Large-animal handling at the Colorado State University College of Veterinary Medicine

Colleges of veterinary medicine face many challenges in teaching the handling of large animals. It is imperative that students be taught how to manage large animals, however, not only for their safety but for that of their clients and of the animals themselves. Confident, safe, and efficient handling can improve job satisfaction and may encourage students to enter large-animal practice. There is wide variation in the large-animal-handling components of US veterinary curricula.     

Admissions procedures at the University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna, Austria

RATIONALE FOR THIS STUDY: The admission procedure implemented in fall 2005 in consequence of new laws passed in summer 2005 is described and evaluated. The general set-up, the underlying considerations, and the changes resulting from the establishment of this procedure are presented. METHODOLOGY: Admission variables and demographic information (sex, age, nationality) for 172 students who entered their first academic year at the University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna (VUW) and their academic performance measured according to their results in the three first-year examinations (successful versus unsuccessful) were assessed. Logistic regression was used to examine the relationship between predictor and outcome. RESULTS: Regression analysis indicates that Austrian students were more likely to be unsuccessful than German students (R(2) = 0.366, p < 0.001). Previous school performance was the best predictor for success in the Austrian cohort (R(2) = 0.196; p < 0.001), whereas the personal interview scores provided the best predictor in the German cohort (R(2) = 0.122; p < 0.05). CONCLUSION: This study supports our existing selection practices relating to cognitive and non-cognitive skills. The number of strugglers may be reduced on the basis of an admissions procedure, but struggling may not be excluded by the existing selection practices, which do not assess a specific threshold but are related to a score-ranking system and a predefined number of available openings in the program.     

Public-health education at Kansas State University

What are veterinary medical and public-health professionals doing to remedy the immediate and impending shortages of veterinarians in population health and public practice? This question was addressed at the joint symposium of the Association of American Veterinary Medical Colleges and the Association of Schools of Public Health, held in April 2007. Thinking locally, faculty and students at Kansas State University (KSU) asked similar questions after attending the symposium: What are we doing within the College of Veterinary Medicine to tackle this problem? What can we do better with new collaborators? Both the professional veterinary curriculum and the Master of Public Health (MPH) at KSU provide exceptional opportunities to address these questions. Students are exposed to public health as a possible career choice early in veterinary school, and this exposure is repeated several times in different venues throughout their professional education. Students also have opportunities to pursue interests in population medicine and public health through certificate programs, summer research programs, study abroad, and collaborations with contributing organizations unique to KSU, such as its Food Science Institute, National Agricultural Biosecurity Center, and Biosecurity Research Institute. Moreover, students may take advantage of the interdisciplinary nature of public-health education at KSU, where collaborations with several different colleges and departments within the university have been established. We are pleased to be able to offer these opportunities to our students and hope that our experience may be instructive for the development of similar programs at other institutions, to the eventual benefit of the profession at large.     

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.     

Public health education at Michigan State University

Many reports have highlighted the need for the veterinary profession to fill critical shortages of veterinarians in public health and food safety. Michigan State University's College of Veterinary Medicine offers educational programs within the professional veterinary curriculum, as well as graduate degree programs, to meet these societal needs. Within the scope of the professional veterinary curriculum, educational opportunities in public health include clerkships in veterinary public health and an innovative Web-based curriculum on judicious use of antimicrobials. For graduate degree programs, Michigan State University has a memorandum of understanding with the University of Minnesota for the Master of Public Health degree and an innovative Online Professional Master of Science in Food Safety degree program. A new option available is the opportunity for veterinary students to pursue the Master of Science in Food Safety concurrently with the DVM (DVM/MS in Food Safety). These educational programs will prepare graduates to meet societal needs in public health and food safety.     

Locational profiles: incoming veterinary students and outgoing new veterinarians, 1971-78, New York State College of Veterinary Medicine, Cornell University

Relationships between the demographic areas of incoming veterinary students and first placement locations were examined during 1971-1978 for the New York State College of Veterinary Medicine at Cornell University. Seventy-four percent of the incoming students were New York residents whereas only 52 percent of the graduates selected New York sites for their first placement after graduation. Part of the net loss may be the result of temporary moves into the state to gain residence status, educational preparation and possibly some hope for improving admission eligibility. After completing their veterinary education, they are more likely to return to areas closely associated with family and childhood experiences for first placement choices or for advanced educational offerings. Three demographic classifications were used to identify patterns of movement into and out of the state (Urban, Suburban and Rural). No significant differences in area distribution patterns were observed between incoming and outgoing students/graduates. However, when the data were separated by sex, the outgoing distribution patterns were significantly different for female graduates (Urban and Rural areas preferred over Suburban). Sixty-five percent of the out-of-state placements were in New England and other Northeastern states, with Rural areas showing major strengths.     

The North Carolina State University College of Veterinary Medicine Turtle Rescue Team: a model for a successful wild-reptile clinic

The North Carolina State University College of Veterinary Medicine (NCSU-CVM) Turtle Rescue Team (TRT) is a veterinary student-run organization that treats native, sick and injured, wild chelonians. First-, second-, and third-year students are responsible for case management, consultation coordination, diagnostic testing within the hospital, and placing of recuperating animals with local wildlife rehabilitators. Several clinical research publications have resulted from the opportunity to work with these wild reptiles. Active student participants can also gain a course credit by attending eight hours of lecture/ seminar related to reptile medicine. With regards to outcome assessment, 86% of survey respondents found the program to be valuable or extremely valuable to their veterinary medical education. The logistics of organizing, supporting, and running this service are discussed, and its value as a clinical learning tool is supported by the results of a survey.     

The veterinary programs at the Romanian University of Agricultural Sciences and Veterinary Medicine

Romania has a long tradition in the field of veterinary medicine, interest in which can be traced back to the early nineteenth century. There are four main veterinary educational centers in Romania, one for each province: the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine in Bucharest in the south; the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine in Cluj-Napoca in the northwest; the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine in Ia?i in the northeast; and the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine Timi?oara in the south west. The authors of this article are faculty members representing each of these schools.