Harcum College Veterinary Technology Program
Large Animal Practicum, New Bolton Center
Harcum College Veterinary Technology students (www.harcum.edu) are required to complete two 12-week practica at the University of Pennsylvania: one at the Matthew J. Ryan Veterinary Hospital, the University's small animal hospital in Philadelphia and one at New Bolton Center, the University's large animal hospital in Kennett Square PA. These practica involve approximately 40 hours per week including weekend and evening duty.
At New Bolton Center, students spend their first week in large animal orientation, and complete ten rotations. They are also responsible for a case study paper and presentation at the conclusion of the practicum. Students attend weekly lectures on a variety of large animal topics.
New Bolton Center Rotations:
Anesthesia
Operating Room
Nursing
Field Service
Sports Medicine
Clinical Lab
Pathology
Case Study
This is a two-week course in which students learn and become familiar with the basics of large animal anesthesia. Students will learn chemical restraint, pharmacology of commonly used drugs, calculations, anesthesia equipment, and how to recognize problems and trends as they occur during induction, maintenance and recovery of the anesthetized patient. Some on-call shifts are required during this rotation.
This is a one-week course in which students will participate and gain skills in aseptic techniques while preparing patients for surgery. Students will learn routine and emergency surgical procedures, instrumentation and its uses, proper patient positioning, and suture material. Students will also learn and develop skills in the proper handling, packaging, and sterilization of instrumentation prior to use in a sterile operating room environment. Some on-call shifts are required during this rotation.
Nursing
(Medicine/Surgery, Critical Care, Evening and Midnight)
Nursing includes four one-week rotations through the various sections of the hospital. Students will gain practical knowledge of nursing techniques as they apply to medications and correct routes of administration, patient monitoring, venipuncture, fluid administration and monitoring of critically ill large animal patients. Emergency management is a key aspect of these rotations, including triaging patients and becoming familiar with specialized emergency equipment for large animals. Students are exposed to fundamentals of infectious disease control to deal appropriately with contagious and zoonotic diseases. Observation, documentation and communication skills are utilized throughout these rotations.
This is a one-week course in which students will participate actively with field service veterinarians when they make farm calls away from New Bolton Center. Students will learn routine vaccinations, surgical procedures, routine herd health considerations, and other large animal procedures handled by a veterinarian on farm calls.
This is a one-week course that closely resembles a private practice. Sports Medicine consists of five sections: Outpatient, Radiology, Ultrasound, Nuclear Medicine and Treadmill. Students will learn equine anatomical structure and how the sections of Sports Medicine are employed to assess and diagnose performance problems in equine athletes. This rotation allows a student to improve communication skills while working with clients and their animals.
This is a one-week course which builds on prior coursework and familiarizes students with large animal laboratory procedures. Students are taught and given specific laboratory tests to perform themselves. This is an excellent refresher course in laboratory tests and principles.
This is a one-week course in which the student gains a basic understanding of necropsy techniques, as well as advanced practical knowledge of anatomy. Students will have exposure to correct tissue sampling methods, specimen history and cytology readings.
Students choose a patient case study to present both orally and in writing. Students are graded on their oral and written presentations, audiovisual aids and knowledge of the subject matter. Information is gathered from the patient record, research of subject, first-hand experience and from doctors and nurses in the hospital.
