Levels of continuing veterinary medical education program evaluation: assessing a course on dairy reproductive management

There are four different levels of continuing education program evaluation: participant perceptions of the program or course; participant competence with new skills, knowledge, and abilities; participant performance or change in behavior; and health care or client outcomes, such as resultant changes in patient care or herd/flock production performance. The purpose of this article is to describe different levels of evaluation and demonstrate some methods used in evaluating a continuing veterinary medical education (CVME) course in dairy reproductive management. Participants' learning needs were assessed using learning stage theory and a pre-test of knowledge. Post-program assessments included a test of knowledge, a satisfaction survey, a commitment to change, and self-reported behavior change. The results of the evaluation indicate that self-reports of learning needs do not necessarily reflect actual needs and that satisfaction with a course does not necessarily indicate behavior change. Providers of CVME must recognize the value of program evaluation, as well as the advantages and disadvantages of different evaluation methods.     

Developing group practices: a management challenge

SUMMARY: The advantages and disadvantages of forming larger professional practices are often debated. This paper reports an exploration of the issues through three case studies involving clusters of Sydney general medical practitioners who had expressed a desire to amalgamate their solo or small group practices. Their most frequently stated goals were to reduce financial overheads, to improve the range of services offered to their patients and to improve the opportunities for recreational and study leave. Several barriers to successful amalgamation were identified, and methods of overcoming these were explored. Practices can successfully amalgamate, but only where there is a group of like-minded general practitioners who are willing to invest time to achieve mutually agreed objectives. Amalgamation will not be appropriate in all circumstances. Larger group practices should benefit from the employment of a professional practice manager. These findings may be relevant to veterinary and dental practices.     

Needs, difficulties, and possible approaches to providing quality clinical veterinary education with the aim of improving standards of companion animal medicine in sri lanka

Companion animal medicine has now gained prominence in Sri Lanka as a result of an increased public interest in pets; however, veterinary education has not kept pace with current developments. The main constraints faced by the veterinary education system are those common to all university education in Sri Lanka. Changes in the current system, though important, depend heavily on political will and vision, which are not forthcoming in the near future. It is therefore both necessary and important that the private sector provide the impetus to improve standards of veterinary medicine in Sri Lanka. The immediate focus should be on improving the skills of practitioners through clinically based continuing education programs. Later, more specialized and intensive programs may be initiated. Interaction and sharing of knowledge with more developed countries are critical in leading the way to improved standards of companion animal medicine in Sri Lanka.     

Veterinary practice management: teaching needs as viewed by consultants and teachers

A study was conducted to assess veterinary practice management (VPM) educational and research needs from the perspective of consultants and teachers. An online focus group discussion was designed, involving two separate groups (consultants and teachers). One week was allocated to each group, with five to eight questions posed per day. Pseudonyms were used to provide confidentiality. Teachers were selected by inviting the primary VPM course coordinator at each AAVMC school. Consultants required at least two recommendations and were selected in a stratified, non-random manner to achieve both geographic and disciplinary diversity. Participation was stronger within the consultant group: 98 pages of data were generated by the consultants and 35 pages by teachers. Participants agreed that the sub-optimal economic conditions that characterize the veterinary profession are reflective of relatively low-level management skills. This situation establishes the need to strengthen VPM educational and research programs. Many specific suggestions were provided. It was recommended that a cooperative effort between academia and the private sector be employed. However, participants recognized that successful DVM education programs in VPM will be difficult to achieve and sustain without strong support from college administrators and faculties.     

Joint degree programs in public health

Public health and veterinary medicine share a focus on population health and primary prevention, along with a commitment to preparedness, response, and recovery in the event of disease outbreaks. Public-health and veterinary professional degree programs share commonalities in their educational accreditation requirements related to epidemiology and public-health practice. The initiation of a number of joint professional degree programs over the last five years, including the joint Doctor of Veterinary Medicine and Master of Public Health (DVM/MPH), represents an exciting development for inter-professional education for veterinarians interested in public health. Various models for joint DVM/MPH educational programs are discussed, including pre-veterinary public-health credentialing, integrated programs, and post-DVM executive programs. Collaborations between colleges of veterinary medicine and schools of public health show great promise in both educational and research innovation.     

