WAAVP/Pfizer award for excellence in teaching veterinary parasitology: teaching of veterinary parasitology--quo vadis?

Some thoughts on training and recruitment of academic teachers and future trends in teaching veterinary parasitology are presented with emphasis on the European situation. It is underlined that research is an indispensable basis for academic teaching. Besides a broad scientific background of the teacher, motivation and teaching methods are also important. Many academic teachers do not receive formal training in teaching methods. In order to improve future education, training of staff members in teaching methods should be promoted. Quality control of teaching and research, already established in many schools, should generally be introduced. Teaching is mostly underestimated in relation to research. Therefore, more weight should be placed on the former both in selecting scientists for the career as academic teachers and in evaluating and ranking departments for their academic activities. In the future veterinary medicine will have to cope with profound changes in the society and the veterinary profession, and the progressing European unification will enhance trends for internationalizing teaching curricula. Therefore, veterinary medicine has to reconsider the teaching subjects and methods and to lay more emphasis on flexibility, skills of problem-solving and self-learning and on training for life-long learning. At present there is an ongoing discussion on the question how to teach veterinary medicine, including veterinary parasitology. There are various options, and some of them are discussed, namely, the disciplinary and the problem-based/organ-focussed approaches. It is concluded that for teaching of veterinary parasitology and related disciplines a combined disciplinary and problem-based approach offers the best chances for fulfilling the requirements of teaching for the future. In the curriculum of undergraduate teaching of veterinary medicine at least 70-90 h should be dedicated to veterinary parasitology using a disciplinary and taxonomic approach. Additional hours are required for instructions on clinical cases in approaches focussed on animal species and/or organ diseases. As there is a need for discussing teaching issues, post-graduate specialization, and continuing education in parasitology and related disciplines on national and international levels, it is recommended to WAAVP to include regular workshops on teaching in the programmes of the biannual conferences, and to establish a permanent committee which should collect information and submit proposals for improvement of teaching veterinary parasitology.     

病例教学法在《兽医外科与外科手术学》课程教学中的应用

病例教学法不断应用于兽医专业的各门课程。根据《兽医外科与外科手术学》课程特点,将该教学方法在教学过程中进行了应用实践,总结了该教学方法的病例选择、应用及注意事项,以期为提高教学效果提供参考。     

兽医药理学课程教学方法改革与探索

兽医药理学作为畜牧兽医专业的专业基础课．是联系基础兽医学与临床兽医学的桥梁和纽带。该课程由理论教学和实验教学两部分组成,实验教学为理论教学服务．是夯实理论知识的一种手段。根据高职高专畜牧兽医专业的教学要求和特点,探索并改进兽医药理学课程教学方法,改变传统的填鸭式教学方法,采用多种手段教学以提高学生的自主学习能力、发现问题和解决问题的能力,以激发学生学习积极性．提高教学质量,从而为临床一线培养合格的应用型专业技术人员打下坚实的基础。     

兽医临床实例训练课程教学与考核模式的探索

兽医临床实例训练是安徽农业大学动物医学专业近几年新开设的一门实践课程。该课程以学校动物医院为实践平台,以提高学生的动手操作技能,增强临床实践能力,培养学生的临床思维能力和初步职业素质为目标,通过在教学过程中不断地实践和完善,探索出一套合理的、先进的教学与考核模式。该模式取得了明显的教学效果,为兽医临床实践教学改革提供了新思维和新方法。     

Clinical hematology practices at veterinary teaching hospitals and private diagnostic laboratories

The clinical hematology practices utilized at veterinary teaching hospitals and private veterinary diagnostic laboratories were surveyed using a questionnaire. The hematology caseload at private diagnostic laboratories was larger, and comprised predominantly of canine and feline submissions. The Coulter S Plus IV and Serono Baker 9000 were the hematology analyzers used most frequently at veterinary medical laboratories. The Abbott Cell-Dyn 3500, a multispecies analyzer capable of leukocyte differential counting, was utilized more by private laboratories. Commercial hematology control reagents were used at all laboratories; teaching hospital laboratories more often used reagents supplied by the manufacturer of the analyzer. A greater percentage of private diagnostic laboratories participated in the external quality assurance programs offered by Veterinary Laboratory Association and College of American Pathologists. While private diagnostic laboratories retained the EDTA blood specimens longer after initial testing, the teaching hospital laboratories retained blood smears and complete blood count reports longer. The complete blood count reports at veterinary teaching laboratories more often included red blood cell volume distribution width, mean platelet volume, manual hematocrit, plasma protein, and leukocyte differentials as absolute concentrations. The laboratory practices utilized by these veterinary medical laboratories were generally similar, and differences were attributed to divergent emphasis on economic accountability and clinical investigation.     

