Basic Veterinary Sciences Course

• [University] Gifu University
• [Research area] Veterinary Anatomy

Rotation of basics: Basics -> Apply -> Clinical practice

Basic Veterinary Sciences Course consists of 4 research laboratories, i.e., Veterinary Anatomy, Veterinary Physiology, Veterinary Pharmacology and Veterinary Biochemistry, with 13 faculty members. Professional subjects taken in the Basic Veterinary Sciences Course are mainly Veterinary Anatomy, Veterinary Histology, Embryology, Veterinary Physiology, Veterinary Biochemistry, and Veterinary Pharmacology. Each lecture will have a hands-on program, which will be an important experience to understand the lecture details. Basic subjects include understanding animals’ normal life phenomena from molecules to individuals, which helps in analyzing the mechanisms of diseases. Basic Veterinary Sciences does not directly relate to animal disease diagnosis or treatment; therefore, some may not put in enough effort. However, if you experience Applied Veterinary Sciences and Clinical Veterinary Sciences, you will keenly feel the importance of Basic Veterinary Sciences. Veterinary medicine can be fully obtained in 6 years by repetition of Basics -> Apply -> Clinical practice -> Basics -> Apply -> Clinical practice -> Basics -> and so on. If there is something you don’t understand despite efforts to find the answer, it is best for you to ask someone with knowledge (faculty members or senior students). Passing the test is not the end. It is just the start. It is the beginning of the true study. First, select subjects that interest you; then, line them up to construct your own veterinary medicine structure. Make this a foundation and mix your weak subjects into this. By doing so, you will get the overall image of veterinary medicine and be able to enjoy taking classes.

Veterinary Pathobiology Course

• [Name] Professor Takehito Morita
• [University] Tottori University
• [Research area] Veterinary Pathology

Understanding a wide range of animal diseases to become a skilled veterinarian!!

Veterinary Pathobiology Course currently consists of 3 research laboratories (Veterinary Microbiology, Veterinary Pathology, and Veterinary Parasitology), with 9 faculty members. Veterinary Pathobiology is one of the veterinary medicine areas where the objective is to analyze and understand the mechanisms of the development of animal diseases. Here, education and research on the structure and characteristics of microorganisms and parasites that may cause diseases to animals, the infection and pattern of growth of diseases, their effects on infected animals, and the mechanisms of the development of animal disease are being conducted.

So many diseases such as metabolism abnormality, inflammation, tumors, and infectious diseases may occur in various animals targeted in veterinary medicine. We must have an accurate diagnosis to treat these diseases and take prophylactic measures. In Infectious Diseases and Parasitology, accurate and prompt ability will be needed to identify the disease-causing pathogens and parasites such as viruses, bacteria, and fungi. This information will contribute to the treatment of the ongoing diseases and prophylaxis at veterinarian clinical practices as well as the discovery of new diseases and development of new treatments and prophylaxis.

Knowledge about diseases is extremely vast. However, we will train veterinarians with the practical ability to acquire this knowledge, support various needs of and expectations from the society, and are able to solve these issues.

Faculty Profile

Applied Veterinary Sciences Course

• [Name] Professor Masatsugu Suzuki
• [University] Gifu University
• [Research area] Wildlife Medicine

To protect a sound and healthy life for humans and animals

The Applied Veterinary Sciences Course includes 7 areas (research laboratories) such as Zoonosis, Food Environmental Hygiene, Wildlife Medicine, Veterinary Public Health, Experimental Animals, Veterinary Infectious Diseases, and Veterinary Hygiene. These may not sound familiar to high school students and freshmen. However, these are important not only in the diagnosis and treatment of animals; it is also an important role of the veterinarian to contribute by maintaining and monitoring the safety of food, the environment, etc. for the continuation of a sound and healthy life for humans and animals. The Applied Veterinary Sciences Course addresses activities to appropriately fulfill this role. The Joint Department of Veterinary Medicine, Gifu University, Tottori University offers characteristics of wild animal measures, which this course is responsible for. This course offers comprehensive educational research covering continued measures against infectious diseases, measures against agriculture and forestry hazards, population management, etc.

Faculty Profile

Clinical Veterinary Sciences Course

• [Name] Professor Yoshiharu Okamoto
• [University] Tottori University
• [Research area] Veterinary Surgery

Let’s connect dots with a line to make a “blissful moment”!

In Clinical Veterinary Sciences, students will learn how to diagnose and treat diseases of animals. Subjects regarding Clinical Veterinary Sciences fully start from the 4th year. Things that students studied in the previous years will be needed to understand Clinical Veterinary Sciences. Moreover, 5th year students will take part in actual clinical practice in the comprehensive participatory clinical hands-on program at the University Animal Medical Center, etc. There are so many things to learn from this hands-on program such as the following: reassurance of the knowledge of what students have learned, communication with animal owners, the importance of teamwork, diagnosis and treatment that do not always go as in textbooks, and the reality that not all diseases can be cured.

