Two differentiated programs of veterinary medical education at the university of veterinary and pharmaceutical sciences in the Czech Republic

This article describes the two separate programs of veterinary education offered at the University of Veterinary and Pharmaceutical Sciences in Brno, Czech Republic, which are directed to clinical veterinary medicine and to veterinary food safety, hygiene, and ecology, respectively. Both programs provide a level of training such that all graduates are competent for veterinary practice in any area of veterinary medicine; however, each offers an extended and deepened emphasis of training in clinical medicine, on the one hand, and food safety, on the other. A key feature is that the cohort of students for each program enters having pre-selected a career in one of these two areas. One of the important end results of this structure is that it fulfills the growing and important mission of providing a critical number of veterinarians in food safety and all of its allied fields.     

Teaching veterinary students using shelter animals

Veterinary teaching hospitals (VTHs) are experiencing case-load trends that have negatively affected efforts to prepare students for entry-level veterinary practice, particularly in the area of technical skills training. This article examines the clinical training available to veterinary students through a variety of collaborative shelter models. Benefits and potential problems related to initiating a collaborative shelter clinical training program are reviewed. Collaborative efforts between animal shelters and veterinary schools can provide crucial opportunities for outreach teaching initiatives, particularly for teaching medical and surgical skills.     

VMSTP Combined Degree Training (VMD/PhD): key features of the program at the University of Pennsylvania

The Veterinary Medical Scientist Training Program (VMSTP), a combined degree program at the University of Pennsylvania School of Veterinary Medicine (Penn), has been in existence for approximately 35 years and has an excellent track record of producing veterinary physician-scientists. There are a number of key features of the program that I believe have been crucial to its success. Many of these features relate to how the PhD training component of the combined degree program is accomplished. Rather that describing the veterinary training component of the program, I will describe the PhD training component and how this training intersects with the veterinary curriculum. The key features of the VMSTP program at Penn are (1) admitting the right candidates, (2) placing the PhD training component of the program in the hands of individual graduate groups, (3) being committed to PhD training of veterinary students that is not compromised in terms of quality or time, (4) devising mechanisms to interdigitate VMD and PhD training to generate synergy between the programs, (5) providing continual advice to students from numerous perspectives, and (6) providing the monetary and emotional support needed for the long-term commitment students must make in order to complete the program.     

Curriculum development in the Netherlands: introduction of tracks in the 2001 curriculum at Utrecht University, The Netherlands

The Faculty of Veterinary Medicine in Utrecht has recently introduced two major curriculum changes in order to keep pace with developments in research (the vast increase in scientific knowledge), in society (the quality awareness of veterinary clients), and in the veterinary profession, where a species and sector differentiation can be observed. After about 15 years during which the curriculum remained more or less unchanged, a radical curriculum revision was introduced in 1995. A further revision, with the introduction of separate study tracks, began in 2001. The 2001 curriculum focuses on academic and scientific training, active learning and problem solving, training in communication and professional behavior, and lifelong learning. It is divided into a four-year core curriculum, in which a broad, cross-species pathobiological insight is central, and a two-year track curriculum, through which students achieve a starting competence in a specific species or sector. The main teaching methods are tutorials and group tasks; practical work is used mainly to achieve specific veterinary skills. Teaching hours represent 30-35% of all study hours. Self-teaching is encouraged by providing study materials, self-teaching questions, teachers assigned to assist with self-teaching, and adequate facilities. The five tracks offered are Companion Animals/Equine; Food Animals; Veterinary Public Health; Veterinary Research; and Veterinary Administration and Management. All students follow a uniform 30-week clinical rotation program, while the track program is 42 weeks. A summary of admission procedures is given, as well as the times and procedures for track selection.     