Academic and private practice partnerships in veterinary radiology residency training

As veterinary radiologists devote greater time to telemedicine consultation, residency training must evolve to reflect the skills of these services. The contribution of private practice/consultant radiologists to residency training has traditionally been minimal but academic and private practice partnerships in education and research can provide the framework for a well‐rounded residency. These partnerships can also lessen the impact of workforce shortages in academia and provide financial compensation to academicians through external consultation. The purpose of this commentary is to review existing collaborative interactions between academic and private practice veterinary radiologists; with a focus on ways to sustain, improve, and cautiously increase the number of veterinary radiology training programs.     

Barriers to exotic animal medicine.

The obstacles discussed in this article can be overcome as training and continuing education in this field become more readily available, making work with these fascinating species a part of the repertoire of the small animal clinician. The scientific literature concerning these species is growing rapidly, and medical standards are improving steadily.     

Using focus groups for continuing veterinary medical education needs assessment and program planning

Needs assessments are essential to educational program development. Methods of needs assessment include environmental scans, surveys, and focus groups. Focus groups are valuable and acceptable tools to identify learner needs. The method is a qualitative research technique that is most useful to identify the range of opinions or ideas on a topic. The purposes of this paper are to explore the literature in focus groups for continuing education research, to provide information on the reasons and methods to conduct focus groups, and to present findings of participants' views of the focus group process.     

National workshop on core competencies for success in the veterinary profession

A workshop was designed to (1) present results of the Core Competencies for Veterinary Medicine project conducted by Personnel Decisions International (PDI); (2) discuss and analyze the implications of the PDI study results for academia, private practice, and industry; (3) identify actionable items-discuss opportunities and barriers; and (4) develop appropriate recommendations-devise specific actions for implementation as next steps. In total, 25 veterinary colleges were represented at the workshop and a total of 110 attendees participated, a broad cross-section of the veterinary profession (both academic and non-academic). Through an orchestrated combination of general sessions and facilitated, small group discussions, prioritized recommendations for implementation and initial action plans for next steps were developed. Recommendations included publicizing results of the PDI study, reconsidering current admissions policies and processes, evaluating the applicant pool and current recruitment programs, developing structured mentoring programs, enhancing DVM/VMD training programs, coordinating the development of continuing education programs, and overcoming existing barriers to change. Next steps should involve collaborative efforts across all sectors of the veterinary profession to develop plans for implementing the workshop's recommendations. Leadership for follow-up might reasonably come from the Association of American Veterinary Medical Colleges (AAVMC), the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA), and the American Animal Hospital Association (AAHA), either individually or collectively, through the National Commission on Veterinary Economic Issues (NCVEI). Partnerships with industry are also possible and should be strongly considered.     

The return on investment in online education

In the decade since online education emerged in higher education, digital learning has become increasingly commonplace. Various models exist-from those offered fully online to others that combine traditional classroom time with some online activities. This article identifies the dominant emergent models, provides examples of their implementation across higher-education institutions, and evaluates the cost analyses conducted to date on this relatively new teaching and learning model. The ways in which we determine the return on investment depend upon the cost indicators selected, the measures of effectiveness used, and the indices by which institutions mark progress toward their educational and cost objectives.     

Using clinical audits to identify practitioner learning needs

Clinical audits are used in medicine to monitor practice performance, provide practice feedback, and identify learning needs. Although relatively new to veterinary practice, they hold promise as personal learning needs assessment tools. Continuing veterinary medical education providers are in a unique position to assist practitioners in the design, implementation, and evaluation of clinical audits. This paper discusses the types, the interpretation, and the potential uses of data from clinical audits in the veterinary setting and links audits to continuing veterinary medical education.     

Stewardship as a Path to Cooperation? Exploring the Role of Identity in Intergroup Conflict Among Michigan Wolf Stakeholders

Post-recovery wolf management remains controversial. In Michigan, dialogue centers on hunting wolves but controversy may be more nuanced than simple pro- or anti-hunting positions. Social identity may cause stakeholders to organize in groups and identity differences may be driving controversy. To explore stakeholder disagreement over wolf management, we conducted semi-structured key informant interviews (n = 21) about identity and stewardship in August–September 2012. Four overarching identity themes emerged regarding: (a) management objectives, (b) focal levels, (c) control methods, and (d) justifications for methods. Themes indicated two main researcher-defined identity groups. Interviewees from both groups identified six common stewardship themes: (a) bequest values, (b) ecosystem health, (c) education, (d) existence values, (e) pride in natural resources, and (f) sustainability. Findings suggest stakeholders may be conflicting over opposing identities vis-à-vis organization affiliation, which may be related to what management strategies individuals oppose. Establishing common stewardship objectives through established participation methods may help alleviate controversy.     

