Communication skills training at the Atlantic Veterinary College, University of Prince Edward Island

Communication skills are considered a core clinical skill in human medicine. Recognizing the importance of communication skills and addressing them in veterinary curricula, however, is just beginning. In the fall of 2003, the Atlantic Veterinary College, University of Prince Edward Island, markedly changed the way in which it approaches communication teaching. An intensive one-week elective rotation on client communication was offered in the senior year. This rotation made extensive use of experiential techniques through the use of role plays and videotaped real client interactions. A group of faculty and hospital staff members were trained as coaches to support students as they practiced their communication in various client scenarios. The skills taught were based on the Calgary-Cambridge Observation Guide, which outlines observable behaviors that contribute to effective medical communication. Student response to and feedback on the rotation have been very positive. As a result, the number of rotations given per year has been increased. Long-term plans include expanding communication skills teaching into other years of the DVM program and incorporating simulated clients into the teaching program. Challenges that lie ahead include the development of a fully integrated communication teaching program that spans the whole curriculum, addressing the ongoing need for the professional development of coaches, improving methods of student assessment, and recruiting/training a sufficient number of coaches.     

训练罗威纳犬的几点技巧

罗威纳犬是非常机警、性格坚强的犬,它具有兴奋活泼,衔取欲及占有欲强等特点,所以在日常的训练当中,应正确地把握其行为特征,因犬制宜,扬长避短,用科学训练的方法培养犬的能力:可以在训犬工作中达到事半功倍的效果.     

家庭养犬基础科目的训练技巧

对于家庭养犬来说,犬的服从性主要通过基础科目训练和日常行为调教而养成。犬良好的服从性增进了人与犬之间的沟通和理解,减少和消除了犬的不良行为。笔者结合实践,介绍犬基础科目训练中的几种技巧：     

搜爆犬训练的五个技巧

根据<中国海关总署与澳大利亚海关总署2007～2008年工作犬技术合作计划>安排,2007年下半年笔者有幸参加了中国海关搜爆犬训犬员赴澳大利亚的6人培训团(其中1人为翻译).经过在澳大利亚3个月的主要培训及在北京近1个月的后续培训,笔者受益匪浅,特收集整理了教官Brett Matthews一直强调的、在搜爆犬训练中作为训犬员必须掌握的五个重要技巧,供大家学习探讨,旨在细节处促进训犬员带犬查缉的能力、技巧,以期在真正的实战中提高搜查对象覆盖率和爆炸物品查获率.     

图说英国工作犬训练方法的五个“雕虫小技”

工作犬训练的基本原理相似,但具体方法各异。本文是笔者考察英国工作犬时见到的一些训练方法或技术细节。文章除了对各种"雕虫小技"做出描述外,以五星为最高评判标准,从创意度、实用度、适用度等三个方面给出个人的评判,聊作抛砖引玉,谨供大家参考。网球夹     

追踪实战基本技能的训练

警犬追踪实战情况错综复杂,既有客观条件的变化,如案件性质、使用条件、现场环境和地理气候等;又有主观因素的影响,如人的分析判断能力、犬的作业状况等。面对各种各样复杂的现场,带犬民警作为警犬使用的主体,必须具备对案件现场勘察、分析、判断的基本功,具有正确指挥和使用警     

警用幼犬早期培训的四招式

如何开展幼犬的早期培训是繁育员急于解决的问题,作者根据自己的实践总结归纳为以下四招,即一喊、二摸、三抱、四衔. 一喊的要领 所谓一喊就是在幼犬培训中的叫喊,使75日龄的幼犬适应主人的叫喊,能顺利地走到主人跟前.培训的方法是:首先是引导仔犬出门,让哺乳母犬通过喂奶把仔犬带出犬舍门,经过多次引导后,让仔犬逐渐脱离母犬的带领也能出门.     