Preparing students for careers in food-supply veterinary medicine: a review of educational programs in the United States

The real and/or perceived shortage of veterinarians serving food-supply veterinary medicine has been a topic of considerable discussion for decades. Regardless of this debate, there are issues still facing colleges of veterinary medicine (CVMs) about the best process of educating future food-supply veterinarians. Over the past several years, there have been increasing concerns by some that the needs of food-supply veterinary medicine have not adequately been met through veterinary educational institutions. The food-supply veterinary medical curriculum offered by individual CVMs varies depending on individual curricular design, available resident animal population, available food-animal caseload, faculty, and individual teaching efforts of faculty. All of the institutional members of the Association of American Veterinary Medical Colleges (AAVMC) were requested to share their Food Animal Veterinary Career Incentives Programs. The AAVMC asked all member institutions what incentives they used to attract and educate students interested in, or possibly considering, a career in food-supply veterinary medicine (FSVM). The problem arises as to how we continue to educate veterinary students with ever shrinking budgets and how to recruit and retain faculty with expertise to address the needs of society. Several CVMs use innovative training initiatives to help build successful FSVM programs. This article focuses on dairy, beef, and swine food-animal education and does not characterize colleges' educational efforts in poultry and aquaculture. This review highlights the individual strategies used by the CVMs in the United States.     

New developments in veterinary education in the republic of Azerbaijan

After the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991, the agrarian sector in the former member states fell into a steep decline, and veterinary training and education came to a standstill. Before the collapse, veterinary care was free, but thereafter few could afford to pay for the services of a veterinarian. Veterinary science became an unpopular study and attracted less motivated students. However, some veterinarians started Private Veterinary Units (PVU) and became successful. It will take time for veterinary training and education to catch up with modern developments. In the meantime, the establishment of a Private Veterinary Unit connected to the Veterinary Faculty could play an important role in accelerating the availability of competent veterinarians.     

Veterinary students' perceptions of their day-one abilities before and after final-year clinical practice-based training

The present study evaluated the impact of final-year clinical practice-based training on veterinary students' perceptions of competence in "Day One" abilities by administering a pre- and post-training self-assessment checklist. This study also investigated the influence of student demographics on their perceptions of satisfaction about their own knowledge and skills and preparedness for practice. Perceptions regarding the usefulness of the checklist as a self-audit tool were also sought. Final year students (N=85) were surveyed on commencement and upon completion of the training using a checklist that had been adapted from the list of essential new-graduate abilities that was developed by the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons and adopted by the Australasian Veterinary Boards Council. Significant improvements in student perceptions of competence were observed for 38 of the 41 abilities. Students' satisfaction with their knowledge and skill base and their perceptions of preparedness for practice were only weakly correlated with overall perceptions of competence for individual ability items and did not vary significantly with student age, gender, background, intended field and location of work, or with their work experience as veterinary nurses-if any-while studying. Two thirds of students believed that access to the self-assessment checklist on commencement of the training helped them identify areas for improvement before graduation. This article concludes that clinical practice-based training results in considerable improvement in senior veterinary students' perceptions of competence in Day One abilities and that a self-assessment checklist may help students guide their learning. Results from the present study may be useful for veterinary schools as they develop or enhance strategies used for outcomes assessment.     

Training evidence-based veterinary medicine by collaborative development of critically appraised topics

In current veterinary education, skills such as retrieving, critically appraising, interpreting, and applying the results of published scientific studies are rarely taught. In this study, the authors tested the concept of team-based development of critically appraised topics (CATs) in training students in evidence-based veterinary medicine (EBVM). The 116 participants were in their fifth year and attending the clinical rotation at the Clinic for Animal Reproduction. Students developed 18 CATs of varying quality on topics of their choice. Preparing the CATs in teams stimulated discussion on the topic and the quality of the retrieved papers. Evaluation of the project revealed that more than 90% of the students endorsed training in critical appraisal of information in veterinary education. In addition, more than 90% considered the development of CATs an effective exercise for assessing the quality of scientific literature. A provided literature evaluation form was perceived as a useful tool for systematically summarizing a publication's quality. In conclusion, team-based development of CATs during clinical rotations is highly valuable for training in EBVM. Learning and intrinsic motivation seem to be enhanced by creating a situation similar to veterinary practice because the task is embedded into an authentic clinical problem. This approach to clinical training helps to prepare students to integrate evidence from literature into practice.     

