Journal of veterinary medical education最新文献

It can be challenging for veterinary schools in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) to teach the 11 Competencies identified by the World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH) due to inadequate faculty and teaching resources. This paper discusses the evaluation of web-based educational resources to support teaching in the Veterinary Faculty at the Royal University of Agriculture in Cambodia. Content- and pedagogy-based materials addressing herd health and epidemiology/disease investigation, their most urgent needs, were developed via a collaboration between Iowa State University, Ohio State University, and Massey University (New Zealand). Content-based resources were developed as a Moodle-based, server-mounted series of PowerPoint presentations, supported by a wide range of learning and assessment activities that the faculty could draw on in their teaching. Pedagogical resources were directed at strategic alignment between intended learning outcomes, teaching methods, and assessment. The use of these resources at the Royal University of Agriculture was evaluated by questionnaires, focus group discussions, and classroom observations. Results showed that the resources had been well received by the faculty, who drew on them to augment their own (Khmer-language) teaching materials, and to maintain teaching quality, especially during COVID-19 lockdowns. To a lesser degree, the faculty used the pedagogical materials and made modest shifts toward student-centered methods, which were observed to promote student engagement in their learning. The general agreement among the faculty on the overall benefits gained supports the development of future digital content and pedagogical materials to address the remaining nine Competencies.

The competency-based veterinary education (CBVE) framework describes essential domains of competence and related abilities for veterinary graduates. Translating these outcomes into daily teaching is a challenge, particularly regarding the underpinning basic and clinical science knowledge. In this article, we identified a lack of specific reference to the selection and use of drugs within the CBVE framework; this requires pharmacological knowledge and pharmacology-specific competencies. To fill the gap and provide guidance to veterinary pharmacology educators, we first identified competencies within the CBVE framework relevant to the field of veterinary pharmacology. We then mapped the Day One competencies in veterinary pharmacology published by Werners and Fajt in 2021 to the pharmacology-relevant CBVE competencies. This exercise has led to identifying gaps, redundancies, and a lack of reference to clinical practice within the Day One competencies in veterinary pharmacology, as well as gaps and ambiguous wording within the CBVE framework. Further research is necessary to update the Day One competencies in veterinary pharmacology, align basic and clinical pharmacology concepts and skills with the CBVE framework, embed pharmacology-specific competencies into teaching, and identify progression milestones that guide students toward safe prescribing and the appropriate and effective use of drugs.

Elective undergraduate courses are offered at the University of Georgia and the University of Florida that explore veterinary careers, offer guidance on being a successful veterinary school applicant, and expose students to the reality of the profession through guest speakers. Students (N = 276) from both universities responded to a survey offered at the first and last class period over the course of five semesters. Using 100-point Likert scales, students were asked to gauge their opinion of and interest in the profession and demonstrate their confidence in various aspects of building a successful application. Data were analyzed as a randomized complete block design with survey completion time as the fixed effect. After completing the course, students showed decreased (p < .01) interest in becoming a veterinarian and a reduced (p = .01) opinion of the profession. Despite these decreases, student perception ratings remained in the positive range in both categories. Student opinions of financial commitment, veterinarian mental health, and diversity did not change (p > .20) after taking the course, though ratings in these categories were neutral to somewhat negative. The post survey revealed students demonstrated more confidence in applying to veterinary school (p < .01), including understanding academic requirements, identifying ideal references, composing a statement of purpose, and gaining veterinary experience (p < .01). The survey demonstrated the benefits of a career exploration class for pre-veterinary students by increasing applicant confidence and showed that challenges facing the profession may influence the applicant pool.

Despite the widespread implementation of embedded counseling models in veterinary training programs, limited information is available about veterinary students and house officers who seek help, and researchers have not evaluated the effectiveness of counseling services. This study sought to describe clients' characteristics, presenting concerns, and mental health histories, in addition to determining if participating in counseling was associated with decreases in psychological distress. The sample included 437 Doctor of Veterinary Medicine (DVM) students and house officers receiving embedded counseling services between August 2016 and March 2024 at a public university in the Midwestern United States. Approximately half were first-year students when they initially accessed services. The most common presenting concerns included stress, anxiety, depression, academic performance, perfectionism, self-esteem/confidence, attention/concentration difficulties, mood instability, sleep difficulties, adjustment, family issues, career concerns, eating/body image concerns, and specific relationship problems. DVM students and house officers reported higher scores on some, but not all, measures of psychological distress prior to participating in counseling, compared with a normative sample of college students seeking counseling at university counseling centers. However, these differences tended to be small in magnitude. Participating in counseling was associated with meaningful improvements in depression, generalized anxiety, social anxiety, academic distress, eating concerns, frustration/anger, family distress, substance use, suicidal ideation, and overall psychological distress. Clients who reported improvements in depression and anxiety also tended to report reductions in academic distress, which underscores the value of embedded counseling services in improving the well-being and academic retention of DVM students and house officers. Implications for outreach, research, and clinical practice are discussed.

