Comparison of student performance after lecture-based and case-based/problem-based teaching in a large group

The purpose of this study was to compare traditional lecture-based (LB) and case-based/problem-based (CB/PB) learning in a large group. Year 3 veterinary students at Kansas State University were asked to participate in a randomized controlled study. Students were grouped and randomly assigned to be taught by a CB/PB or a LB method. Students took identical multiple-choice examinations, one given within a week of the last class and a different one given four months later. There was no direct effect of teaching method on group scores for either examination. CB/PB students scored higher on higher-difficulty questions on the first examination (p < 0.003), but there was no effect on questions of lower and medium difficulty. There was no effect of teaching method on student performance for the second examination; however, the question difficulty category scores were all different (p < 0.017). Evaluation of examination scores suggests that the two teaching methods were of similar efficacy.     

Confidence as a barrier to the use of problem-based learning in veterinary undergraduate students

Problem-based or case-based learning is a popular method of instruction in clinical degrees such as veterinary science, nursing, and medicine. It is difficult, however, for students to adapt to this learning method, and this difficulty has been well described. The present study surveyed first-year undergraduate veterinary students at the University of Nottingham about the challenges they faced upon beginning problem-based learning sessions. A surprisingly large percentage of students (36% of females and 38% of males) reported a lack of confidence in speaking in front of the other students as a concern they experienced during their first term. Conversely, only 10% of the female students (and none of the male students) reported overconfidence as a problem. This is in contrast to the perceptions of the staff members who facilitated the sessions who reported that 14% of the students exhibited underconfidence and 14% exhibited overconfidence. The difference between the female and male students' responses as well as the difference between the perceptions of students and those of facilitators is statistically significant (G-test p<.05).     

Evaluation of the lame patient.

Competence in evaluating lameness is vital for the veterinary practitioner. This skill is becoming even more important with the increasing popularity of large-breed dogs and the corresponding increase in the number of developmental orthopedic problems seen on a day-to-day basis. A proper physical examination of the lame patient is essential to the management of the case. This article reviews the initial evaluation of the lame veterinary patient without dwelling on the specific differential diagnoses and corresponding treatments.     

An instructional intervention to encourage effective deep collaborative learning in undergraduate veterinary students

In recent years, veterinary education has received an increased amount of attention directed at the value and application of collaborative case-based learning. The benefit of instilling deep learning practices in undergraduate veterinary students has also emerged as a powerful tool in encouraging continued professional education. However, research into the design and application of instructional strategies to encourage deep, collaborative case-based learning in veterinary undergraduates has been limited. This study focused on delivering an instructional intervention (via a 20-minute presentation and student handout) to foster productive, collaborative case-based learning in veterinary education. The aim was to instigate and encourage deep learning practices in a collaborative case-based assignment and to assess the impact of the intervention on students' group learning. Two cohorts of veterinary students were involved in the study. One cohort was exposed to an instructional intervention, and the other provided the control for the study. The instructional strategy was grounded in the collaborative learning literature and prior empirical studies with veterinary students. Results showed that the intervention cohort spent proportionally more time on understanding case content material than did the control cohort and rated their face-to-face discussions as more useful in achieving their learning outcomes than did their control counterparts. In addition, the perceived difficulty of the assignment evolved differently for the control and intervention students from start to end of the assignment. This study provides encouraging evidence that veterinary students can change and enhance the way they interact in a group setting to effectively engage in collaborative learning practices.     

Subject-based problem-based learning in the veterinary science course at the University of Queensland

Objective
To assess students' perceptions of subject-based problem-based learning in the fourth year of the veterinary science course at the University of Queensland.
Design
A questionnaire-based study.
Procedure
Subject-based problem-based learning was introduced into parts of two fourth year subjects in a 5-year veterinary science course. The problem-based learning exercise used modified clinical cases and was computer-assisted. Students worked in groups of two to four, and small group discussion sessions were tutorless. Lectures were replaced by large group discussion and feedback sessions, led by the teacher, with approximately 85 students.
Results
There was a significant increase in the percentage of students who strongly agreed that they had better understanding of the subject, and had learned to apply principles from this class in new situations. The only consistent criticism by students was directed at the extra time required compared to traditional lecture-based subjects.
Conclusion
Students' perceptions of the learning outcome were very favourable for problem-based learning when compared to the lecture-based subject.     