Future directions in training zoological medicine veterinarians

The American College of Zoological Medicine (ACZM) is dedicated to excellence in furthering the health and well-being of both captive and free-ranging wild animals. Currently there are 14 ACZM-approved residency programs in zoological medicine. In addition, eight non-approved residencies and 15 internships in North America provide training opportunities in this field. This article outlines some of the training opportunities for both veterinary students and graduate veterinarians that would best position them for entry into a zoological medicine training program. Although there is a growing number of opportunities for individuals to serve in captive and free-ranging wildlife health positions, existing training programs are inadequate to meet these needs. It is also acknowledged that there is an increasing number of veterinary students entering veterinary schools with an interest in zoological medicine and that the job market is still limited. However, positions and opportunities in zoological medicine are available for those individuals with the drive, dedication, and passion to succeed.     

Linking veterinary and human public-health education: collaborations at the University Of Tennessee

The increasing demand for veterinarians in public health has created an environment for innovative educational approaches, providing opportunities for veterinary students to gain additional education in public health. At the University of Tennessee, this environment has enabled a collaboration between the College of Veterinary Medicine and the College of Education, Health, and Human Sciences to establish a veterinary concentration in an existing Master of Public Health degree program. The veterinary public-health concentration was approved in 2004. In addition, other courses and initiatives have been developed at the College of Veterinary Medicine, creating stronger collaborations with academic units and public-health professionals.     

Evaluation of a dental model for training veterinary students

Periodontal disease has deleterious effects on an animal's health and potentially serious implications for its welfare. Consequently, veterinarians frequently perform routine periodontal treatment in small-animal practice. One would therefore assume that small-animal dentistry would constitute a core component of a veterinary curriculum. However, most practitioners received little or no formal training in dentistry during their veterinary degrees, and the amount of instruction students currently receive is variable, often with limited opportunities to practice. At the Royal Veterinary College, a prototype dental model was developed to address the lack of practical training; it was made using ceramic tiles, silicone sealant, and grout to emulate teeth, gingiva, and calculus, respectively. A study was conducted with third-year veterinary students to compare the outcomes of learning to perform a professional dental cleaning using a model (group A) or a video (group B). Performance was assessed using an objective structured clinical examination. Students in group A scored significantly better than those in group B (p<.001). All students also completed a questionnaire evaluating attitudes toward the use of a dental model in learning dentistry-related skills. All students identified a model as a potentially valuable learning tool to supplement existing teaching methods and facilitate the acquisition of small-animal dentistry skills. The dental model has the potential to equip students with useful, practical skills in a safe and risk-free environment.     

Animal handling as an integrated component of animal and veterinary science programs at the University of Queensland.

Students in animal science and veterinary science at the University of Queensland (UQ) have similar introductory courses in animal handling in year 1 of their degree programs. Veterinary students take animal-handling instruction in farm and companion animals, whereas animal science students are instructed in handling farm animals, horses, and rodents. Veterinary students are introduced to rodents, and animal science students to dogs and cats, in subsequent years of the curriculum. Both cohorts receive additional training, with clinical emphasis for veterinary students in years 3, 4, and 5 of their five-year curriculum. The introductory course is well received by students; both student cohorts appreciate the opportunity provided and the effort that goes into the animal-handling classes. Undergraduates realize that acquiring animal-handling skills will increase their proficiency in their subsequent careers; veterinary graduates recognize that their handling prowess will give their clients confidence in their abilities. Most clients cannot judge the competence of a veterinarian's diagnosis or treatment but will judge their ability based on their handling skills. Ongoing practice allows students to become competent in animal handling.     

Cooperating with industry to teach food-animal medicine

Cooperative programs with agribusiness offer opportunities for colleges of veterinary medicine to expand their instructional programs in agricultural practice. Agribusinesses associated with livestock agriculture recognize the importance of veterinary medicine in maintaining a vibrant and successful industry. Stewardship of corporate support involves close communication with advocates within the companies, providing them with documentation of the potential effects of corporate investments. This article describes the creation of the Michigan State University (MSU) Training Center for Dairy Professionals, a key aspect of which was the identification of innovative and productive areas of mutual interest and benefit. In addition to supporting the dairy industry by training veterinary students, the program offers specific benefits to investors, including the use of MSU facilities and direct participation in veterinary instruction.     

