VETERINARY SCIENCES TRIPOS3

Amended by Notice (Reporter, 2018–19, p. 71)

General

1. The Veterinary Sciences Tripos shall consist of two Parts: Part Ia and Part Ib.

2. The following may present themselves as candidates for honours in Part Ia:

1. (a)a student who has not obtained honours in another Honours Examination, provided that he or she has kept one term and that three complete terms have not passed after her or his first term of residence,2

1. (b)a student who has obtained honours in another Honours Examination, in the year after so obtaining honours, provided that nine complete terms have not passed after her or his first term of residence.

3. A student who has obtained honours in Part Ia of the Veterinary Sciences Tripos may be a candidate for honours in Part Ib in the year after so obtaining honours, provided that twelve complete terms have not passed after her or his first term of residence.

4. Notwithstanding the provisions of Regulations 2 and 3, a student who is above the standing for honours may be a candidate not for honours in Part Ia and Part Ib for the purpose of becoming qualified to be a candidate subsequently for Part I of the Final Veterinary Examination.

5. No student shall be a candidate for more than one Part, or for any Part and another Honours Examination, in the same term.

6. No student who has been a candidate for any Part shall again be a candidate for the same Part.

7. The Faculty Board of Biology shall have power to issue from time to time supplementary regulations defining or limiting all or any of the subjects of the examinations for Part Ia and Part Ib. Due care shall be taken that sufficient notice is given of any alteration of such supplementary regulations.

8. There shall be two bodies of Examiners, one for each Part of the Tripos. For each of the two bodies there shall be a Chair of Examiners and an Assistant Chair, appointed on the nomination of the Faculty Board of Biology.

9. In each Part of the Tripos there shall be appointed for each subject a Senior Examiner and such number of Examiners and Assessors as are required to conduct the examination. The Examiners shall be nominated by the Faculty Board of Biology.

10. The Examiners in each subject shall be jointly responsible for all the questions set in that subject. The work of each candidate in any subject shall be tested by at least two Examiners in the subject, and the Examiners in each subject shall be jointly responsible for the marks in that subject. At least two Examiners or one Examiner and one Assessor shall set and conduct every oral and practical examination. The Examiners shall have regard to the style and method of candidates’ answers, and shall give credit for excellence in these respects.

11. The Assessors shall propose questions in the parts of the subjects assigned to them by the Examiners, shall look over the answers of the candidates to those questions, and shall report thereon to the Examiners. The Assessors may be required to assist the Examiners in setting and conducting every oral and practical examination. The Assessors may be summoned to meetings of the Examiners for the purpose of consultation and advice, but shall not be entitled to vote.

12. The Chair shall communicate the marks of all candidates to the Registrary.

13. The names of candidates who, having presented themselves under Regulation 4, attain the prescribed standard shall be published by the Examiners in lists headed ‘The following (who are not candidates for honours) have attained the honours standard’.

Part Ia

14. In Part Ia the examination shall consist of the following subjects:

15. The examination in each subject shall consist of either two written papers or one written paper and a practical examination, covering three sections numbered I–III, as specified below. In addition, the examination in Homeostasis shall include the submission of reports of practical work.

1. (a)The examination in Homeostasis shall consist of:

1.  (i)one written paper of three hours, which shall contain compulsory short-answer questions (Section I)1 and essay questions (Section III); candidates will be allowed one hour to complete Section I;

1.  (ii)a practical examination of two hours (Section II);1

1.  (iii)reports of practical work which shall be submitted to the Examiners by the dates published in the practical handbook. In assigning marks for the examination, the Examiners may take account of the reports.

1. (b)The examination in Molecules in Medical Science shall consist of:

1.  (i)one written paper of three hours, which shall contain compulsory short-answer questions (Section I) and practical questions (Section II);1 candidates will be allowed one hour to complete Section I;

1.  (ii)one written paper of two hours (Section III).

1. (c)The examination in Veterinary Anatomy and Physiology shall consist of:

1.  (i)one written paper of three hours, which shall contain compulsory short-answer questions (Section I)1 and essay questions (Section III); candidates will be allowed one hour to complete Section I;

1.  (ii)a practical examination of two hours (Section II)1.

16. In each subject the examination shall carry the same maximum marks; the maximum marks allocated to Sections I and II together shall be equal to the maximum marks allocated to the remaining parts of the examination in that subject.

17. Every candidate shall offer for examination all of the subjects listed in Regulation 14.

18. The names of the candidates who obtain honours in Part Ia shall be arranged in three classes, of which the second shall be divided into two divisions. The names in the first and third classes, and in each division of the second class, shall be arranged in alphabetical order.

Part Ib

19. In Part Ib the examination shall consist of the following subjects:

20. The examination in each subject shall consist of one written paper and a practical examination, covering three sections numbered (I)–(III) as specified below.

1. (a)The examination in Biology of Disease shall consist of:

1.  (i)one written paper of three hours, which shall contain compulsory short-answer questions (Section I)4 and essay questions (Section III); candidates will be allowed one hour to complete Section I;

1.  (ii)a practical examination of two hours (Section II).4

1. (b)The examination in Mechanisms of Drug Action shall consist of:

1.  (i)one written paper of one and a half hours which shall contain compulsory short-answer questions (Section I);4

1.  (ii)a practical examination of two hours (Section II);4

1.  (iii)one written paper of two hours containing essay questions (Section III).

1. (c)The examination in Neurobiology with Animal Behaviour shall consist of:

1.  (i)one written paper of one hour, which shall contain compulsory short-answer questions (Section I);4

1.  (ii)a practical examination of one hour (Section II);4

1.  (iii)one written paper of two hours (Section III) which shall contain essay questions on Neurobiology with Animal Behaviour.