Change in higher education: understanding and responding to individual and organizational resistance

In many fields, the ability of educators and practitioners to cope with rapid change is essential to sustained success. In veterinary medical education, as in other scientific disciplines, meaningful change is challenging to achieve and subject to resistance from many individual and organizational norms. Individual concerns often relate to fears of instability or uncertainty, loss of current status, or effects on individual time and workload. Sources of organizational resistance may include a conservative culture, fierce protection of current practices, and prevalence of disciplinary or territorial viewpoints. In academia, especially in scientific or medical fields, individuals appear to be strongly independent and conservative in nature, and generally skeptical of educational change. In this environment, a highly participatory process, with regular communication strategies and demonstrations or evidence that supports proposed changes, can be useful in facilitating change. An understanding of the nature of complex change, as well as of the reasons underlying resistance to change, and some methods to overcome these barriers are highly valuable tools for educational leaders.     

Use of the Food Animal Residue Avoidance Databank (FARAD)

OBJECTIVES: To report the results of 3 surveys evaluating the extent that the Food Animal Residue Avoidance Databank (FARAD) is used by veterinarians, the profession's perception of the need for the program, barriers that prevent veterinarians from fully using the service, and the perceptions that animal production industry groups have regarding FARAD. DESIGN: Telephone and mail surveys were used to collect information using cross-sectional, case-control, and directed sample studies. SAMPLE POPULATION: Food animal veterinarians and veterinarians and nonveterinarians in allied animal industries or with special interest in production animal medicine. RESULTS: The use of FARAD was high among dairy and general practitioners, but low among beef practitioners and veterinarians with minor commitment to food animal medicine. Solo practitioners and veterinarians with less than 13 years in practice were less likely to use FARAD. Dairy practitioners who had not used FARAD were most likely to prescribe extralabel products. CLINICAL IMPLICATIONS: Results imply that dairy and general food animal practitioners have either greater need or access through educational networks and are more aware of FARAD than practitioners who work with beef and those with a minor component of their practice involving food animals. The difference in familiarity and use of FARAD between practice type is an important finding, but the root of the difference is not clear; it may be attributable to a difference in the effectiveness of knowledge transfer for the groups, or the message is ignored because the issue of drug residues is less compelling for veterinarians and their clients in the beef sector.     

新形势下的草业科学专业本科教学改革的设想

针对我国加入世界贸易组织、国家西部大开发战略的实施和生态环境保护与建设工程开展的新形势,结合新疆农业大学草业科学本科教育工作的问题,提出草业科学的高等教育改革的初步设想:改变现有培养目标;改造现有课程设置;加强实践教学环节,提高学生的实际操作能力;调整课程时间安排,将生产实习与毕业实习合二而一;增加具有地方特色的教材;注重少数民族学生的教学工作等。     

Recommendations on vaccination for Latin American small animal practitioners: a report of the WSAVA Vaccination Guidelines Group

The World Small Animal Veterinary Association Vaccination Guidelines Group has produced global guidelines for small companion animal practitioners on best practice in canine and feline vaccination. Recognising that there are unique aspects of veterinary practice in certain geographical regions of the world, the Vaccination Guidelines Group undertook a regional project in Latin America between 2016 and 2019, culminating in the present document. The Vaccination Guidelines Group gathered scientific and demographic data during visits to Argentina, Brazil and Mexico, by discussion with national key opinion leaders, visiting veterinary practices and review of the scientific literature. A questionnaire survey was completed by 1390 veterinarians in five Latin American countries and the Vaccination Guidelines Group delivered continuing education at seven events attended by over 3500 veterinarians. The Vaccination Guidelines Group recognised numerous challenges in Latin America, for example: (1) lack of national oversight of the veterinary profession, (2) extraordinary growth in private veterinary schools of undetermined quality, (3) socioeconomic constraints on client engagement with preventive health care, (4) high regional prevalence of some key infectious diseases (e.g. feline leukaemia virus infection, canine visceral leishmaniosis), (5) almost complete lack of minimal antigen vaccine products as available in other markets, (6) relative lack of vaccine products with extended duration of immunity as available in other markets, (7) availability of vaccine products withdrawn from other markets (e.g. Giardia vaccine) or unique to Latin America (e.g. some Leishmania vaccines), (8) accessibility of vaccines directly by pet owners or breeders such that vaccination is not delivered under veterinary supervision, (9) limited availability of continuing education in veterinary vaccinology and lack of compulsion for continuing professional development and (10) limited peer-reviewed published scientific data on small companion animal infectious diseases (with the exception of leishmaniosis) and lack of support for such academic research. In this document, the Vaccination Guidelines Group summarises the findings of this project and assesses in evidence-based fashion the scientific literature pertaining to companion animal vaccine-preventable diseases in Latin America. The Vaccination Guidelines Group makes some recommendations on undergraduate and postgraduate education and academic research. Recognising that current product availability in Latin America does not permit veterinarians in these countries to vaccinate according to the global World Small Animal Veterinary Association guidelines, the Vaccination Guidelines Group makes a series of “pragmatic” recommendations as to what might be currently achievable, and a series of “aspirational” recommendations as to what might be desirable for the future. The concept of “vaccine husbandry” is addressed via some simple guidelines for the management of vaccine products in the practice. Finally, the Vaccination Guidelines Group emphasises the global trend towards delivery of vaccination as one part of an “annual health check” or “health care plan” that reviews holistically the preventive health care needs of the individual pet animal. Latin American practitioners should transition towards these important new practices that are now well embedded in more developed veterinary markets. The document also includes 70 frequently asked questions and their answers; these were posed to the Vaccination Guidelines Group during our continuing education events and small group discussions and should address many of the issues surrounding delivery of vaccination in the Latin American countries. Spanish and Portuguese translations of this document will be made freely available from the on-line resource pages of the Vaccination Guidelines Group.     

