Veterinarians / Specialists

More than sixty veterinarians work in the University Veterinary Clinic (CVU) for companion animals. Not all have the same function or expertise. In addition to providing clinical training for 5th and 6th year students, the CVU is also a training centre for veterinarians who decide to further their training.

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CVU - What is a specialist?

The CVU has many European specialists. What is a specialist?

Specialist 

A specialist is a veterinary surgeon who possesses excellent theoretical and practical skills in a discipline of veterinary medicine. To acquire these skills, the veterinarian must have completed an internship and residency and passed the European College examination in his or her discipline. The specialist carries the title of Diplomate of the European College in the discipline he/she practices, the only specialist title officially recognised by the Ordre des Médecins Vétérinaires (Conseil Régional d'Expression Française). The list of specialists from the various European Colleges can be found at www.ebvs.org. The specialist is re-evaluated every 5 years and must demonstrate that he/she continues to train in order to maintain a level of excellence in his/her discipline.

Within the CVU, specialists are usually part of the teaching staff (professors and assistants) of the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine. They actively participate in the theoretical and practical teaching of students, interns, advanced interns and residents and also carry out research with doctoral students.

General or specialised internal

A general intern is a recent graduate in veterinary medicine, who completes an additional year of general training in companion animal medicine (dog-cat) or zoological medicine (exotic pets). During this internship year, interns are trained in the different disciplines of veterinary medicine for domestic carnivores or exotic pets, be it anaesthesia, surgery, imaging, internal medicine, obstetrics, emergency/intensive care, oncology, dermatology or ophthalmology. Interns also perform on-call duties during which they provide care for hospitalized animals and handle emergencies. Interns are continuously supervised by residents and specialists. This internship year is also the first essential step in the specialisation (residency) programme. The interns also actively participate in the clinical training of the 5th and 6th year students.

A specialised intern is a graduate in veterinary medicine who, after having completed a general internship, continues to train for one year in one discipline. This additional year of training is often considered as a preparatory year for a residency. The advanced intern supervises interns, fifth and sixth year students and is himself supervised by residents and specialists in the discipline.

Resident

A resident is a veterinary doctor in the process of specialising in a discipline of veterinary medicine (anaesthesia, cardiology, surgery, imaging, internal medicine, zoological medicine, obstetrics, emergency/intensive care, dermatology or ophthalmology). After completing at least one internship, the resident completes a three-year training course under the supervision of one or more specialists, during which he or she acquires practical and theoretical skills of an excellent level. The resident also learns to pass on his knowledge through his supervision of students, interns and advanced interns. These years of training are part of a residency programme organised by a European College of the discipline and recognised by the EBVS (European Board of Veterinary Specialisation; www.ebvs.org). The EBVS is a European body that oversees all European Veterinary Colleges.

Consultant

A consultant is a veterinarian whose main professional activity is not within the University Veterinary Clinic (CVU). Usually, a consultant has a specific competence (with or without a specialist title) in the discipline practised within the CVU.