Use of simulated clients in training veterinary undergraduates in communication skills

A course in communication skills has been developed specifically for veterinary students, based on those delivered at many medical schools, and making extensive use of professional actors as simulated clients. Its aim is to raise awareness of the importance of communication among veterinary undergraduates at all stages of the curriculum, and it allows them to role-play in acted-out scenarios. Facilitated small groups provide an environment in which students can receive feedback on their own performance and also give feedback to their colleagues. An independent evaluation suggests that the opportunity to role-play increased the students' confidence in communicating with others. They were able to identify their personal strengths as communicators and gain insights into the aspects of communication they could improve. Feedback and subsequent discussions were highly valued, with the actors playing a crucial role in providing feedback from the client's perspective. Students were able to use the knowledge they acquired when consulting with real clients. Most of the students suggested that the course should continue in its current format, but with more time provided for it in the curriculum.     

Features that contribute to the usefulness of low-fidelity models for surgical skills training

For practical, ethical and economic reasons, veterinary surgical education is becoming increasingly dependent on models for training. The limited availability and high cost of commercially produced surgical models has increased the need for useful, low-cost alternatives. For this reason, a number of models were developed to be used in a basic surgical skills course for veterinary students. The models were low fidelity, having limited resemblance to real animals. The aim of the present study was to describe the students' learning experience with the models and to report their perception of the usefulness of the models in applying the trained skills to live animal surgery. One hundred and forty-six veterinary fourth-year students evaluated the models on a four-point Likert scale. Of these, 26 additionally participated in individual semistructured interviews. The survey results showed that 75 per cent of the students rated the models 'useful'/'very useful'. Interviews revealed that tactile, dimensional, visual, situational and emotional features are important to students' perception of a successful translation of skills from models to live animal. In conclusion, low-fidelity models are useful educational tools in preparation for live animal surgery. However, there are specific features to take into account when developing models in order for students to perceive them as useful.     

Effects of two training curricula on basic laparoscopic skills and surgical performance among veterinarians

Objective-To compare laparoscopic skills among veterinarians before and after undertaking 1 of 2 programs of simulation training. Design-Evaluation study. Sample Population-17 veterinarians at 1 institution. Procedures-Basic skills were tested by use of the McGill inanimate system for training and evaluation of laparoscopic skills (MISTELS). Surgical performance was assessed through an objective structured assessment of technical skills (OSATS). Both tests were performed prior to and after a 12-session training program, consisting of MISTELS exercises (curriculum A) or a variety of exercises (curriculum B). Results-Curriculum B led to improvement of scores obtained with both the MISTELS and the OSATS. Curriculum A did not result in higher scores obtained with the MISTELS, compared with curriculum B. Curriculum A did not lead to an improvement of scores obtained with the OSATS. Participant-perceived value of the training program was correlated positively with the improvement of scores for MISTELS suturing tasks and scores obtained with the OSATS. Time spent in clinical laparoscopic surgery and curriculum B training were both positively correlated with the post-training OSATS scores but not with post-training MISTELS scores. Conversely, simulation training time correlated with an increase in MISTELS scores but not OSATS scores. Conclusions and Clinical Relevance-MISTELS training resulted in significant improvement of basic laparoscopic skills but not in the assessment used for surgical performance. This may have been due to the small number of study participants, the assessment tool, or the method of training. A varied curriculum may be advantageous when training veterinarians for clinical laparoscopic practice.     

Effect of difference in training skills on stress in horses trained by Kazakh trainers

This study aimed to evaluate the effect of differences in trainer skills on horse training during the early stages of riding habituation by measuring the levels of stress and changes in stress levels. Among nine untrained horses employed, five in Group A were trained by two low-skilled trainers, whereas the remaining four in Group B were trained by two high-skilled trainers using the traditional Kazakh method. Salivary α-amylase concentration was measured as a biomarker of stress immediately before and after each riding session during the training period. In the duration of riding and mooring times to the total riding habituation time for each horse, no significant difference was observed between the two groups. In contrast, the mean total stress and mean final stress were significantly lower in Group B than in Group A, and the mean total change in stress before and after riding habituation was significantly higher in Group B. Differences in trainer skills were evidenced as differences in training methods to suppress the total stress levels through differences in the application of stress burden during the training of individual horses.     