Teaching veterinary students using shelter animals

Veterinary teaching hospitals (VTHs) are experiencing case-load trends that have negatively affected efforts to prepare students for entry-level veterinary practice, particularly in the area of technical skills training. This article examines the clinical training available to veterinary students through a variety of collaborative shelter models. Benefits and potential problems related to initiating a collaborative shelter clinical training program are reviewed. Collaborative efforts between animal shelters and veterinary schools can provide crucial opportunities for outreach teaching initiatives, particularly for teaching medical and surgical skills.     

Undergraduate teaching of veterinary parasitology in Africa

The undergraduate teaching of veterinary parasitology in an African perspective is reviewed. Information was gathered from 8 of approximately 20 veterinary schools/faculties in Africa. In order to compare teaching in the different schools a standard questionnaire was designed for collecting data on different aspects of the curriculum, including the curriculum structure, the year(s) in which veterinary parasitology is taught, the contact hours allocated to teaching and the methods of teaching. The results of the eight faculties/schools reveal that veterinary parasitology is taught in a disciplinary approach allocating a total of 90-198 h to lectures (46-75%) and practicals 38-196 h (25-54%) during the full curriculum. There are considerable differences in structure of the curricula and methods of teaching undergraduate veterinary parasitology between the various schools/faculties. Availability of teaching staff and the cost of running practical classes are the most limiting factors in teaching of veterinary parasitology. There is a need to constantly review the curriculum of undergraduate veterinary parasitology and to standardise the materials and methods in light of new knowledge.     

Teaching veterinary clinical pathology to undergraduate students: an integrated European project

BACKGROUND: Veterinary clinical pathology is a relatively new and emerging discipline in Europe that has gained momentum with the recent establishment of a specialty college. In this situation, veterinary faculties may face challenges in understanding and defining what clinical pathology is and how it can best be integrated into existing curricula. In addition, many schools in Europe may not yet have available a critical mass of suitably qualified faculty capable of teaching in all areas of clinical pathology. OBJECTIVE: The main purpose of this report is to describe the goals, procedures adopted, teaching material produced, and proposed future activities of a major European initiative designed to develop a veterinary clinical pathology curriculum. METHODS: Four working subgroups were formed to establish a list of course objectives and topics and prepare a series of lectures. These contents were reviewed and discussed several times at a series of general meetings. RESULTS: An undergraduate course on veterinary clinical pathology was designed with course objectives, a list of topics and a CD-ROM consisting of 24 lectures. CONCLUSIONS: The results of this project could be useful in the establishment or improvement of training programs in veterinary clinical pathology at the undergraduate level in Europe and in other places around the world. The provision of teaching resources for faculty could help to instill in veterinary students a strong understanding of the discipline and promote development of advanced training programs and career opportunities in clinical pathology in Europe.     

中美高校《兽医病理学》课程教学的区别

《兽医病理学》是研究动物疾病科学的一门基础兽医学课程,是基础兽医学与临床兽医学之间的＂桥梁学科＂。近年来,为了提升兽医执业专业毕业生能力,我国对《兽医病理学》课程教学进行了一系列的改革,取得了一定的进步,但实际教学效果与预期目标仍有一定的差距。以黑龙江八一农垦大学和美国康奈尔大学兽医专业《兽医病理学》教学为例,就中美兽医教育中该课程教学的区别进行阐述,旨在为我国兽医病理学教学改革提供借鉴。     

《兽医内科学》课堂教学供给侧改革的探索与实施

兽医内科学是动物医学专业理论性、实践性很强的一门核心课程,要求学生具备分析、解决临床实践问题的综合能力。课堂教学是课程实施的前沿阵地,而课堂教学与临床实践之间的专业脱节,是影响兽医内科学培养目标达成的突出问题。文章从农林教育专业和课程供给侧改革视域下,从教学大纲、教学资源、教学方法及教学评价等四个方面对兽医内科学课堂教学进行优化,以增强兽医内科学课堂教学对专业实践能力培养的供给侧支撑力度,保障动物医学人才培养目标的有效达成。     

The scientific component of residency training

This article focuses on the role of veterinary teaching hospitals (VTHs) at public and private colleges and universities in the growth and nurturing of today's veterinary clinician scientists, who will assume the ranks of tomorrow's veterinary academic faculty. Virtually all residency programs offer some level of scientific education and training concurrently or sequentially with professional clinical training; approximately half (51%) include, or at least offer, the opportunity to obtain advanced scientific degrees (MS/MSc and/or PhD). If veterinary schools and colleges are the gatekeepers for the veterinary profession, then VTHs are the gatekeepers for the profession's scientific development, defining the future role of veterinary medicine in society. Although struggling to find their place in a financially challenging and competitive environment fueled by the demand for more and better clinical services, VTHs are in a potentially strong position to capitalize on the uniqueness of their faculty and academic resources and thus make an unparalleled contribution to the scientific evolution of the veterinary profession.     

