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Companion Animal Internal Medicine and Speciality Cases - Systematic Diagnostic Decision Making
Module 2 - Enhance diagnostic skills using systematic POMR methodology for advanced case management.
This course is a part of
Companion Animal Clinical Science - Core course - Module 2
The purpose of this course is to provide the students with theoretical and practical skills 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 internal medicine and the subspecialties neurology, cardiology and oncology.
The course will have special emphasis on the application of the problem oriented medical record (POMR) method as a systematic reflective diagnostic decision making tool in companion animal internal medicine patients.
It will mainly be case based and interactive to further reflection, analysis and synthesis of patient problems from available data and background knowledge.
The POMR method will be used to work up cases with simple or complex clinical manifestations of medical diseases.
Evaluation and interpretation of blood samples, including haematological and biochemical profiles, as well as of urine samples and other laboratory results will be taught in relation to complex clinical cases.
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 Systematic Diagnostic Decision Making
Charlotte Reinhard BjørnvadProfessor |
Lisbeth Rem JessenAssociate Professor |
Course details on Systematic Diagnostic Decision Making
Dates and examination
Course dates
Offered next time spring 2026.
The course is available every second year.
Examination
Please find dates and details about the exam in the exam schedule.
Learning outcomes
Knowledge
- Define, identify and discuss the systematic diagnostic decision making approach to the companion animal internal medicine patient as well as the cardiologic, neurologic, and oncologic patient using the problem based approach (POMR)
- Explain and reflect about the systematic diagnostic decision making approach using POMR
Skills
- Apply the POMR approach in complex companion animal internal medicine patients in relation to clinical manifestations of disease.
- Interpret, assess and reflect on patient data in order to list patient problems, localise and identify the cause of disease (DAMNIT), establish a final diagnosis and perform follow up assessment based on POMR on complex internal medicine patients
- Reflect about indications for, and interpretation of, laboratory and imaging data in relation to the internal medicine patient
- Perform an advanced clinical cardiologic examination, neurologic examination, and examination of a patient with cancer
- Perform case presentations for both companion animal dedicated and non-dedicated colleagues and clients
- Apply evidence based approaches in internal medicine patients
Competences
- Plan and evaluate a diagnostic work-up for a patient with a complex history within companion animal internal medicine
- Independently obtain, evaluate and elaborate on evidence based new knowledge within veterinary internal medicine
- Collaborate and communicate within and between both companion animal dedicated and non-dedicated peers and lay persons involved in companion animal internal medicine 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: 35,000 DKK
Master student: 31,500 DKK
Non-EU/EEA citizens
Single course student: 40,300 DKK
Master student: 36,800 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
Charlotte Reinhard Bjørnvad
Professor
DVM, PhD, Dipl. ECVCN
Professor Charlotte Reinhard Bjørnvad, Department of Veterinary Clinical Sciences, Section for Medicine, Oncology and Clinical Pathology, University of Copenhagen, is one of the Course Directors at the Internal Medicine module in the compulsory course and the Internal Medicine specialisation track.
Her expert areas are within gastrointestinal diseases, metabolism and diabetes. Her fields of interests are especially obesity related disorders and nutrition.
Lisbeth Rem Jessen
Associate Professor
DVM, Dipl. ECVIM-CA
Associate Professor Lisbeth Rem Jessen, Department of Veterinary Clinical Sciences, Section for Medicin, Oncology and Clinical Pathology, University of Copenhagen contributes to the programme with her expert knowledge in Internal Medicine.
Her fields of interest and research are within urological infections, antibiotic use in small animal, and biomarkers in inflammatory disease.