Journal of veterinary medical education最新文献

The evaluation of student and faculty opinions on curricular changes in veterinary medical education is an essential part of the quality assurance process. This study investigates if the perceived educational value of a newly introduced module (veterinary pathobiology) in the earlier stages of a veterinary curriculum changes as students progress into the later phases of their training. Data were collected by anonymous questionnaire from two sequential final year student cohorts in 2021 and 2022. These students had previously been surveyed on their views of the new integrated pathobiology module immediately after taking it in their third year. Within 2 years, student satisfaction with the module's learning objectives increased significantly. Final year students had much clearer appreciation of how this pedagogical innovation enhanced their learning and that this was particularly true of the case-based learning approach adopted. While faculty teaching these students in their final year clinical pathobiology rotation expressed the view that overall, student performance was no different when compared to previous years, this somewhat disappointing finding needed to be viewed in the context of the intervening COVID-19 pandemic where face-to-face teaching of students over many months had been severely curtailed as had student attendance of their extramural studies. This study confirms a positive effect of an integrated curricular intervention in veterinary undergraduate education and highlights the necessity of student evaluation at multiple time points as their perception of the value of such changes appears to be linked to their experience and expectations.

Applying evidence-based veterinary medicine (EBVM) is considered a Day One competence for veterinary graduates. Furthermore, the increasing interest in the use of complementary and alternative (non-conventional) veterinary therapies (NCTs) must be grounded on EBVM principles. Few studies have mapped the teaching of EBVM and of NCTs and assessed their content. This study analyses the official curricula of six (out of eight) Portuguese veterinary schools in terms of EBVM and NCTs, using the self-evaluation documents submitted to the National Agency for Assessment and Accreditation of Higher Education (A3ES) (2014-2015). Results show that, with few exceptions, veterinary education in Portugal follows a traditional, clinically-driven approach to evidence, with concepts taught mostly from an empirical and experiential perspective instead of a systematic one. Core EBVM topics, such as placebo effect, methodological validity, PICO, cognitive bias, and systematic review are either absent or insufficiently covered. Moreover, the teaching of NCTs was found in three out of the six curricular programs, namely acupuncture, phytotherapy, homeopathy, traditional Chinese medicine, aromatherapy, Bach flower remedies, ayurveda, energetic healing (reiki), and massage. We found no evidence that these therapies are being taught under the principles of EBVM. Taken together, these results highlight the need for more explicit and targeted teaching of EBVM-related topics, namely regarding the critical appraisal of scientific literature and the integration of best evidence into clinical decision-making. Results can also be useful to inform the accreditation process by the A3ES and by education quality assurance agencies in other jurisdictions.

Veterinary training programs rely on animal cadavers for a variety of important educational activities, yet ethical sourcing can present considerable challenges. Public sentiment has rendered traditional sources (e.g., euthanized shelter animals or purpose-bred animals) increasingly tenuous throughout the United States, leaving many schools to search for alternatives. One such alternative is to establish a cadaver donation program, with a handful of institutions implementing such programs in recent years. Still, there have been few to no studies evaluating the factors that influence pet owners' decisions about whether to participate that could inform the establishment of such programs to date. In the present study, a nationally (United States) representative sample of current and potential dog and cat owners was asked to complete a survey capturing various demographic factors as well as their existing attitudes toward both veterinary medicine and veterinary education in addition to selecting among hypothetical cadaver donation programs with varying attribute levels in a blocked, orthogonal, fractional factorial discrete choice experiment to determine the characteristics that correlate with higher participation rates. Although initial interest was strong, our results suggest that younger pet owners, individuals with more formal education, and individuals with positive relationships with their current veterinarian are most likely to participate in a donation program. Concerningly, however, dog owners were somewhat less likely than other respondents to participate. The return of pet ashes was the most important attribute to respondents, suggesting that cadaver donation administrators should consider inclusion of this service to maximize participation.

The European Society for Clinical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases (ESCMID) developed consensus-based generic competencies in antimicrobial prescribing and stewardship. These may be useful in structuring and evaluating antimicrobial prescribing education to veterinary students, but their applicability has not been evaluated. We aimed to evaluate whether the ESCMID competencies are currently taught and how relevant they are to veterinary prescribing in veterinary schools globally. A multi-center, cross-sectional survey was performed by administering an online questionnaire to academics teaching antimicrobial prescribing to veterinary students. Targeted recruitment was undertaken to ensure the representation of diverse geographical locations. Responses (48) were received from veterinary schools in Europe (26), North America (7), Asia (6), Australia (3), Central and South America (3), and Africa (3). Of the 37 ESCMID prescribing competencies, only 6 were considered only "slightly" or "not at all" relevant by more than 10% of respondents. Of the 37 competencies, 25 of the competencies were taught in more than 90% of schools and another 6 were taught in 80%-89% of schools. Time spent teaching was "too little" or "far too little" for five competencies according to more than 50% of the respondents. Additional competencies to address extra-label drug use; the use of compounded antimicrobials; the use of antimicrobials for metaphylaxis, prophylaxis, and growth promotion; and the importance rating of antimicrobials were suggested. The ESCMID antimicrobial prescribing competencies had broad relevance and were widely covered in the veterinary curriculum globally.

