Participants are required to obtain a total of 40 ECTS credits in coursework. Coursework means active participation in classroom work, practical training, tutorials, and on-line assignments (distance learning), self-study and passing examinations. 5 days of coursework (about 40 hours) generate a total of 120-140 hours of students’ work. With one ECTS credit equaling 25 hours of students work, a 5-day course is assigned 5 ECTS credits, regardless of the subject since all courses are of the same standard. It is important to note that credits are only given for work which has been validated by a formal examination.

A minimum of 25 ECTS credits have to be obtained in the major subject, i.e. the chosen discipline, and any remaining ECTS credits have to be obtained in minor subjects which are discipline related. ESAVS classroom work and practical training typically consist of one to two weeks of residential training (40 and 80 hours of instruction, respectively). Specific information on the courses can be found on the ESAVS website.

Course Curriculum

Upon application, participants can compose their own curriculum within the limits set by the Program Director/s (PD) of the discipline (more information can be found in documents provided on the respective MASVM discipline page). The chosen course curriculum must be approved by the Post Graduate Educational Committee (PGEC) prior to successful enrolment to the program. Applicants are advised to plan the coursework well in advance.

Retrospective recognition of ESAVS courses: ESAVS courses taken within 5 years prior to enrolment in the MASVM program are usually recognized. Courses taken more than 5 years ago can be submitted but are subject to the approval of the PD. Proof of participation (certificate of attendance) must be submitted with the application and a passing grade for the respective examination must be obtained within the study period.

External coursework: Up to 5 ECTS credits of coursework (completed within 5 years prior to enrolment) may be obtained from courses or certifications outside of ESAVS. Such external courses must be of equivalent content, duration, and similar standards as well as examined by the external provider or ESAVS. External courses with ECTS credits assigned must be approved by the PD prior to presenting it to the PGEC. It is recommended that applicants planning to include external coursework submit a detailed outline to ESAVS before the enrolment, as retrospective approval may not be given.

Examination: ECTS credits for coursework are awarded after passing the examination for each course. Examinations can be taken twice a year. All examinations are in the CASUS format, an online examination system. Results are graded on a 0-20 scale (<10=fail, 10-11.9=sufficient, 12-13.9=fair, 14-15.9=good, 16-17.9=very good, 18-20 excellent). The examination is passed when a grade of 10 or higher is obtained. In case of an insufficient grade (<10), the participant can retake the examination at the next examination date. A maximum of 4 attempts is allowed.

It is expected that participants will continuously and progressively apply the skills they have acquired in the MASVM program in their daily practice, supporting and reinforcing the learning process. The case log represents a condensed written account of this practical work.

Case Log

Participants are required to collect 200 well documented cases in the form of a case log. The case log is submitted preferably in two parts (two grades averaged). Based on the comments by the PD after submission of the first part, the second part can potentially be submitted including improvements. The cases are expected to mostly be collected in the second half of the program and reflect the chosen discipline. All data relevant to each case, including case identification, signalment and history, results of the examination and ancillary aids, laboratory findings, differential diagnosis, diagnosis, and prognosis, therapy, and outcome, must be filed in a digitalized format and must be accessible upon request. Please consult the respective case log instructions for each discipline for details. Cases can only be collected during the official enrolment period.

Examination: The participant is requested to submit their case log by uploading it onto the respective MASVM platform on eCampus. The case log is then reviewed by the respective PD (or an expert appointed by him/her) who is entitled to request all documentation on individual cases selected. The case log is graded on a 0-20 scale. The grading scale is <10=fail, 10-11.9=sufficient, 12-13.9=fair, 14-15.9=good, 16-17.9=very good, 18-20=excellent. The examination is passed when a grade of 10 or higher is obtained. In case of an insufficient grade (<10), the participant is notified about the shortcomings of the case log and requested to resubmit a revised version or submit additional cases within 6 months of notice.

The thesis consists of a series of 10 case reports covering a range of topics in the chosen discipline. Published case reports, (published during enrolment in the program) can also be submitted. One case out of the 10 case reports is randomly selected for the oral examination in an online format.

These case reports include a complete presentation of the case, illustrations where necessary, literature review including current publications on the subject with references and a discussion. The candidates must demonstrate a comprehensive understanding of the topic. Generally, a case report should contain 2000 words +/- 10%, excluding references and appendix. The combined case reports should not exceed a total of 20,000 words.

Participants are requested to submit their case reports by uploading them onto the respective MASVM platform on eCampus. Each case report is then reviewed by the respective PD (or an expert appointed by him/her) and graded on a 0-20 scale (<10=fail, 10-11.9=sufficient, 12-13.9=fair, 14-15.9=good, 16-17.9=very good, 18-20 excellent). The grades of the individual case reports are averaged to obtain one single grade. The average grade for the entire module must be 13 points or higher and none of the case reports must be graded below 10 points.

Published case reports, (published during enrolment in the program) can also be submitted. Published peer-reviewed case reports automatically receive at least a very good grade.