新冠肺炎疫情背景下《兽医内科学》线上线下融合教学的构想

《兽医内科学》是动物医学专业本科教育的专业方向课,具有较强的理论性、实践性和系统性,是动物医学专业的临床主干课程之一,也是动物临床医学的核心课。目前,该课程主要以线下双语教学方式为主,但随着信息化教育技术不断发展及国际交流合作越来越普及化,全线下教学模式局限性日渐凸显,尤其面对2020年初新冠疫情的暴发,线上居家教学成为教师和学生教与学的唯一方式。线下线上融合的双语教学能更充分的利用在线优质教育资源,对于实现资源共享、推动兽医教育与先进国家接轨、培养综合型高级兽医专业人才、增强国际竞争力具有重大意义。本文拟借助超星学习通平台探索一种教学效果相对理想的《兽医内科学》线上线下融合教学模式,并在实践教学中应用推广,主要从教学内容、教学模式、网络平台、师资队伍、教材开发等诸多方面对教学资源进行补充与创新、继续发展和完善,目标在于将《兽医内科学》双语教学发展到高水平阶段,以满足学生的学习和发展需求。     

Factors associated with client, staff, and student satisfaction regarding small animal euthanasia procedures at a veterinary teaching hospital

OBJECTIVE: To identify factors influencing satisfaction with procedures for small animal euthanasia and to compare the relative importance of those factors among clients, staff, and students at a veterinary teaching hospital. DESIGN: Survey. SAMPLE POPULATION: 18 nonclinical hospital staff members, 13 clinical staff members, 10 veterinary technicians, 19 veterinary students, and 91 clients. PROCEDURE: Participants were asked to complete a survey that was designed to assess satisfaction with various aspects of the euthanasia procedure. RESULTS: Overall response rate was 48% (151/313). Respondents most strongly agreed with the statements that clients should have the option to be present, that having a private place was important, and that employees should be trained to attend to the emotional needs of the client. When asked to place factors in order of importance, those that were ranked the highest included compassionate and caring attitudes of the hospital employees, the option for the client to be present during the euthanasia, and the client being informed and well prepared. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE: Overall, all groups (nonclinical staff, clinical staff, veterinary technicians, veterinary students, and clients) identified the same factors as being important in the euthanasia of a pet. Results may help facilitate healthy euthanasia experiences.     

From Osler to Olafson. The evolution of veterinary pathology in North America

Most branches of biological science in North America developed first in the United States, and later were taught and practiced in Canada. An exception was veterinary pathology, which as a discipline taught in veterinary colleges and as a field of research, developed first in Canada, and from there crossed the border to the United States. Pathology was first taught at the Montreal Veterinary College, founded in 1866 by Duncan McEachran, a graduate of the Edinburgh Veterinary College. From the outset, he formed a close association with the medical faculty of McGill University, permitting his students to attend the same classes in the basic subjects with the medical students. Eventually, the Montreal Veterinary College became formally affiliated with McGill University, as the Faculty of Comparative Medicine and Veterinary Science. The McGill veterinary faculty was forced to close for economic reasons in 1903, but it left an enduring legacy, particularly in the field of veterinary pathology. The legacy, a novel concept in the 1870's, was that pathology was the cornerstone of a veterinary education; the place where anatomy, physiology, chemistry and botany met with the clinical subjects, and gave the latter meaning. This tradition was formed at the Montreal Veterinary College by the world renowned physician William Osler, North America's leading medical teacher, whom McEachran had invited to teach at the College in 1876 in addition to his duties in the faculty of medicine. Osler had studied with Virchow in Berlin and applied his methods of autopsy technique and of scientific inquiry to his teaching of both human and veterinary pathology at McGill. Osler also undertook investigations into various diseases of domestic animals, at the request of McEachran, who doubled as Chief Veterinary Inspector for the Dominion Department of Agriculture. Osler left McGill University in 1884. Only after that year did other North American veterinary schools adopt pathology as a discipline of instruction. However, by 1884, Osler had already left his indelible imprint on the students (both medical and veterinary) he had taught in Montreal, one of whom took over the teaching of pathology in the veterinary college. Another, who followed Osler's example and also studied in Berlin with Virchow, wrote the first book in the English language on veterinary post mortem technique in 1889.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)     