Effects of a pilot training program on veterinary students' pain knowledge, attitude, and assessment skills

The prevention and management of pain is fundamental to the practice of both human and veterinary medicine. The recognition and treatment of pain represents an important indicator of the quality of care delivered in human hospitals and veterinary hospitals. Yet, both human and veterinary health care professionals have cited inadequate knowledge as a significant barrier to effective pain management. The aims of this pilot study were twofold: (1) to gauge veterinary medical students' current attitudes regarding their training in pain management and (2) to assess the impact of training and practice on the use of a canine acute pain assessment teaching tool. Participants, third-year professional veterinary medical students, completed a 16-item survey questionnaire before a 30-minute training session on pain assessment using the teaching tool and completed it again after training and a one-week practice period. Questions related to canine pain, assessment of canine pain, pain management education in the professional veterinary curriculum, and an example case presentation (video) were included in the survey. The analysis of survey results indicated that professional veterinary medicine students find value in didactic and clinical training in canine pain assessment. Additionally, use of the canine acute pain teaching tool in conjunction with a training program improved students' knowledge and skill in assessment while pointing out the importance of further training. Differences with regard to gender and tracking were found and warrant further exploration.     

Assessment of clinical reasoning skills in veterinary students prior to and after the clinical year of training

OBJECTIVE: To examine the effect of various clinical tracks within the veterinary medical clinical curriculum at Texas A&M University on clinical diagnostic proficiency as determined by pre- and post-training assessment. We expected that the clinical track chosen by the student would impact their measured outcome with bias toward higher scores in their chosen field. DESIGN: Prospective cohort study. STUDY POPULATION: 32 students from the College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences at Texas A&M University. PROCEDURES: By use of standardized, written case scenarios, clinical reasoning was assessed twice: once prior to the clinical (fourth) year of the curriculum and again at completion of the clinical year. Students demonstrated their abilities to collect and organize appropriate clinical data (history, physical examination, and laboratory findings), determine clinical diagnoses, and formulate and implement acceptable treatment modalities. Data from clinical assessments were compared for a given cohort and correlated with other measures (eg, grades, standardized test scores, and species-specific curricular track). RESULTS: Differences were detected in clinical diagnostic proficiency among students in different clinical tracks and for different species groups in the case scenarios. Tracking by species group in the clinical veterinary curriculum appeared to affect development of clinical reasoning and resulted in differential proficiency among cases for differing species groups. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE: Differences in clinical experiences between small animal tracks and all other track opportunities (large animal, mixed animal, and alternative) influenced the development of clinical proficiency in fourth-year veterinary students during their clinical training period.     

Effects of formal training in communication skills on the ability of veterinary students to communicate with clients

All UK veterinary schools have recently introduced small group teaching of communication skills for undergraduates. This study evaluates the effectiveness of this approach in improving the ability of students to communicate with clients in clinical situations. Three groups of clinical veterinary students with either no training or different levels of formal training in communication skills were assessed on their ability to communicate with clients at a local charity clinic. The students' communication skills were assessed quantitatively by direct observation during the consultation and by subsequent questioning of the clients. The accuracy of the clients' recall of relevant information about the animal's condition, medication and management was also analysed. The student groups were then compared on the basis of the scores they obtained. There was a significant improvement in the students' communication skills with increasing levels of training (P<0.0001). The group with the highest level of training consistently achieved higher rankings and median scores than the other two. When appraised by clients, this group significantly outranked both the other groups, but there was no difference between the group with no training and the group with an intermediate level of training. The clients' recall of information given in the consultation was more variable; but the group with the highest level of training achieved higher rankings in all the areas of client recall except for the animal's medication.