Assessment in veterinary medicine is challenging given the high volume of material and high cognitive load. Differing opinions exist regarding the utility of comprehensive final examinations in veterinary courses. A mixed-methods prospective randomized trial was undertaken with veterinary students (n = 47) in an elective cardiology course. All students received identical content, which was presented through weekly in-class lectures (eight total lessons). They were given access to four different formats of study aids and completed quizzes of content knowledge within 1 week of each lesson. For the cumulative final examination (post-test), students were explicitly instructed to study only for four out of the eight lessons. Students then completed a delayed post-test 3-6 months after completion of the course. Quantitative and qualitative data were collected in the form of in-depth pre- and post-course surveys. Overall, studying a particular lesson for the post-test resulted in higher scores for six out of eight lessons in the post-test (p < .05) but did not result in significantly higher scores for any lesson in the delayed post-test. Time spent studying for individual quizzes, as well as other measures of study habits, decreased significantly throughout the semester. Among study aids, student preference was highest for instructor-provided graphic organizers, and this preference persisted across the semester with a shift away from instructor-provided outlines over time (p = .043). Free-text survey responses showed that students had realistic expectations for the impact of studying for the post-test and appreciated exposure to a variety of study aid formats. In an elective veterinary cardiology course, review of material prior to a cumulative final examination led to improved short-term performance but no difference in retention 3-6 months later.

The use of small-group collaborative case-based learning methodologies has been growing both in interest and implementation across veterinary college curriculums in recent years. The ability of this pedagogical approach to solidify and deepen learning outcomes is well-established in the broader education literature. However, to achieve this positive impact, students must interact in productive discussions that expand the scope of their understanding. The present study focused on analyzing the ways in which professional veterinary students interact as they work collaboratively through clinical cases, in the context of a Team-Based Learning-intensive curriculum. This data was used to draw connections between the questions posed in the clinical case activities and the resulting intragroup collaborative outcomes, which can assist veterinary educators in sparking more robust student discussions through facilitation and instructional design. Fourteen participants formed two student groups that worked on 49 case questions across five sessions, providing 98 episodes of collaboration for analysis. The findings of this study revealed how professional veterinary students negotiated perspectives to come to consensus on in-class case-based learning tasks, including eight primary types of statements they made and seven overall patterns of group collaboration. This study highlighted specific elements of instructional design that influenced student collaboration including: allowing for multiple perspectives, sparking disagreement, perceived difficulty, learning outcome level, and the level of consensus required by the question structure. We present specific recommendations for veterinary educators to consider while designing questions for veterinary student groups.

Ligation of the feline ovarian pedicle is commonly performed via autoligation ("pedicle tie") by high-quality high-volume surgeons. It is not commonly taught in veterinary school, resulting in general practice veterinarians who are not comfortable with the technique, despite being faster than double ligation with suture, having very low risk of hemorrhage-related complications, and no increased risk for student surgeons. This study aimed to determine the use of and opinions regarding standard of care (SOC) related to the pedicle tie for feline ovariohysterectomy. An anonymous 23-question survey was targeted to private practice veterinarians via social media from September to November 2021. There were 142 respondents, with 77 indicating the use of the pedicle tie and 65 indicating no use. Of those who used the pedicle tie, most reported learning the technique from either a dedicated high-quality high-volume facility (32%) or a colleague/mentor (32%). Nearly half used it in all cases. They had used it for a median of 5 (IQR 3,8) years, and 99% were comfortable teaching the technique to others. Of those who did not use the pedicle tie, 60% reported that it meets SOC, 14% reported that it does not, and 26% reported that it sometimes meets SOC. Over half of the respondents reported using the pedicle tie. Absence from the veterinary curriculum was the most frequently cited reason for not using the technique.

This study aimed to identify qualitative aspects of small animal veterinary internship applications that are associated with relative intern performance. This study took place with data collected on small animal interns from the 2015-2016, 2016-2017, and 2017-2018 intern classes from four different institutions. Applicants were divided into top-performers and bottom-performers by sorting the calculated overall scores from highest to lowest, labeling the top half of interns as "top-performers," and the lower half of interns as "bottom-performers." Thematic analysis of the intern applications was conducted. Relationship skills and knowledge application were identified as themes in the top-performing interns but not in the bottom-performing interns. Veterinary experience, presentations, community service, research, and teaching were all seen more frequently in the top-performing interns. More top performers had characteristics of greatest strength of technical skills, professionalism, relationship skills, and teamwork. More bottom performers had characteristics of greatest strength of stress management, communication, and patient care. More top performers had characteristics that would benefit from targeted mentoring of leadership. More bottom-performers had characteristics that would benefit from targeted mentoring of technical skills, general knowledge, and self-awareness. In narrative comments, adaptability, and self-awareness were more commonly noted in the bottom-performers. Lack of confidence was noted as a theme in the bottom-performers, but not in the top-performers. Certain qualities of intern applications may be used to predict top- or bottom-performing interns.

A novel student-driven model of peer simulations using reverse case studies was developed during the COVID-19 pandemic to provide virtual instruction to fourth-year clinical veterinary students. Focus groups suggested that, while this teaching method could not replace hands-on clinical experience, it could be a valuable tool to clinically prepare students during their pre-clinical curriculum. The primary aim of this study was to determine whether this teaching method enhanced earlier curricular student comfort with clinical reasoning, communication, and peer role play as measured by pre- and post-surveys. A secondary aim was to evaluate clinical reasoning ability using the validated Modified Lasater Clinical Judgment Rubric (MCJR). Eighteen pre-clinical veterinary students participated in a 1-week course where they designed and presented clinical cases and participated through virtual role play as clients, clinicians, and observers. Our results demonstrated that students' comfort in clinical reasoning and peer role play significantly improved (p < .001 and p = .003, respectively) after participating in this activity. The role perceived to be the most helpful at developing clinical reasoning and communication skills was clinician, followed by client then observer. Results from the MCJR found significant discrepancies between facilitator scoring and student self- and peer-assessment (p < .001). Common themes emerged including the benefits of engaging in self-reflection, peer-to-peer learning, experiencing case ownership and autonomy, and practicing communication and clinical reasoning skills. This teaching method provides a valuable alternative to client simulators and suggests having students create a case as a client offers a unique educational opportunity.