Use of key feature questions in summative assessment of veterinary medicine students

Purpose

To prove the hypothesis that procedural knowledge might be tested using Key Feature (KF) questions in written exams, the University of Veterinary Medicine Hannover Foundation (TiHo) pioneered this format in summative assessment of veterinary medicine students. Exams in veterinary medicine are either tested orally, practically, in written form or digitally in written form. The only question formats which were previously used in the written e-exams were Type A Single-choice Questions, Image Analysis and Short Answer Questions. E-exams are held at the TiHo using the electronic exam system Q [kju:] by CODIPLAN GmbH.

Methods

In order to examine less factual knowledge and more procedural knowledge and thus the decision-making skills of the students, a new question format was integrated into the exam regulations by the TiHo and some examiner used this for the first time in the computer based assessment. Following a successful pilot phase in formative e-exams for students, KF questions were also introduced in summative exams. A number of multiple choice questions were replaced by KF questions in four computer based assessment in veterinary medicine. The subjects were internal medicine, surgery, reproductive medicine and dairy science.

Results

The integration and linking of KF questions into the computer based assessment system Q [kju:] went without any complications. The new question format was well received both by the students and the teaching staff who formulated the questions.

Conclusion

The hypothesis could be proven that Key Feature questions represent a practicable addition to the existing e-exam question formats for testing procedural knowledge. The number of KF questions will be therefore further increased in examinations in veterinary medicine at the TiHo.     

兽药生产企业在实施GMP中的常见问题分析

通过对兽药生产企业GMP的考察验收,发现兽药生产企业在实施GMP过程中存在着诸多共性问题.笔者汇总分析了企业在兽药GMP硬件、软件建设和验收准备中普遍存在的问题,对这些问题进行了讨论,以期使企业减少在实施GMP建设中的返工现象和不必要的损失,并做好兽药GMP检查验收的各项准备工作.     

兽药GMP认证中疑点和难点的理解与把握

通过对兽药GMP认证工作实践中发现的疑点和难点进行剖析,对某些从理论和实践上都很难解释的问题提出了自己的观点.对当前正在进行和今后仍将持续进行的兽药GMP实施和认证工作提供参考,供基层参加GMP认证的技术人员借鉴.     

我国高职畜牧兽医类教材常见问题

目前我国高职畜牧兽医类教材建设发展很快,但是问题也较多。本文从编写形式、教材形态、内容选择、编辑加工常见问题等4个方面分析了目前教材中常见的一些问题,以期对提高我国高职畜牧兽医类教材质量有所帮助。     

穿心莲的药理作用及其在兽医临床上的应用进展

综述了穿心莲的药理作用及其在兽医临床上的应用进展。大量研究表明：穿心莲具有抗菌、抗炎、抗病毒、抗肿瘤、解热、增强免疫等作用，被誉为“中药抗菌素”的穿心莲在兽医临床上具有广阔的发展前景。     

Retrospective study of toxic metal analyses requested at a veterinary diagnostic toxicology laboratory in Ontario (1990-1995).

During the 5-year period from January 1, 1990, to December 31, 1995, 887 diagnoses of metal toxicosis in domestic animals and wild birds were documented at the Veterinary Laboratory Services Branch of the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs. Most of these cases involved cattle, sheep, and birds. Lead toxicosis was diagnosed in 399 cases, copper toxicosis in 387, zinc toxicosis in 49, mercury toxicosis in 44, iron toxicosis in 4, and selenium in 4 cases. Trends in species affected and sources of metals are discussed.     

