This course is strongly encouraged for any student seeking internship and/or employment opportunities. Participants will research and evaluate opportunities related to their career interests, conduct informational interviews, create tailored resumes and cover letters, use LinkedIn as a networking and job search resource, and participate in employer-based resume reviews and mock interviews. This course is open to all students in all majors and is suited for students interning and/or seeking employment within the next six months. Letter grades are assigned. This course cannot be repeated for credit. Students who enrolled in UMST 599 Internship and Career Planning Seminar previously are not eligible to take this course for credit.

Covers the principles of maintaining animal health by preventing and managing disease via husbandry, immunization, and diagnostic testing. Focus is on domestic species; primarily dogs, cats, horses and cows. Topics include parasitology, microbiology, immunology, and clinical, gross and histopathology. Laboratory activities include fecal flotation, urinalysis, complete blood count and blood chemistry, bacterial culture and sensitivity testing, gram staining, serology, laboratory safety, and principles of sample collection and quality control. VTEC and AAS majors only.

Essential skills and knowledge for the care of small animals, focusing on companion animal species. Wellness protocols an basic nursing skills (medication administration, nail trimming, ear cleaning, anal gland expression, wound care, injections, phlebotomy, electrocardiogram, blood pressure measurement) will be discussed and practiced.

Students manage a wellness clinic for pets, developing staffing/appointment schedules, and perform appropriate procedures on pets. Additionally, students travel off campus to provide medical care for shelter animals. A surgical rotation is conducted to reinforce techniques in anesthesia/surgical nursing and dentistry. Nursing care assignments are due throughout the semester to aid students in the integration of knowledge gain during their academic coursework. This is a four-credit course offered for VTEC majors only, and by permission only.