Sarah Baillie

Teaching bovine abdominal anatomy: use of a haptic simulator.

Traditional methods of teaching anatomy to undergraduate medical and veterinary students are being challenged and need to adapt to modern concerns and requirements. There is a move away from the use of cadavers to new technologies as a way of complementing the traditional approaches and addressing resource and ethical problems. Haptic (touch) technology, which allows the student to feel a 3D computer‐generated virtual environment, provides a novel way to address some of these challenges. To evaluate the practicalities and usefulness of a haptic simulator, first year veterinary students at the Royal Veterinary College, University of London, were taught basic bovine abdominal anatomy using a rectal palpation simulator: “The Haptic Cow.” Over two days, 186 students were taught in small groups and 184 provided feedback via a questionnaire. The results were positive; the majority of students considered that the simulator had been useful for appreciating both the feel and location of key internal anatomical structures, had helped with their understanding of bovine abdominal anatomy and 3D visualization, and the tutorial had been enjoyable. The students were mostly in favor of the small group tutorial format, but some requested more time on the simulator. The findings indicate that the haptic simulator is an engaging way of teaching bovine abdominal anatomy to a large number of students in an efficient manner without using cadavers, thereby addressing some of the current challenges in anatomy teaching. Anat Sci Educ 2: 280–285, 2009.

Introducing Peer Assisted Learning into a Veterinary Curriculum: A Trial with a Simulator

Peer-assisted learning (PAL) was implemented in the context of delivering training with a simulator, the Haptic Cow. This project was undertaken as a way of increasing student access to the simulator and to investigate the possibility of using PAL more extensively in the curriculum. Peer tutors attended a workshop to learn basic teaching skills and were then trained to use the simulator. The tutors taught their peers the basic skills for bovine rectal palpation with the simulator. The PAL project was evaluated using questionnaires and a focus group to gather feedback from both tutors and learners. Sixteen peer tutors trained 99 fellow students with the simulator. Both tutors and learners thought that there were certain advantages in students, rather than veterinarians, delivering the training. Student tutors were less intimidating and could relate more closely to the difficulties of their peers. However, lack of knowledge was identified as a potential issue. Students reported certain benefits from their role as tutors, including improvements in communication skills, knowledge of the subject area, and confidence in performing bovine rectal palpation. Additionally, the skills developed, including learning to teach, were considered to be useful for their future careers as veterinarians. Tutors and learners supported the continued use of PAL both with the simulator and in other areas of the course. The trial of PAL proved a successful way of delivering simulator-based training and the project has provided a basis for the further use of PAL in our curriculum.

Assessing Competence in Veterinary Medical Education: Where's the Evidence?

A systematic review of the literature was carried out to determine the evidence for the reliability and validity of the assessment methods used in veterinary medical education. The review followed the approach used by the Best Evidence Medical Education (BEME) group. This process has established baseline data on published evidence and found that a relatively small number of articles exist relating to assessment specific to veterinary medical education. These articles include a number of general discussion papers, employer observations on graduate competence, and descriptions of methods to assess particular attributes--in particular, clinical skills. However, only five of the papers retrieved in this comprehensive search provide evidence relating to evaluation of the assessment method itself. There is a need for more research on assessment of clinical competence in veterinary medical education.

Haptic stiffness identification by veterinarians and novices: A comparison

Palpation is important in both veterinary and medical health professions. It is however difficult to learn, teach and assess. More must be understood about the skills involved in palpation. The present study compares the ability of practicing veterinarians and veterinary students to identify stiffness values. An absolute identification paradigm was used where a force-feedback device rendered virtual surfaces with 5 levels of stiffness within a “clinically relevant” range of 0.2 − 0.5 N/mm. The results from 12 veterinarians and 14 veterinary students show that the veterinarians performed significantly better than the students (p ≪ 0.001). The mean information transfer was 0.97 bits (almost 2 perfectly-identifiable stiffness levels) for the veterinarians and 0.58 bits (1 correctly-identified stiffness level) for the students. However, neither group was able to reliably identify more than 2 levels of stiffness, indicating that the success of veterinarians in clinical practice probably relies on additional properties such as size, shape and texture. Our findings suggest that stiffness perception in the context of veterinary medicine is a learned clinical skill. Quantifying expert ability will help inform teaching methods and set targets for students. Similar psychophysical methods can also be used to monitor student performance throughout the learning process. Future work will examine the contributions of other object properties as well as motor strategies to palpation performance.