Undergraduate veterinary education at University College Dublin: a time of change

The final-year Bachelor of Veterinary Medicine (MVB) class of 2005 were the first cohort of students to complete the new curriculum at the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University College Dublin (UCD). The new curriculum is a fundamental departure from the traditional curriculum that had served the veterinary profession in Ireland over many years. The change was not a precipitate action but the outcome of a prolonged and thorough examination of the realities of veterinary medicine, its science and its art, in the first decade of a new millennium. Over recent decades, rapid and fundamental changes have been witnessed in the economic, cultural, and ethical environment in which the veterinary profession operates, and these changes, coupled with the "information explosion," dictated an examination of the educational paradigm. The new curriculum exposes the first-year class to veterinary information technology and problem-based learning (PBL). In the second year, students are instructed in clinical examination, history taking, and client communication skills, in addition to further exposure to PBL. The third and fourth years are now systems-based, with coordinated input from microbiologists, parasitologists, pathologists, and clinicians in teaching each body system. The first lecture-free final year in the 104-year history of veterinary education in Ireland consists of clinical rotations and a four-week elective pursued within the faculty or at other recognized institutions. Students must also complete a minimum of 24 weeks' extramural studies (EMS). Critically, the development and assessment of all courses in the new undergraduate degree program has been driven by carefully thought out learning outcomes. The new curriculum will provide graduates with the essential knowledge and skills required for entry into the veterinary profession. Society expects these qualities from veterinarians in the interests of the communities they serve during their professional careers. In addition, the curriculum should foster the ability to adapt to changing circumstances, instill the desire and ability to work in teams, and develop life skills. It is hoped that the academic innovations will arouse the intellectual curiosity and commitment to lifelong learning that future graduates will require if they are to retain the confidence of the society in which they work in the future.     

Survey of pet owners' expectations of surgical practice within first opinion veterinary clinics in Great Britain

O bjectives : The expectations of small animal pet owners in Great Britain were evaluated on a number of issues regarding aseptic practice and clinical management and compared with final year veterinary students' assessment of actual veterinary practice.
M aterials and M ethods : A survey was completed by 328 small animal pet owners and 56 veterinary practices in Great Britain. Questions from the pet owner survey related to expectations and opinions on a number of surgical issues and questions from the veterinary surgeon survey examined veterinary practice in relation to the same issues. Comparisons were made to determine whether there were any differences between pet owner expectations and veterinary student assessment of actual practice of small animal first opinion clinics.
R esults : In the majority of issues examined there was a significant mismatch between client expectation and provisions made. Of particular importance was the discrepancy regarding the use of surgical gloves and administration of analgesia.
C linical S ignificance : These results suggest that attempts should be made to understand and improve the disparity that exists between small animal pet owners and veterinary surgeons in Great Britain.     

Teaching veterinary radiography by e-learning versus structured tutorial: a randomized, single-blinded controlled trial

Case-based e-learning may allow effective teaching of veterinary radiology in the field of equine orthopedics. The objective of this study was to investigate the effectiveness of a new case-based e-learning tool, compared with a standard structured tutorial, in altering students' knowledge and skills about interpretation of radiographs of the digit in the horse. It was also designed to assess students' attitudes toward the two educational interventions. A randomized, single-blinded, controlled trial of 96 fourth-year undergraduate veterinary students, involving an educational intervention of either structured tutorial or case-based e-learning, was performed. A multiple-choice examination based on six learning outcomes was carried out in each group after the session, followed by an evaluation of students' attitudes toward their session on a seven-point scale. Text blanks were available to students to allow them to comment on the educational interventions and on their learning outcomes. Students also rated, on a Likert scale from 1 to 7, their performance for each specific learning outcome and their general ability to use a systematic approach in interpreting radiographs. Data were analyzed using the Mann-Whitney test, the t-test, and the equivalence test. There was no significant difference in student achievement on course tests. The results of the survey suggest positive student attitudes toward the e-learning tool and illustrate the difference between objective ratings and subjective assessments by students in testing a new educational intervention.     

Teaching and assessing nutrition competence in a changing curricular environment

In the past, the required introductory veterinary nutrition course at Michigan State University's College of Veterinary Medicine (MSU-CVM) has provided 29 hours of didactic lectures, with student performance evaluated by short-answer or multiple-choice questions. Because of a 50% reduction in allotted course credits and a change in prerequisites for admission, the course is being redesigned to focus on three of 29 nutrition competencies outlined by the American College of Veterinary Nutrition. Professional communication skills will be developed through small-group learning experiences, case-based problems, and videotaped interviews with standardized clients to teach and assess nutrition competencies. Assessment strategies will differ from traditional multiple-choice examinations and include pre- and post-course self-efficacy ratings, written evaluations from trained standardized clients, and oral and written evaluations from coaches or facilitators.     

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.     

The Objective Structured Clinical Examination (OSCE) as a determinant of veterinary clinical skills

The Objective Structured Clinical Examination (OSCE) has become an excellent tool to evaluate many elements of a student's clinical skills, especially including communication with the patient (human medicine) or client (veterinary medicine); eliciting clinical information from these conversations; some aspects of the physical examination; and many areas of clinical evaluation and assessment. One key factor is that the examination can be structured to compare different students' abilities.     

