Aims of CEMS for Students
Aims of CEMS - for Veterinary Students
Aims of CEMS as a progression requirement in UCD (adapted from the RCVS aims of CEMS for students)
Some specific aims of CEMS are to help students:
- develop their animal handling skills for all common domestic species
- enhance their understanding and appreciation of diagnostic and medical/surgical treatments commonly employed in a variety of veterinary working environments
- appreciate the role of preventive medicine in all common domestic species
- appreciate the role of herd health and epidemiology in food production animals
- understand the practice and economics of food production animals
- develop their understanding of practice economics and practice management by encouraging participation in the internally run European Veterinary Business Alliance (EVBA)
- develop their communication skills for all aspects of veterinary work
- expand their experience and knowledge of disciplines, techniques or species that are not extensively covered within your parent university’s degree programme, or during the clinical year at University College Dublin
- appreciate the importance of animal welfare and the necessity to relieve pain/distress
- understand the ethical and legal responsibilities of veterinarians in relation to clients, animals and the wider community
- explore clinical research and laboratory practice, allowing students to become exposed to future career avenues or opportunities that they may otherwise not have considered
- gain experience of a variety of veterinary working environments and functioning as part of a practice team
Full details of requirements pre and post CEMS placement are provided in your CEMS Handbook but please adhere to UCD policy on placement approval and acceptance as per Myplacements and Myprogress.
Students are advised before a placement:
Prior to embarking on the placement, you are advised to contact the practice you wish to attend to establish “the ground rules” and any other relevant expectations pertaining to the practice, such as:
- Daily start/end times
- Out of hours duties
- Attire required
- Equipment necessary
- Any ‘practice rules’ relating to conduct in the practice
As a result of a major review of CEMS undertaken by the Association for Veterinary Students (AVS), they have provided a useful resource on CEMS for veterinary students, developed by veterinary students:
In addition to publishing this booklet, the AVS have developed a useful resource for each placement in small animal, equine and farm animal practice that allows you to develop 3 learning objectives for each placement, to rate yourself before and after and to develop self-reflection skills.
UCD strongly advises students to use these resources when seeing practice for CEMS - practitioners or placement providers may ask you for this at the start of a placement in order to come up with 3 learning objectives for the placement that are appropriate for you and for the practice in which you are doing your CEMS.