Three-dimensional (3D)-printed models have been shown to improve medical students' understanding of anatomy and related fractures. The aim of this parallel-group randomized trial was to evaluate the impact of 3D-printed feline skulls, in addition to traditional teaching, on veterinary students' interpretation of skull radiographs. Students were randomly divided into two groups (2D, 3D) and underwent a pre-test consisting of multiple-choice questions. Subsequently, both groups watched a recorded lesson on feline skull radiographic anatomy and traumatic lesions, and then the 3D group was provided with 3D-printed skulls, normal and with traumatic lesions. Finally, all students underwent a post-test. The multiple-choice questions included orthogonal feline skull radiographs of three different patterns of traumatic lesions, and questions tested their knowledge of normal anatomy and recognition of traumatic lesions. Twenty-three (25.6%) fourth-year and 67 (74.4%) fifth-year students participated. For both the 2D and 3D groups, post-test scores were significantly better than pre-test scores. There were no significant differences in the pre-test and post-test scores between the 2D and 3D groups. Three-dimensional-printed models did not improve veterinary students' ability to recognize anatomical structures and traumatic lesions of the feline skull. Further studies are warranted to define the role of 3D-printed models in veterinary student learning.

Veterinary students often face mental health challenges due to the demanding nature of their studies and the pressures of adopting to their future profession. To address this issue, an animal-assisted education in mental health (AAE-MH) program was developed and implemented at a veterinary school in Hong Kong. The primary goal of the AAE-MH program was to enhance students' mental health literacy, raise awareness of mental health topics, and improve their help-seeking behavior and overall well-being. By leveraging the students' natural affinity for animals, the program incorporated a blend of course-based and experiential learning activities to tackle the often-taboo topic of mental health in the veterinary field. The AAE-MH program consisted of six sessions, each lasting 1 hour and 50 minutes. Two of these sessions involved 1 hour of learning from certified therapy dogs. This interdisciplinary program drew expertise from veterinary mental health professionals, psychologists, animal-assisted therapists, and veterinary school faculty. This collaborative effort ensured that the program covered both the biomedical and humanistic aspects of veterinary medicine, preparing students to better understand and support their own and their peers' mental well-being. The AAE-MH program was conducted during the COVID-19 pandemic, and appropriate precautionary measures were taken. This teaching tip outlines the key elements of the program, including the course design, delivery, and evaluation of its effectiveness. We hope that this framework can provide fellow educators with the opportunity to potentially adapt and implement similar initiatives within their own veterinary education contexts, ultimately benefiting the entire veterinary profession.

The integration of the One Health concept into veterinary education is critical for preparing future professionals to address the interconnectedness of human, animal, and environmental health. This study aimed to compare the comprehension of the One Health concept among veterinary students in online (n = 48) and classroom (n = 49) teaching settings and to assess changes in their awareness following instruction by administering pre- and post-course questionnaires to evaluate students' attitudes and perceptions of the One Health concept. An enhancement was noted from before to after education in both settings. However, no significant differences between the online and classroom settings for any of the questions before or after education were detected (p > 0.05). The students' perspectives on the course methodology employed were not statistically different (p = 0.25) between classroom teaching and online teaching. In conclusion, both online and traditional classroom instruction can effectively enhance veterinary students' perceived comprehension of the One Health concept. This underscores the versatility of instructional modalities and emphasizes the need for flexibility in educational practice to meet the diverse needs of learners.

A comprehensive bank of flipped classrooms was developed to help students prepare for animal handling and clinical skills practical classes. Flipped classroom is a type of blended learning. In the context of clinical skills, it is designed to provide students with online learning resources prior to attendance at practical classes. The initiative was catalyzed by the pandemic, and the resources continue to be embedded throughout the curriculum. A team approach was used for the development of the bank, and the design embraced relevant pedagogical frameworks and active learning techniques. Feedback was gathered from a small group of students who completed an online form after each practical class throughout the academic year and wrote a reflective piece at the end of the project. Instructors who delivered practical classes participated in focus group discussions. Students particularly liked flipped classrooms that were well designed with a range of content and interactivity. The main benefits for students of the flipped approach were being more prepared and confident, less anxious, and making better use of in-class time to focus on learning skills. One of the main challenges encountered by instructors was managing a group when some students had not done the prework. A few other issues were mentioned, including when the standardized design template was not followed and the workload involved in continuing to enhance and expand the resources. Teamwork and training were crucial to the successful production of the large bank of flipped classrooms. Sharing our experience with the wider education community, within and beyond our institution, continues to be one of team's aims.

Admission to veterinary school is generally based on academic and nonacademic measures. Descriptions of animal or veterinary experience and rural versus urban background are often sought from applicants, but little is objectively known about their impact on admission success or future performance. We evaluated scores from written descriptions from 590 veterinary school applicants for the nature and extent of self-reported animal experience. For those admitted to the program, we compared animal experience and rural versus urban background to performance in discipline-based courses, professional skills courses, clinical rotations, and the North American Veterinary Licensing Exam (NAVLE). More than 98% of applicants reported animal experience, with small animal veterinary experience most reported. There was no difference in animal experience or background between successful and unsuccessful applicants, but rural and urban applicants reported different experiences. There was a small correlation between small animal experience and performance in clinical rotations (.21), a small negative correlation between rural background and NAVLE performance (-.23), but otherwise, no significant correlations between animal experience or background and future performance. These findings suggest that scores of self-reported animal experience do not provide predictive information on applicants, or, alternatively, that the nature and extent of animal experience, the methods used to score these experiences, and/or the measures assessed during veterinary school need to be explicitly defined to ensure that we are capturing the appropriate information. More investigation into the scoring and impact of animal experience and background on applicant performance in the DVM program and success in a veterinary career is warranted.