Building on existing models from human medical education to develop a communication curriculum in veterinary medicine

Communication is a core clinical skill of veterinary medicine and one that needs to be taught and learned to the same degree as other clinical skills. To provide this education and essential expertise, veterinary schools in many countries, especially including North America, the United Kingdom, and Australia, have begun to develop programs and communication curricula. Human medical education, however, has 30 years' experience in developing communication curricula, and is thus an excellent resource upon which veterinary educators can build and shape their own communication programs. This article describes a skills-based communication course that has been successfully implemented for veterinary medical education at Ontario Veterinary College (OVC) and was based on the University of Calgary Faculty of Medicine's well-established program. The Calgary-Cambridge Guides and supporting textbooks provide the scaffolding for teaching, learning, and evaluation in both programs. Resources such as space and materials to support the OVC program were also patterned after Calgary's program. Communication skills, and the methods for teaching and learning them, are equally applicable for the needs of both human medicine and veterinary medicine. The research evidence from human medicine is also very applicable for veterinary medicine and provides it the leverage it needs to move forward. With this extensive base available, veterinary medicine is in a position to move communication skills training forward rapidly.     

兽医实践教学的改革和创新性专业人才的培养

为适应21世纪动物医学专业创新人才培养的需求,对兽医临床实践教学存在的主要问题和改革的必然性提出自己的见解,并且探索了多项临床实践教学改革的实施方案。构建了“三层次、立体型、双目标”的实验教学体系,采用社会实践和教学实践相结合、引入病例实践等灵活多变的教学手段,建立新型的实践教学评价体系以激发学生学习的兴趣和动力,实践教学效果显著。     

案例教学法在《兽医内科学》教学中的应用探讨

通过在《兽医内科学》课堂中应用案例教学,探讨了案例教学在兽医内科学教学中的应用,指出案例教学法有利于基础知识与兽医临床实践的联系,能够培养学生独立思考与团结合作的精神,锻炼学生分析和解决实际问题的能力,既有利于调动学生的学习积极性,也有利于提高学生的综合知识水平和创新能力。     

Various approaches of teaching veterinary parasitology

In this paper, we discuss the advantages and disadvantages of various approaches of teaching veterinary parasitology, including the disciplinary, the problem-oriented and combined approaches. In the disciplinary approach, parasitology is taught in the classical manner as a coherent subject, covering parasite morphology, biology, molecular biology, epidemiology, pathology, immunology, clinical manifestation, diagnosis, therapy, control, and prevention. Problem-oriented teaching approaches the subjects starting from diseases in animal species or from organ systems or other objectives (e.g. food safety); it also tackles training of skills for problem solving and self-learning. Combined approaches include elements of the disciplinary approach and those of other methods. A combined approach of teaching veterinary parasitology, including basic disciplinary teaching of at least 70-90 h, and additional problem-oriented education, was recently proposed in a resolution by the World Association for the Advancement of Veterinary Parasitology [WAAVP News Lett. 5 (1) 3-4]. In 1999, a new curriculum has been established at the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Berne, originally planned as a combination of organ-focused and problem-based approach. This model was soon identified to cause problems in teaching some disciplines, including infectious diseases. Conversely, the short-term experiences with this combined approach also confirmed some advantages of problem-oriented teaching in other, mainly clinical domains. Nevertheless, closer interdisciplinary contact and collaboration--especially in elective teaching--was enforced between paraclinical and clinical teaching by reforming the curriculum. However, it turned out that large student numbers in relation to the resources of manpower, rooms and finances limited the workability of the curriculum. Therefore, further and probably continuous improvement of the curriculum is necessary.     

临床与科研在兽医诊断学教学中的应用探索

兽医诊断学是兽医专业一门实践性很强的专业基础课,它不仅包含丰富的理论知识,也涵盖了许多临床诊断、实验室诊断以及放射学诊断等操作技能。为了加强学生临床诊断的实践能力,培养出更多优秀的兽医人才,结合目前理论教学和实验教学的现状和问题,对教学大纲进行改善和调整,探讨兽医诊断学课程以临床病例落实理论教学,科学研发引领实验教学的实施与应用效果。