The veterinary education

Veterinary training is regulated by the Ordinance on the Licensing of Veterinarians (TappV) - BGBl. 2006, Part I, No. 38. The standard period of study is five years and six months (11 semesters) according to § 1 Para. 2 No. 3 TAppV.

It includes the following examinations:

• the veterinary preliminary examination
  • pre-physical = natural science section and
  • Physikum = anatomical-physiological section
• the veterinary examination

The veterinary preliminary examination:

The veterinary preliminary examination consists of two sections, a first natural science section (examinations after the 1st and 2nd semester) and a second anatomical-physiological section (examinations after the 3rd and 4th semester).

Scientific-theoretical part of the veterinary preliminary examination:  

Natural science section of the veterinary preliminary examination (pre-physics) with the examination subjects:

1. physics incl. the basics of physical radiation protection
2. chemistry
3. zoology
4. botany of forage, poisonous and medicinal plants.

The associated courses are offered in the first year of study. By the time of the pre-physics course, evidence must be provided of the acquisition of the "Kleines Latinum" or regular and successful participation in a course on medical terminology.

Anatomical-physiological section of the veterinary preliminary examination (Physikum) with the examination subjects:

1. anatomy
2. histology and embryology
3. physiology  
4. biochemistry
5. animal breeding and genetics including animal assessment.

The corresponding courses are offered in the first and second year of study. Practical study part of the veterinary preliminary examination:

• 70 hours on a teaching material on agriculture, animal breeding and husbandry.

The veterinary examination:

The veterinary examination consists of 20 examinations, which take place in semesters five to eleven and are completed after the 11th semester.

Scientific-theoretical part of the veterinary examination:

1. animal husbandry and animal hygiene
2. animal welfare and ethology
3. animal nutrition
4. clinical propaedeutics
5. virology
6. bacteriology and mycology
7. parasitology
8. animal disease control and infectious disease epidemiology
9. pharmacology and toxicology
10. medicinal products and narcotics law
11. poultry diseases
12. radiology
13. general pathology and special pathological anatomy and histology
14. food science including food hygiene
15. meat hygiene
16. dairy science
17. reproductive medicine
18. internal medicine
19. surgery and anaesthesiology
20. forensic veterinary medicine, professional and ethical law

The corresponding courses are mainly offered in the third, fourth and fifth year of study.

Practical study part of the veterinary examination:  

• 150 hours (within 4 weeks) in a curative veterinary practice or veterinary clinic, according to §57 Abs.1 TAppV.
• 75 hours (within 2 weeks) in hygiene control, food control and food inspection, according to §55 Abs.1 TAppV
• 100 hours (within 3 weeks) in ante- and post-mortem inspection (slaughterhouse), according to §55 Abs.2 TAppV
• 75 hours (within 2 weeks) in the public veterinary service (veterinary administration offices), according to § 61 TAppV
• 700 hours (within 16 weeks) in a curative veterinary practice or veterinary clinic; of these, up to 350 hours (8 weeks) can be completed as an elective internship, according to §57 Para.2 TAppV.

This practical study part is mainly carried out in the fifth year of study within the framework of the practical year.