Haptics in medicine and clinical skill acquisition [special section intro.]

This special section is about understanding the role of touch in medicine and clinical skill acquisition. three major areas of haptics in medicine and clinical skill acquisition are identified, and papers are presented on each of these topics in the special section: 1. Human haptic perception and motor performance as relevant to medical examinations and procedures. This includes characterization of the nature of haptic information, and how it is perceived, which is necessary to understand how medical professionals use haptics in medical examinations and interventions. 2. Haptic systems and the role of haptics in training and evaluating clinical skills. Haptic simulators address a growing need for effective training and evaluation of clinical skills. Such simulators can be applied in a wide variety of medical professions and disciplines, including surgery, interventional radiology, anaesthesiology, dentistry, veterinary medicine, and the allied health professions. These simulators rely on both technology development (devices, software, and systems) and an understanding of how humans use haptic feedback to perform established clinical skills or learn novel skills. 3. Using haptics to improve the performance of medical interventions. Current trends in interventional medicine remove direct contact between the patient and the clinician. Bilateral teleoperators and ?smart? instruments that use tactile sensing/display devices, sensory substitutions systems, and other methods to enhance haptic feedback to a clinician should improve the performance of interventions.

Evaluating an automated haptic simulator designed for veterinary students to learn bovine rectal palpation.

Introduction: Simulators provide a potential solution to some of the challenges faced when teaching internal examinations to medical or veterinary students. A virtual reality simulator, the Haptic Cow, has been developed to teach bovine rectal palpation to veterinary students, and significant training benefits have been demonstrated. However, the training needs to be delivered by an instructor, a requirement that limits availability. This article describes the development and evaluation of an automated version that students could use on their own. Methods: An automated version was developed based on a recording of an experts examination. The performance of two groups of eight students was compared. All students had undergone the traditional training in the course, namely lectures and laboratory practicals, and then group S used the simulator whereas group R had no additional training. The students were set the task of finding the uterus when examining cows. The simulator was then made available to students, and feedback about the “usability” was gathered with a questionnaire. Results: The group whose training had been supplemented with a simulator session were significantly better at finding the uterus. The questionnaire feedback was positive and indicated that students found the simulator easy to use. Conclusions: The automated simulator equipped students with useful skills for examining cows. In addition, a simulator that does not need the presence of an instructor will increase the availability of training for students and be a more sustainable option for institutions.

Which professional (non-technical) competencies are most important to the success of graduate veterinarians? A Best Evidence Medical Education (BEME) systematic review: BEME Guide No. 38

ABSTRACT Background: Despite the growing prominence of professional (non-technical) competencies in veterinary education, the evidence to support their importance to veterinary graduates is unclear. Aim: To summarize current evidence within the veterinary literature for the importance of professional competencies to graduate success. Methods: A systematic search of electronic databases was conducted (CAB Abstracts, Web of Science, PubMed, PsycINFO, ERIC, Australian and British Education Index, Dissertations & Theses) from 1988 to 2015 and limited to the veterinary discipline (veterinar* term required). Evidence was sought from consensus-based competence frameworks, surveys of stakeholder perceptions, and empirical evidence linked to relevant outcomes (e.g. employability, client satisfaction or compliance). Data extraction was completed by two independent reviewers and included a quality assessment of each source. Results: Fifty-two sources were included in the review, providing evidence from expert frameworks (10 sources), stakeholder perceptions (30 sources, including one from the previous category), and empirical research (13 sources). Communication skills were the only competency to be well-supported by all three categories of evidence. Other competencies supported by multiple sources of empirical evidence include empathy, relationship-centered care, self-efficacy, and business skills. Other competencies perceived to be relatively more important included awareness of limitations, professional values, critical thinking, collaboration, and resilience. Conclusions: This review has highlighted the comparatively weak body of evidence supporting the importance of professional competencies for veterinary graduate success, with the exception of communication skills. However we stress this is more indicative of the scarcity of high-quality veterinary-based education research in the field, than of the true priority of these competencies.