1. (d)The examination in Neurobiology with Human Behaviour shall consist of:

1.  (i)one written paper of one and a half hours which shall contain compulsory short-answer questions (Section I);4

1.  (ii)a practical examination of one hour (Section II);4

1.  (iii)one written paper of three hours (Section III) which shall contain essay questions on Neurobiology and Psychology of Medicine.

1. [(e)The examinations in Human Reproduction and in Veterinary Reproductive Biology shall each consist of:

1.  (i)one written paper of two and a half hours, which shall contain compulsory short-answer questions (Section I)4 and essay questions (Section III); candidates will be allowed one hour to complete Section I;

1.  (ii)a practical examination of one hour (Section II).4]5

1. 〈(e)The examination in Veterinary Reproductive Biology shall consist of:

1.  (i)a combined written and practical paper of one and a half hours, which shall contain short answer questions (Section I) and a practical examination (Section II);

1.  (ii)one written paper of one and a half hours, which shall contain essay questions (Section III).〉5

1. (f)The examination in Comparative Vertebrate Biology shall consist of:

1.  (i)a combined written and practical paper of one and a half hours, which shall contain short-answer questions (Section I) and a practical examination (Section II)4; candidates will be allowed forty-five minutes to complete each section;

1.  (ii)one written paper of one and a half hours, which shall contain essay questions (Section III).

1. (g)The examination in Head and Neck Anatomy shall consist of combined written and practical papers totalling one and a half hours, which shall contain a practical paper (Sections I and II)4 and short-answer questions (Section III).

21. Every candidate shall offer for examination all of the subjects listed in Regulation 19.

22. The maximum marks allocated to the examination in each subject or paper shall be in the following proportions:

For the examinations in each subject, the maximum marks for Sections I and II together shall be equal to the maximum marks allocated to Section III.

23. The names of the candidates who obtain honours in Part Ib shall be arranged in three classes, of which the second shall be divided into two divisions. The names in the first and third classes, and in each division of the second class, shall be arranged in alphabetical order.

Temporary Regulation

24. The examinations for the Tripos shall be held for the first time as follows:

Part Ia in 2019

Part Ib in 2020

SUPPLEMENTARY REGULATIONS

Part Ia

Homeostasis (HOM)

Section I will contain computer-marked and short-answer questions on nerve and neuromuscular transmission, muscle, autonomic nervous system, cardiovascular system, respiration, kidney, salt and water balance, digestion, absorption, and temperature regulation. Section II will contain questions on the practical work in experimental physiology and histology. Section III will contain essay questions. Candidates will also be required to submit note-books containing records of practical work (see Regulation 15(a)(iii)).

Molecules in Medical Science (MIMS)

The examination will test knowledge and understanding of the material contained in the MIMS course. Section I will consist of short-answer questions on the lecture material. Section II will consist of questions on practical aspects, including interpretation and handling of data. Section III will contain essay questions and will consist of three subsections, A, B, and C, each containing a choice of questions. Candidates will be required to answer one question from each subsection. Subsection A will relate principally to the lectures given in the Michaelmas Term, subsection B principally to the lectures given in the Lent and Easter Terms, and subsection C to the entire course of lectures and practicals. The nature of the questions in Section III will be to test integrated understanding rather than detailed factual knowledge.

Veterinary Anatomy and Physiology (VAP)

Section I will consist of computer-marked and short-answer questions on the anatomy of domestic mammals and on the structure and function of the gastrointestinal systems of herbivorous mammals. Section II will consist of questions on associated practical work. In Section III, candidates will be required to write two or three essays chosen from not fewer than eight.

Part Ib

Biology of Disease (BOD)

The examination in BOD will be treated from the standpoint of abnormal biology. It will include the variations that may occur in the structure and functions of living cells, tissues, and organs, together with the biology of parasites, bacteria, and viruses. Section I will consist of compulsory short-answer questions on the lecture material. Section III will consist of essay questions. Section II will consist of a two-hour practical examination which will include laboratory work and questions on practical aspects and problem solving.

Comparative Vertebrate Biology (CVB)

The examination will require knowledge of the structure and function of birds, fish, amphibians, and reptiles, and certain species of laboratory animal.

Mechanisms of Drug Action (MODA)

Section I of the examination in MODA will require knowledge of the actions of drugs on whole organisms and mammalian systems, and also of the mode of drug action at the cellular, sub-cellular, and molecular levels. Section I will include compulsory short-answer questions and Section III will include essay questions. Section II will consist of a practical examination and will include questions on data handling and problem solving; laboratory work will not be involved. Questions that require an elementary knowledge of statistical procedures may be included in all three sections of the examination.

Neurobiology with Animal Behaviour (NAB)

The examination in NAB will require knowledge of the structure and functions of the central nervous system, the special sense organs, neuropharmacology, and animal behaviour, with particular reference to domestic animals. Section I will include or consist entirely of compulsory short-answer questions. Section III will consist of essay questions. In Section II, candidates will be examined on practical aspects of neuroanatomy and in experimental neurophysiology; questions may be included which require an elementary knowledge of statistical procedures.

[Veterinary Reproductive Biology (VRB)

Section I of the examination will consist of computer-marked and short-answer questions on the structure and function of the reproductive systems of mammals, with particular reference to domestic mammals. Section II will consist of questions on associated practical work and may include a data-handling exercise. Section III will consist of essay questions.]5

〈Veterinary Reproductive Biology (VRB)

Section I and II of the examination will consist of short-answer questions on the structure and function of the reproductive systems of mammals, with particular reference to domestic mammals.〉5