The role of assessment in the student learning process

Assessment is a powerful learning tool that can enhance learning and education. The process of student assessment should align with curricular goals and educational objectives. Identifying the assessment strategies necessary for the proper evaluation of students' progress within individual programs is as important as establishing curricular content and delivery methods. The purpose of this paper is to discuss elements to be considered in assessment design and implementation as well as common challenges encountered during this process. Elements to be considered during assessment design include purpose of assessment, domains to be tested, and characteristics of the assessment tools to be employed. Assessment tools are evaluated according to four main characteristics: relevance, feasibility, validity, and reliability. Based on the evidence presented in the literature, the use of a variety of assessment tools is recommended to match diverse domains and learning styles. The assessment cycle concludes with the evaluation of the results and, based on these, the institution, program, or course can make changes to improve the quality of education. If assessment design aligns with educational outcomes and instructional methods, it improves the quality of education and supports student learning.     

Discussing overweight in dogs during a regular consultation in general practice in the Netherlands

In previous studies, it has been demonstrated that, similar to general practitioners, veterinarians find it difficult to discuss overweight in dogs. This study aimed to provide insight in the barriers and motivators for veterinarians to discuss overweight in dogs and to compare the results with findings from human medicine. Sub-hypotheses were postulated based on existing literature to investigate if lack of time, fear of offending clients, or lack of skills were potential barriers, and if feeling responsible and feeling compassion were potential motivators for veterinarians to discuss overweight in dogs. To this end, an online survey (n = 59) was conducted. Furthermore, 15 small animal clinicians working in general practice were interviewed by semi-structured face-to-face interviews. Results from the online survey indicated that veterinarians find it sometimes difficult to discuss overweight in dogs. Veterinarians who responded to the online survey did not experience strong barriers but did make use of motivators (e.g. feeling responsible and feeling compassion) when discussing overweight in dogs. Interestingly, results from the semi-structured face-to-face interviews showed that the responding veterinarians did experience strong barriers, as well as motivators, when discussing overweight in dogs with their clients. The most prominent barrier was customer dissatisfaction, whereas lack of time and lack of skills were also experienced. The most prominent motivator was feeling responsible for animal health and preventive veterinary medicine. These findings were strikingly similar to previous research on discussing childhood overweight by general practitioners. To improve treatment and prevention of overweight in dogs, veterinarians need more communication skills and should be more aware of the motivators that drive their self-motivation. Improving awareness on overweight and its comorbidities should be a One Health issue.     

The lack of analgesic use (oligoanalgesia) in small animal practice

Oligoanalgesia is defined as failure to provide analgesia in patients with acute pain. Treatment of pain in emergencies, critical care and perioperatively may influence patient outcomes: the harmful practice of withholding analgesics occurs in teaching hospitals and private practices and results in severe physiological consequences. This article discusses the prevalence, primary causes, species and regional differences and ways to avoid oligoanalgesia in small animal practice. Oligoanalgesia may be addressed by improving education on pain management in the veterinary curriculum, providing continuing education to veterinarians and implementing pain scales.