Web 2.0 and the veterinary profession: current trends and future implications for lifelong learning

The NOVICE project is an EU initiative under the Lifelong Learning Programme, which aims to develop an online, professional network to promote informal, lifelong learning within the veterinary profession, using Web 2.0 tools. To inform the development of the network, a need analysis study was undertaken with relevant stakeholders. Focus group discussions were undertaken with veterinary students and veterinarians and a survey was administered to first-year students and recent graduates. The results indicate that use of computers and the internet is ubiquitous among junior members of the profession and that use of Web 2.0 tools is increasing. Concerns raised in relation to participation in online communities include verifying the quality of information and issues around professionalism. Compared with face-to-face communities, online communities were perceived to offer a number of advantages. These include convenient access to expert advice on an international scale, as well as helping to alleviate certain barriers to participation in formal, continuing education such as time, distance and cost.

A method of developing and introducing case-based learning to a preclinical veterinary curriculum.

Case‐based learning (CBL) has been introduced as part of a major review of the veterinary curriculum at the University of Bristol. The initial aim was to improve integration between all first year subjects, i.e., basic science disciplines (anatomy, physiology, and biochemistry), animal management, and professional studies, while highlighting the relevance by providing clinical context. The CBL was delivered as whole class sessions in a lecture theatre, as small group teaching facilities were not readily available, co‐facilitated by two to four basic scientists and clinicians. Active learning tasks were included by using an audience response system and encouraging discussion. A case template was developed in PowerPoint and then populated by basic science and clinical staff in an iterative design process. Comments from a student focus group informed the design of the case sessions. Feedback collected from students via a survey after the first three cases suggested that CBL was well received and assisted students in integrating material taught in the first year units and was used to further improve the ongoing case design. The project team developed eight cases for Year 1 and is implementing CBL in various formats throughout the curriculum. There was a considerable time commitment in developing each case; however, the use of readily available software and the large group format overcame limitations, including resourcing small group sessions. This article reports a model that could be successfully adapted by other institutions wishing to use CBL to provide clinical context and promote integration of the basic sciences. Anat Sci Educ.

International survey of veterinarians to assess the importance of competencies in professional practice and education

OBJECTIVE To determine the perceived importance of specific competencies in professional veterinary practice and education among veterinarians in several countries. DESIGN Survey-based prospective study. SAMPLE 1,137 veterinarians in 10 countries. PROCEDURES Veterinarians were invited via email to participate in the study. A framework of 18 competencies grouped into 7 domains (veterinary expertise, communication, collaboration, entrepreneurship, health and welfare, scholarship, and personal development) was used. Respondents rated the importance of each competency for veterinary professional practice and for veterinary education by use of a 9-point Likert scale in an online questionnaire. Quantitative statistical analyses were performed to assess the data. RESULTS All described competencies were perceived as having importance (with overall mean ratings [all countries] ≥ 6.45/9) for professional practice and education. Competencies related to veterinary expertise had the highest ratings (overall mean, 8.33/9 for both professional practice and education). For the veterinary expertise, entrepreneurship, and scholarship domains, substantial differences (determined on the basis of statistical significance and effect size) were found in importance ratings among veterinarians in different countries. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE Results indicated a general consensus regarding the importance of specific types of competencies in veterinary professional practice and education. Further research into the definition of competencies essential for veterinary professionals is needed to help inform an international dialogue on the subject.