The following college-level policies are subject to University Council Regulations. In the absence of information, or in the case of discrepancies between university and college regulations, university regulations will prevail. Please note that students will graduate according to the graduation regulations effective for the year in which they are approved to graduate.

Students are expected to familiarize themselves with registration and attendance policies, as well as the timeframe in which they have to complete their degree requirements.

a. Students admitted to the Doctor of Veterinary Medicine (DVM) degree program register themselves in classes through the University of Saskatchewan Personalized Access to Web Services system (PAWS). Detailed information regarding accessing PAWS registration and class selection is sent to students upon confirmation of admission.
b. In accordance with University policy, regular and punctual attendance is expected of all students at the Western College of Veterinary Medicine in all lectures, laboratories and tutorials. Students will be provided with the laboratory attendance requirements for individual courses at the beginning of each academic session.
c. Student absences should be requested and approved following the Excused Absence process.
d. Degree requirements must be completed within 6 years from the date that a student first enrolls in the DVM program.

Saskatchewan Veterinary Medical Association

The Saskatchewan Veterinary Medical Association (SVMA) is the provincial licensing body for veterinary practitioners. Students enrolled in the DVM program must be registered and in good standing as veterinary students at the beginning of Year 1. This educational license must be renewed and maintained by the student on an annual basis.

Progression through Years 1 – 3 of the DVM program is determined on a yearly basis.

a. Students must have a minimum academic year weighted average of 60.0 percent or better and successful completion of all courses taken.
b. The minimum passing grade for courses in years 1 - 3 of the DVM program is 50.0 percent in all numerically graded courses. The Clinical Skills Courses in years 1 - 3 of the DVM program (VINT 202, VINT 302, VINT 402) require a pass of all OSCE (Objective Structured Clinical Exam) stations to pass the course. All other pass/fail courses require a minimum 60.0 percent to receive a pass.
c. Subject to the regulations following in years 1- 3 of the DVM program, a student who has received a failing grade in one course of the veterinary medical program will be required to write a supplemental examination and pass that course before starting studies in a subsequent year.
d. At the end of each academic year, faculty will review the performance of all students and make recommendations according to these standards.

The following applies to the clinical year of the DVM program (4th year) which consists of VINT 581.36 and VINT 582.4:

a. Students will be provided a Pass/Fail grade on their transcript for the clinical year courses, VINT 581.36 and VINT 582.4. Numerical grades will be maintained confidentially to provide ranking and Distinction/Great distinction calculation.
b. Each rotation taken within the VINT 581.36 and VINT 582.4 courses requires a grade of 60.0 percent or better to receive a Pass. Note: Receiving a Critical Fail in any competency will lead to a failure of the rotation.
c. A student obtaining less than 60.0 percent in a rotation will be deemed to have failed the rotation. The student will be given the opportunity to improve their performance in that rotation to a passing level in accordance with the individual rotation requirements as outlined in the Handbook/Syllabus . This privilege will be granted only once for the entire clinical year.
d. Failure to successfully upgrade the rotation in accordance with the above, failure of a second rotation, or failure to complete all evaluation components of a course will result in a failure of the course. In certain elective or external rotations, where repetition of the rotation is not possible, at the discretion of the faculty, students may be permitted an alternate opportunity to improve their grade.
e. Students must successfully complete all requirements of both VINT 581.36 and VINT 582.4 to meet degree requirements.
f. All Demonstrated Entrustable Professional Activities (DEPAs), as listed in the Program Catalogue, must successfully be completed within the clinical year to be eligible to graduate from the DVM program.
g. A student repeating the year would be required to meet the requirements for promotion as outlined above.

a. Supplemental examination privileges will not be considered until the final grades from all courses for the academic calendar year have been reported and tabulated (typically the beginning of May).
b. If a course does not have a final examination, supplemental assignments or experiences may be considered.
c. Supplemental examinations are granted to those students who have failed one course but have attained a weighted average of at least 60.0 percent.
d. The supplemental final examinations will be accorded the same weight as the original final examination used in the computation of the student's final grade for the course.
e. The course grade using the supplemental examination grade will be used to calculate the weighted average for the Academic Session.

Failure to meet progression standards:

a. Students who fail to meet progression standards outlined in any of the above may be permitted to repeat the entire year or be required to permanently withdraw from the program.
b. Under exceptional circumstances and in the best interests of the student or the College, the College may require an individual to be suspended or withdraw permanently from the program for reasons other than failure to meet promotion standards.
c. Appeals of evaluation, grading, and academic standing are governed by university-wide council regulations.

The College considers a student’s performance in all years of their degree for the purposes of conferring a DVM degree with Distinction or Great Distinction.

a. The DVM degree with Distinction will be awarded to students who have:
i. Four-year averages between 0.70 and 1.5 standard deviations above the mean of the four-year averages for their class; and
ii. Four-year averages of greater than 75.0%; and
iii. Weighted averages of greater than 70.0% in Year 4.
b. The DVM degree with Great Distinction will be awarded to students who have:
i. Four-year averages of more than 1.5 standard deviations above the mean of the four-year averages for their class; and
ii. Four-year averages of greater than 80.0%; and
iii. Weighted averages of greater than 75.0% in Year 4.

A D.V.M. degree does not automatically confer the right to practice veterinary medicine. By legislation this right is the prerogative of the recognized veterinary associations in each of the provinces. Further information on provincial licenses is obtainable from the offices of the provincial veterinary associations.