案例式教学法在家畜繁殖学教学中的初步应用

针对案例式教学在家畜繁殖学课程中的应用进行了初步探讨,分析了传统教学法的缺点以及案例式教学法的内涵,介绍了案例式教学法在家畜繁殖学教学中初步应用的具体方法和体会,并对该教学方法进行了展望。     

Veterinarians and public practice at the Virginia-Maryland Regional College of Veterinary Medicine: building on a tradition of expertise and partnership

The Virginia-Maryland Regional College of Veterinary Medicine (VMRCVM), a regional veterinary college for Maryland and Virginia, has a long and unique tradition of encouraging careers in public and corporate veterinary medicine. The VMRCVM is home to the Center for Public and Corporate Veterinary Medicine (CPCVM), and each year approximately 10% of the veterinary students choose the public/corporate veterinary medicine track. The faculty of the CPCVM, and their many partners from the veterinary public practice community, teach in the veterinary curriculum and provide opportunities for students locally, nationally, and internationally during summers and the final clinical year. Graduates of the program work for government organizations, including the US Department of Agriculture, the Food and Drug Administration, and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, as well as in research, in industry, and for non-governmental organizations. Recent activities include securing opportunities for students, providing career counseling for graduate veterinarians interested in making a career transition, delivering continuing education, and offering a preparatory course for veterinarians sitting the board examination for the American College of Veterinary Preventive Medicine. As the VMRCVM moves forward in recognition of the changing needs of the veterinary profession, it draws on its tradition of partnership and capitalizes on the excellence of its existing program. Future plans for the CPCVM include possible expansion in the fields of public health, public policy, international veterinary medicine, organizational leadership, and the One Health initiative. Quality assurance and evaluation of the program is ongoing, with recognition that novel evaluation approaches will be useful and informative.     

多元化教学模式在《家畜环境卫生学》中的应用及效果分析

为探索多元化教学模式在《家畜环境卫生学》课程教学中的应用效果,本次教学改革以2014级动物科学专业51名本科学生为教改对象,在教学过程中分别采用PBL(以问题为基础的学习)教学法、案例教学法和角色互换法,通过问卷调查方式和期末考试成绩情况综合评价教学效果.本次教改结果表明,采用多元化教学模式可明显提高学生的考试成绩,9...     

Teaching of parasitology to students of veterinary medicine and biomedical sciences

The teaching of an applied parasitology course suitable for both veterinary and biomedical students is described. A common lecture course is given complemented by separate and specific practical, research and problem-based learning components designed for veterinary and biomedical students. For veterinary and biomedical students, teaching of parasitology during the full course comprises a total of 46 lectures; 13 practical classes for veterinary students and five for biomedical students who also undertake an independent research project.     

The Certifying Examination of the American College of Veterinary Surgeons

The admission requirements and the examining process for applicants for admission to the American College of Veterinary Surgeons are described. Sample questions from the 1976 written examination are included along with the areas of veterinary surgery covered by the examination.     

Evolution of a course in veterinary clinical pathology: the application of case-based writing assignments to focus on skill development and facilitation of learning

RATIONALE FOR STUDY: To encourage application and critical thinking, case-based writing assignments and grading rubrics were developed for use in a second-year core clinical pathology course. Objectives were to describe how this teaching technique was adapted to a large-class setting and how student perceptions of the learning experience guided modifications of this teaching technique over two presentations of the course and plans for a third presentation. Our goal was to enhance learning by encouraging application of course material to clinical situations and thereby improve students' ability to organize and communicate information. Furthermore, we evaluated the influence of instructor feedback on the learning process. METHODS: With assistance from the University of Minnesota Center for Writing, assignments and grading rubrics were developed. Students completed course evaluation surveys designed to elicit feedback on the impact of the assignments. RESULTS: Increased learner confidence was reflected in larger self-reported increases in understanding of the material and ability to apply information and in increased feelings of preparedness for class and examinations. A large majority of students advocated the use of such assignments in the course in future years, and modifications to make grading and evaluation of assignments more efficient are underway. CONCLUSIONS: Investment of faculty and student time in case-based writing assignments in the veterinary clinical pathology curriculum appears to increase student engagement with material and learner confidence. Future studies should address the impact of this type of assignment more specifically on clinical reasoning and communication skills and on long-term retention of material.     

Biomarkers in cardiovascular disease: Beyond natriuretic peptides

Currently natriuretic peptides are justifiably regarded as the most promising circulating markers of cardiovascular disease in dogs and cats, but there are many other markers that can be used in the evaluation of such patients. There are markers of myocyte injury typified by troponins I and T; markers of myocyte stress including adrenomedullin and ST2; markers of remodeling including matrix metalloproteinases, tissue inhibitors of metalloproteinases and collagen molecules (PIIINP); markers of endothelial function including dimethylarginines and nitric oxide metabolites; markers of inflammation including C-reactive protein, several interleukins and tumor necrosis factor alpha; and finally neurohormonal markers. The potential of many of these markers has at best been only partially explored in veterinary patients. Evidence emerging from studies of human and in some cases veterinary patients suggests that using multiple markers may be superior to using single markers alone. As well as evaluating markers for their diagnostic value they should be considered as methods of identification of patients at increased risk of experiencing complications or death. Future areas of research in this field could include improved characterization of the clinical utility of multi-marker evaluation in veterinary patients and using markers to identify patients that may benefit from particular interventions.