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Good Surgical Practice
Module 3 - Master companion animal surgery with good surgical practice for better outcomes and pain management.
This course is a part of
Companion Animal Clinical Science - Core course - Module 3
This course is a compulsory course at the Master of Companion Animal Clinical Science. The Master is a post graduate education targeted small animal veterinarians seeking Continuing Professional Development (CPD).
The purpose of this course is to provide the students with theoretical and practical tools to perform rational diagnostic work-up and clinical decision making and to extend the participants knowledge, personal skills and competences within the discipline of companion animal surgery.
The course will provide the students with theoretical and practical competences within the fundamentals of companion animal surgery as it relates to first opinion practice – in particular atraumatic tissue handling, asepsis and sterility and the problem-oriented and evidence based background for decision making in companion animal surgical procedures.
The course addresses the principles of and uses a set of tools to assess the outcome of surgeries in general and to establish, perform and develop a continuous quality-assurance program in particular.
As part of the responsibilities of the companion animal surgeon the course emphasizes the importance of the management of animal pain perception and individually tailored anaesthetic and analgesic management.
For more details about the course, please refer to the course curriculum.
Read more about the specialisation tracks and the Master's programme on the main page:
Course Directors on Good Surgical Practice
Thomas EriksenAssociate Professor |
James Edward MilesProfessor MSO |
Course details on Good Surgical Practice
Dates and examination
Course dates
2 - 6 November 2026
The course is available every second year.
Examination
Please find dates and details about the exam in the exam schedule.
Learning outcomes
Knowledge
• Understand the possibilities and limitations of surgical intervention primarily in clinical companion animal situations.
• Understand importance of application of good surgical practice (GSP) in companion animal surgery.
• Explain and discuss the key principles that are mandatory prior to initiating and for the follow-up of surgery in companion animal patients.
• Assess the limitations and contraindications related to surgeries in companion animal patients.
• Define and identify key surgically relevant anatomical structures.
Skills
• Apply the physiological response to pain and tissue trauma in companion animals in a surgical situation.
• Interpret signs of companion animal pain and apply appropriate pain alleviation and anaesthesia.
• Perform key surgical techniques including induction of anaesthesia, haemostasis, advanced suture and surgical techniques for companion animal patients.
• Perform oral presentations for both specialist and non-specialist colleagues and clients.
• Apply evidence based information and approaches in surgical patients including searchable medical databases such as Medline.
Competences
• Plan, decide and evaluate a diagnostic work-up for a patient with a complex history within companion animal surgery.
• Independently obtain, evaluate and elaborate on evidence based new knowledge within companion animal surgery.
• Collaborate and communicate within and between specialist, dedicated companion animal and mixed practice peers and lay persons involved in companion animal surgical patient management.
Admission criteria
This course is only available for students enrolled on Master of Companion Animal Clinical Science.
You must meet the following criteria to be admitted to this course:
- Hold a degree in Veterinary Medicine
- Have a minimum of 2 years of relevant job experience from companion animal practice
- Be proficient in English
Read more about admission on the main page of Master of Companion Animal Clinical Science.
Tuition fees
EU/EEA citizens*
Single course student: 37,000 DKK
Master student: 33,500 DKK
Non-EU/EEA citizens
Single course student: 42,300 DKK
Master student: 38,800 DKK
Tuition fees include course materials and lunch/coffee. Books are not included in the tuition fees and must be purchased by the participants.
*Citizens of the EU, EEA or Switzerland is entitled to a subsidised tuition fee, due to EU legislation, hence the difference in price.
Location
University of Copenhagen
University Hospital for Companion Animals
Dyrlægevej 16
1958 Frederiksberg
Denmark
Contact
Christine Gulstad
Study Administration Officer
Tel.: +45 35 32 12 73
Thomas Eriksen
Associate Professor
DVM, PhD
Professor Thomas Eriksen, Department of Veterinary Clinical Sciences, Section for Surgery, Neurology and Cardiology, University of Copenhagen is one of the Course Directors at the Surgery module in the compulsory course and the specialisation course. He contributes to the programme with his expert knowledge in companion animal surgery with a special interest in soft tissue surgery.
James Edward Miles
Professor MSO
DVM, PhD, GPCert SAS
I qualified as a veterinary surgeon from the Royal Veterinary College, London, in 1995. I have been employed at the small animal hospital at the Department of Veterinary Clinical and Animal Sciences (Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences) since 2006, where my responsibilities include teaching and provision of surgical services.
In 2011 I completed a PhD at Copenhagen University based on research into objective diagnostic criteria relating to medial patellar luxation. Current research interests include identifying and assessing new objective criteria, and aspects of biomechanics relating to hind limb function, especially in regard to patellar luxation.