FSIS Veterinary New Hire Training Curriculum

Essentials of a Public Health Regulatory Agency

Public health core elements with focus on assurance duties. Explanation of the Executive Branch, Congress 

interactions. Agency offices and how they relate to the field VPHO’s job. 

Food Production From Farm to Table 

Showing food production practices; slaughter, egg and processing operations in the U.S. Describe regulated

industries. Cover working conditions and in-plant environment. Describe multiple roles FSIS veterinarians play 

in protecting the public health. 

FSIS Regulatory References 

Explanation of how to use: statutes (FMIA, PPIA, EPIA, SBREFA); regulations; directives; memos; glossary of 

terms

FAIM (Field Automated and Information Management) Basics 

Logging into FAIM; using computer resources 

-turn on computer and log in to Outlook, Word, Excel

Animal and Egg Production Food Safety

Consumer Education 

Government Ethical Essentials 

Ethics at a glance – professionalism here – conflict of interest – conducting yourself professionally – Employee 

assistance program

Occupational Safety Considerations

Food Security 

Multi-species Disposition Basics with Public Health Focus 

Poultry, red meat, antemortem (AM) and postmortem (PM). Review paperwork they will see and generate

during on-the-job field mentoring (touch on basics – condemnation sheets, end of week summary, etc. Focus 

first on the AM and PM dispositions that more directly correlate as public health priorities. Teach dispositions 

from a “thought process” rather than individual diseases themselves. This is an introduction to dispositions and 

the tools and references available that will be reinforced during their OJT. Have section on zero tolerance. 

Reportable and Foreign Animal Diseases (FAD) 

Public Health Applied Food Microbiology

Food processing essentials. Growth characteristics. Emerging pathogens. Epidemiology basics for FSIS. 

Recall processes including traceback and traceforward concepts. 

Residue Detection Programs 

Overview of National Residue Program and FSIS activity at establishments to be reinforced in OJT 

Verifying an Establishment’s Food Safety System, 

Directive 5000.1 Rev. 1, Verifying an Establishment’s Food Safety System. 

This is a comprehensive explanation on how FSIS protects the public health by properly verifying and 

establishment’s compliance with the pathogen reduction, sanitation and HACCP regulations.

Administrative Basic Duties

Labor Management Agreement 

Human Resources Basics 

Humane Methods of Slaughter Act

Wellness Training

Resources and Networking

Veterinary Field Competencies Conducted by Veterinary Mentors at Official Establishments (On-theJob)

Ante mortem inspection 

1 
Techniques accomplished

- BSE/CNS Inspections 

- CWD(chronic wasting disease) 

- Reportable diseases 

- Foreign Animal Diseases

- Suspect classification

- Disabled livestock

- Humane Handling

Postmortem inspection 

- carcass presentation and line speed responsibilities

- inspection procedures 

- Tuberculin Reactor procedure

- Viscera separation

- Carcass dispositions

- Condemned and inedible control

- Inspection reports

- Species: cattle, swine, poultry, small ruminants 

Other Consumer Protection verification 

- Carcass re-inspection

- Boneless meat re-inspection

- Finished Product Standards

- BSE diagnostic procedures 

5000.1 methodology

Regulatory overview; Statutory framework 

Pre-operational/operational sanitation

- Observation

- Evaluation

- Actions

- reports/documentation

- lockout tagout procedures

- supervision of sanitation inspectors

- performing basic compliance; read SSOP and evaluate SPS and SSOPs (pre-requisite 

 program)

- comprehensive assessment of SPS/SSOP/HACCP

- 01 02 procedures

- perform PBIS tasks as scheduled

- verification activities; review, observation, record keeping components

- able to verify design and verification of HACCP plan

 

Wellness, Health and Safety in the Plant 

- Demonstrate safe working habits

- Use of Personal Protective Equipment

Water Retention Issues 

poultry, red meat 

- Able to verify compliance to applicable directive

Food Safety Standards for feces, ingesta, milk (red meat), feces (poultry)

Pathogen Reduction in the Plant *able to perform sampling/supervise activity

- Salmonella Performance Standards/sampling

 Demonstrate aseptic technique

- E. coli O157:H7 sampling

2 
- Listeria monocytogenes. 

 - E.coli Biotype I – Verify regulatory 

 Requirements, indicator of sanitation system. 

Product Sampling and submission of laboratory specimens 

- Pathology 

- TB – NVSL suspect granuloma submissions

- Residue

- Environmental L.M.

- Able to submit samples 

- Pathology; use proper terminology describing pathologies.

Export Certification Responsibilities 

- Certificate preparation

- Product examination

- Requirement determination

Further Processing 

Demonstrate supervisory knowledge

- Fabrication & portion control

- Product handling

- Re-inspection of incoming product

- Verification of labeling

- Product samples

- Documentation and reports

Administrative 

Has experience in and shows competence in completion of forms and proper distribution

- T&A reports (full time and WAE)

- Travel vouchers

- FSIS form 5110 – 1

- Supply requisitions

- Official reference material; able to locate, use and apply.

- Official file maintenance

- Computer efficiency

- Access LEARN Pathogen Reduction and Residue Data

- Security maintenance

- Safety reports 

Labor Management Agreement 

Have a working knowledge of Agreement and witness practical application of:

- Assignment rosters

- Management rights and union rights

- Breaks

- Grievances

- No past practices

- Bargaining only at the National Level

Human Resources Administrative Duties 

Awareness of practical application

- Performance evaluation; select elements, establish standards, monitor performance, complete 

FSIS form 4430-5, conduct evaluation interview

- Career counseling

- Within-grade increase

- EEO/civil rights

- Merit promotion

3 
- Work Unit meetings

- Ethics/professionalism

- What is contained in the inspector’s personnel file

- Staffing methodology/ WAEs 

Plant Management Communications 

- Understand weekly meetings held, attend at least one meeting

- Be prepared to institute needed meetings upon arrival to duty station

Team problem solving 

- Open communication

- Observe effective delegation of appropriate duties and supervision

- Begin developing Team Agency concept with rotating responsibilities

- Problem solving observed; joint efforts

Recalls of Adulterated Products 

- Hands on experience when possible

- Describe role of Supervisory VPHO in the recall process

4