bull Bovine Palpation (2cr)
- VDMP 911 Dairy Production Medicine (3cr)

Relevant course at another academic institution*

Core experiences:
- Member of at least one national food animal veterinary professional association; e.g. AABP, AVC, AASRP, AASV
- Complete required procedure log
- Complete elective procedure log
- College-wide seminar presentation of accumulated experiences

View the Food Animal Veterinary Certificate guide (pdf)
FAVC ELECTIVE Procedures (pdf)
FAVC CORE Procedures (3rd-4th year lab) (pdf)
HOW to enter procedures (document: instruction for students to enter Procedures FAVC) (pdf)

Shelter Medicine Veterinary Certificate

The Shelter Medicine Veterinary Certificate (SMVC) program is offered to current Doctor of Veterinary Medicine (DVM) students at Kansas State University. The program is designed to prepare students for long-term success in shelter medicine. It emphasizes:

Shelter animal care
Animal behavior and well-being
High-quality, high-volume sterilization surgery
Shelter management consultation

Graduates of the SMVC program will be equipped with a comprehensive foundation for a career in shelter medicine and will gain the knowledge and skills to positively impact the medical and behavioral health of animals in their communities.

Requirements

Certificate Completion Requirements

To earn the SMVC, students must:

Complete the required number of core and elective courses, earning a minimum grade of “C” in each.
Complete the Fear Free Shelter Certificate® (Online and Free) independently during their first three years.

Core Courses (9 Credit Hours)

Pre-Clinical Courses:

VCS 891E – Shelter Basics: Medicine & Management (1 credit) – Year 1–2, Fall
VCS 892K – Pre-Clinical Mentorship – Shelter Medicine Emphasis (1 credit) – Year 1–3
VCS 892G – Disaster Response – ICS Deployment Certification (1 credit) – Year 1–2, Spring

Clinical (Fourth-Year) Courses:

VCS 901 – Externship – Shelter Medicine Emphasis (2 credits)
VCS 937 – Shelter Medicine Rotation (2 credits)
VCS 946 – Shelter Operations Consultation (1 credit)
VCS 949 – Shelter Medicine Community Outreach (1 credit)

Elective Courses (Minimum 6 Credit Hours)

Pre-Clinical Courses:

VCS 890B – Community Outreach Fundamentals (1 credit) – Year 1–2, Fall
VAP 891B – Animal Care & Welfare (1 credit) – Year 2, Spring
VCS 891C – Topics in Applied Animal Behavior (1 credit) – Year 2–3, Fall
VCS 891K – Topics in IVM – Shelter Systems (3 credits) – Year 2–3, Summer (Online)
VCS 891T – Surgical Skills (1 credit) – Year 3, Spring
VCS 892 Q - Victim to Verdict (1credit) - Year 2-3, Summer
VCS 892 R - Pre-Clinical Community Outreach (1credit) - Year 2-3, Summer

Clinical (Fourth-Year) Courses:

VCS 901 – Externship – Spay/Neuter Emphasis (1–2 credits)
VCS 942 – Advanced Surgical Experience (2 credits)
VCS 945 – Supplemental Dentistry for Small Animals (1 credit)
VCS 949 - Supplemental Shelter Medicine Outreach (1 credit)

Contact Information

For more information, contact Academic Programs at the College of Veterinary Medicine:

Phone: 785-532-5660
Email: Dr. James Roush

View the Shelter Medicine Veterinary Certificate guide (pdf)

Exotic Animal/Zoological Medicine Veterinary Certificate

The Exotic Animal/Zoological Medicine Veterinary Certificate (EAZMVC) program is for current Doctor of Veterinary Medicine (DVM) students at Kansas State University. The goal of the EAZMVC is to prepare DVM students for long term success in the field of exotic animal and zoological (which, for this document, includes wildlife) medicine by incorporating skills of varied areas and the ability to adapt a student’s knowledge and experience to a broad-range of species.

Requirements

Required courses (8 credit hours + 1 zero credit (VCS901) enrollment)):

First, Second or Third year
VCS 892 Pre-Clinical Mentorships – Exotic Animal/Zoological Medicine Emphasis (1 cr)

Third year
VCS 891 J Topics in Advanced Zoological/Wildlife Medicine (1 cr)
VCS 891 O Topics in Advanced Exotic Pet Medicine (1 cr)

Fourth year
VCS 905 Zoo, Exotic, Wildlife, Avian Medicine and Surgery (3 cr)
VCS 901 Externships – Exotic Animal/Zoological Medicine Emphasis (2 cr)
VCS 901 Externship/Programmed Study* (0 cr)
*Students must enroll in the zero (0) credit option of VCS901 during the 4th-year as verification that the 50 points of training opportunities have been completed and recognized.

Elective courses (minimum of 6 (12 possible) credit hours required)

VCS 891 Special Interest Anatomy (1 cr)
VCS 820 Topics in Global Veterinary Medicine (1 cr)
VDMP 804 Ecotoxicology (1cr)
VDMP 891 Laboratory Animal Science (2 cr)
VDMP 891C Backyard Chicken Diseases (1 cr)
VCS 901 Externships – Exotic Animal/Zoological Medicine Emphasis* (1-4 cr)
VDCS 903 Laboratory Animal Medicine Clinical Rotation (2 cr)
VCS 907 Supplemental Zoo, Exotics, Wildlife, Avian Medicine and Surgery (3cr)

(Note: only 2 students are on at one time; only 5-7 blocks are offered; VDMP 891 is a prerequisite)

Required Activity Points Description (pdf)

View the Exotic Animal/Zoological Medicine Veterinary Certificate guide (pdf)

Equine Veterinary Practice Certificate

The Equine Veterinary Practice Certificate (EVPC) program is tailored for current Doctor of Veterinary Medicine (DVM) students, aiming to equip them with the essential skills needed to excel as equine practitioners. This program seeks to bolster students' confidence and expertise in the field. Designed to enhance technical skills, knowledge base, and communication abilities, the EVPC offers a comprehensive foundation for a successful career in equine veterinary practice from the moment students graduate. Our primary mission is to provide robust training opportunities for veterinary students who have a keen interest in pursuing a career in equine veterinary practice.

Note: Enrollment starting Fall 2024

Requirements

Required courses

VCS 892 F Pre-Clinical Mentorship – Equine Emphasis, 1 credit 1st/2nd/3rd Summer, Fall, Spring
VCS 921 Clinical Equine Theriogenology, 2 credits 4th Summer, Spring
VCS 923 Advanced Equine Studies, 4 credits 4th Fall

Elective courses (must take 5 credits)

VCS 891 R Learning Curve of Equine Practice, 1 credit 1st/2nd/3rd Fall
VCS 891 D Topics Equine Podiatry, 1 credit 3rd Fall
VCS 892 A Equine Lameness, 1 credit 3rd Spring
VCS 891 Q Equine Medicine Elective, 1 credit 3rd Spring
VCS 901 Externship – Dodge City Rodeo, 1 credit 4th Summer
VCS 901 Externship – GPVEC – Equine Dental, 1 credit 4th Spring
VCS 901 Externship – Equine Emphasis, 2 credits 4th Summer, Fall, Spring
VCS 925 Supplemental Equine Studies, 2 credits 4th Summer, Fall, Spring

View the Equine Veterinary Practice Certificate guide (pdf)

HOW to enter procedures (document: instruction for students to enter Procedures EVPC) (pdf)

Equine Certificate procedure list (pdf)