第二期兽药GMP检查员培训考试题（一）（标准答案）

总论、机构与人员、厂房与设施、洁净生产区与设施、文件部分     

Perceptions of fourth-year veterinary students about the human-animal bond in veterinary practice and in veterinary college curricula

OBJECTIVE: To assess veterinary students' perceptions regarding the importance of addressing the human-animal bond in veterinary practice and their perceptions about the adequacy of curricula on the human-animal bond as presented in US veterinary colleges. DESIGN: Survey. PROCEDURE: Data were collected via a brief questionnaire mailed during the summer of 1996. Questionnaires were returned by 552 senior veterinary students representing 21 of 27 veterinary colleges in the United States. RESULTS: Senior veterinary students believed that the human-animal bond should be a concern of practicing veterinarians, but most did not believe they were receiving adequate instruction about the human-animal bond in their veterinary colleges. Gender was significantly related to differences in perceptions; female students appeared to have more interest in addressing the human-animal bond than male students. Students in small animal programs viewed the human-animal bond differently than those in large animal programs. Finally, students attending schools with extensive human-animal bond or human relations curricula were more likely to believe they were receiving adequate instruction in this area than students in other schools. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL IMPLICATIONS: Curricula addressing the human-animal bond need to be developed and implemented in veterinary colleges in the United States.     

Statistics and evidence-based veterinary medicine: answers to 21 common statistical questions that arise from reading scientific manuscripts.

Evidence-based veterinary medicine relies critically on the scientific validity of research. A component of validity is the statistical design and subsequent analysis of data collected during the study. Correct statistical design reduces bias and improves generalizability, and correct analysis leads to appropriate inferences. Inference is the art and science of making correct decisions based on data. Because veterinarians are responsible for the medical care of their patents, it is also their responsibility to understand inferences about treatments presented in papers. This article is designed to assist veterinarians with the interpretation and understanding of statistics presented in papers.     

Telemedicine in veterinary practice

Veterinary surgeons have a long tradition of consulting one another about problem cases and many have unwittingly practised telemedicine when discussing cases by telephone or by sending laboratory reports by telefax. Specific veterinary telemedicine applications have been in use since the early 1980s, but little research has been undertaken in this field. The Pubmed and CAB International databases were searched for the following Boolean logic-linked keywords; veterinary and telemedicine, veterinary and telecare, animal and telemedicine, animal and telecare and veterinary and e-mail and an additional search was made of the worldwide web, using Google Scholar. This returned 25 papers which were reviewed. Of these only 2 report research. Sixteen papers had no references and 1 author was associated with 13 papers. Several themes emerge in the papers reviewed. These include remarks about the use of telemedicine, the benefits that can and are derived from the use of telemedicine, areas of practice in which telemedicine is being used, ethical and legal issues around the practice of telemedicine, image standards required for telemedicine, the equipment that is required for the practice of telemedicine, advice on ways in which digital images can be obtained and educational aspects of telemedicine. These are discussed. Veterinary practice has lagged behind its human counterpart in producing research on the validity and efficacy of telemedicine. This is an important field which requires further research.     

Electrochemotherapy in veterinary oncology

Electropermeabilization is a method that uses electric field pulses to induce an electrically mediated reorganization of the plasma membrane of cells. Electrochemotherapy combines local or systemic administration of chemotherapeutic drugs such as bleomycin or cisplatin that have poor membrane permeability with electropermeabilization by direct application of electric pulses to the tumors. Preclinical studies have demonstrated excellent antitumor effectiveness of electrochemotherapy on different animal models and various tumor types, minimal toxicity, and safety of the procedure. Based on results of preclinical studies, clinical studies were conducted in human patients, which demonstrated pronounced antitumor effectiveness of electrochemotherapy with 80-85% objective responses of the treated cutaneous and SC tumors. Clinical studies in veterinary oncology have demonstrated that electrochemotherapy is very effective in the treatment of cutaneous and SC tumors of different histologic types in cats, dogs, and horses. The results of these studies have also demonstrated approximately 80% long-lasting objective responses of tumors treated by electrochemotherapy. Primary tumors of different histologic types were treated. Electrochemotherapy in veterinary oncology has future promise to be highly effective, and could be used to treat primary or recurrent solitary or multiple cutaneous and SC tumors of different histology or as an adjuvant treatment to surgery.