That would be the overall summary of the clinical learning program. After graduation, not everyone will be on a career path having to do with the medical treatment of animals. However, even if a student decides to be in a job that is not clinic-related, this would be a great opportunity to experience the responsibilities of clinical veterinarians.

Faculty Profile

Knowledge acquired through various hands-on programs

• [Academic year] 3rd year
• [University] Tottori University
• [Home Prefecture] Okayama

One of the learning characteristics of the Joint Department of Veterinary Medicine is various hands-on programs. A hands-on program is conducted for many of the professional subjects and is mainly the process of reinforcing the lecture details. Therefore, many of the things may be learnt from the hands-on program only. For example, the hands-on program in anatomy enables experience-based knowledge by touching the real bones and organs to memorize their shapes, which cannot be recognized just from the textbooks. In physiology hands-on programs, experiments on muscle movement and nerves will be performed, and discussions will take place for the results. During discussions, we have to output the knowledge learned in lectures, which means that we can achieve knowledge we can use, and not simply “know.”

There is the Tottori University and Gifu University joint hands-on program in summertime. This is a hands-on program to learn about the ranges of veterinarians. Students will visit livestock experimental stations and JRA to hear from veterinarians who work in those areas. This will be a great opportunity to observe and ask questions about the occupation of a veterinarian and will help one to think deeply about one’s own future.

Students will start acquiring professional veterinarian knowledge in this academic year through lectures and hands-on programs.

• [Academic year] 4th year
• [University] Gifu University
• [Home Prefecture] Aichi

Third-year students will finish their units on the liberal arts subjects needed for graduation, and professional subjects in the veterinary medicine education curriculum will be started. Professional subjects until the 2nd year were still on the basics; however, this begins to change, as the students take professional subjects such as Pathology and Infectious Animal Diseases, which are more “veterinarian.” Therefore, this would be an academic year in which students may be reassured that “I am in a School of Veterinary Medicine.” During this academic year, hands-on programs will take place almost every afternoon, leaving less free time. However, through hands-on programs, professional knowledge learned in classroom lectures will be embedded through the experience of actual veterinary practice. During hands-on programs, students will have more opportunities to actually feel animals, learn about the importance of life, and discuss live experimental data; they will then be able to apply this knowledge to practice. Unlike in high school, faculty who are specialists will be lecturing on updated knowledge and will help you learn with interest.

Fulfilling lectures and hands-on programs jointly conducted in 2 universities

• [Academic year] 5th year
• [University] Tottori University
• [Home Prefecture] Osaka

In the Joint Department of Veterinary Medicine, a joint curriculum will be organized by the two universities. Students can take lectures of high level of expertise, taking advantage of the characteristics of each university. Other university lectures will be mainly taken through the Distance Lecture System. However, students will be able to ask questions during the time, or may submit questions by e-mail after the lecture, which I do not feel is any inconvenience. There are subjects for which faculty of both universities move to the other university for lecture, and some subjects for which students will move to take the lecture. Some hands-on programs will also be taken by students moving to the affiliated university of the faculty of high level of expertise. For example, the hands-on program on rabies is conducted at Gifu University, and the hands-on program on influenza is conducted at Tottori University.

One of the unique advantages of the Joint Department of Veterinary Medicine is that students are able to take professional lectures from faculty of high level of expertise. You may even spend a more well-rounded university life by finding your interest from a variety of everyday lectures and deepen your knowledge.

What I feel from the characteristics of the Joint Department of Veterinary Medicine Education

• [Academic year] 6th year
• [University] Gifu University
• [Home Prefecture] Kanagawa

The curriculum and small-group structure are unique characteristics of the education of the Joint Department of Veterinary Medicine.

The curriculum includes basic veterinary medicine during the first few years and will go on to programs with applied experiences in senior years. Classroom lectures and hands-on programs were coordinated so we could actually experience for ourselves what we learned in classroom lectures and helped deepening our understanding. Hands-on programs were conducted in small groups, which enabled us to think and experience individually.

Classroom lectures will basically end in the 5th year. Then, there will be a hands-on program in which students can experience clinical practice in the actual Animal Medical Center, called the comprehensive clinical hands-on program (Poliklinik). I was able to actually feel what I learned was useful in real clinical practice as well as the difficulty and tension one has as a student. Mandatory internship during Poliklinik and the senior academic years enabled me to think about my future career.

After the completion of Poliklinik, students will shift their efforts to their graduation research in the affiliated research laboratory. Faculty can thoroughly help students with their graduation research in Small-Group Education. Students may learn about experimental procedures, obtain specific knowledge on research details, and will be able to read and carry out logical thinking based on this topic.