Veterinary education with career emphasis: a partnership with private, public, and corporate veterinary practice.

The Virginia-Maryland Regional College of Veterinary Medicine responded to the Pew-sponsored National Veterinary Education Program by proposing a Center for Government and Corporate Veterinary Medicine. The Center is currently providing, through elective course offerings and practical experiences, a senior clinical curriculum that permits career emphasis in a number of species areas, in addition to a unique program for graduates wishing to enter the field of public and corporate veterinary medicine. The Center is also developing post-veterinary medicine. The Center is also developing post-veterinary school education for advanced degrees (PhD, MS) and residency training in public and corporate fields, and for midcareer updating and changes of career emphasis.     

Behavioral medicine opportunities in North American colleges of veterinary medicine: A status report

In 1999, 8 of 27 (29.6%) US veterinary schools had a full-time behaviorist. A survey was conducted in the summer of 2007 to obtain information about the availability of behavioral medicine educational opportunities in colleges of veterinary medicine in North America. Twelve of 32 (37.5%) veterinary colleges have a veterinary behaviorist on staff, and 9 (28.13%) support residency programs. Fourteen (43.75%) have a normal animal behavior course, 12 (37.5%) an abnormal/clinical behavior course. Nine universities (28.13%) have a combined normal/abnormal animal behavior course in lieu of separate normal and abnormal behavior courses. Seven have officially recognized student chapters of the American Veterinary Society of Animal Behavior. Four have no behavioral medicine presence in the form of faculty, behavior courses, interested staff, or a student club. Inclusion of behavioral medicine into the curricula of North American colleges of veterinary medicine has been slow in the 14 years since the recognition of the specialty by the AVMA's American Board of Veterinary Specialties. Each year, behavior problems account for a large number of deaths, by euthanasia, of otherwise healthy pets. Increasing opportunities in behavioral medicine at the university level would have a considerable trickle-down effect by affecting the perception by owners and the comfort level of practitioners in identifying, managing and treating behavior problems in pets.     

Teaching surgery to the veterinary novice: the Ohio State University experience

Surgical training in veterinary medicine has evolved rapidly over the past several decades. Catalysts for change include pressure from concerned students and the public to reduce the use of live animals in teaching; less-than-effective preparation of students for live surgery experience; an overall reduction in faculty time and effort devoted to skills training; college budgetary reallocations mandating reductions in expensive group laboratory experiences; and more specialized case-load patterns in clinical rotations, which have reduced students' exposure to common surgical conditions. In response to these trends, methods for surgery educators to reduce, refine, and replace live animals in surgery training courses at veterinary schools have received broad attention. When these methods are used effectively in a curriculum, it is no longer necessary to sacrifice animals for adequate student training. This article describes a successful and ethical surgical training program used at the Ohio State University College of Veterinary Medicine (OSU-CVM). This program provides early exposure to skills training using surgical simulators and auto-tutorials, ensures that basic skills are mastered before students are exposed to cadaver practice, and requires application of model-based skills to cadavers, with final matriculation to intensive exposure to multiple live-animal procedures via a collaborative surgery program with a local shelter.     

高等农业院校《兽医产科学》课程教学改革与创新研究

兽医产科学是高等农业院校兽医学教学中一门基础分支学科,主要研究动物的生理生殖、生殖疾病及繁殖技术。随着兽医学科的不断进步和国家畜牧产业发展和结构调整,向行业输送应用型、创新型、技能型兽医人才已成为农业院校人才培养的主要目标。对目前兽医产科学教学现状及存在问题进行了分析,探索了教学内容、教学方法、教学实践等方面的改革与创新研究,以期为提高我国高等农业院校兽医人才培养提供参考。