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Importance: Developing clinical skills is an essential element of veterinary education to ensure the competency of veterinary graduates. Although the Korean Veterinary Education Graduation Competencies were established in 2016, reflecting domestic needs and international trends in competency-based veterinary education, they have yet to be implemented in Korean veterinary education., Objective: This study aimed to establish the basic veterinary clinical skills required to ensure graduates of Korean veterinary universities have the day-one competency to independently perform their professional duties., Methods: The Education Committee of the Korean Association of Veterinary Medical Colleges, composed of veterinary school professors and an experienced veterinarian in the clinic, reviewed domestic and international veterinary education-related materials to define basic clinical skills., Results: The Korean Veterinarian Entrustable Professional Activities (KVEPA) was introduced, followed by the subsequent development of 54 essential clinical skills based on the KVEPA., Conclusions and Relevance: The veterinary basic clinical skills established through this study can be used as a specific guide for clinical education in Korean veterinary school, and is expected to play an important role in meeting the needs of the educational sector of the veterinary education accreditation standards., Competing Interests: The authors declare no conflicts of interest., (© 2024 The Korean Society of Veterinary Science.)

Interweaving diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) into the standards for accreditation requires veterinary schools to review their curriculum and determine what framework works best for them to implement those changes. The Competency-Based Veterinary Education framework is one that is available via the American Association of Veterinary Medical Colleges (AAVMC) to reach those standards. Five standards have DEI components versus having a single standard of DEI as previously Standards of Accreditation by the Council on Education had approved., Competing Interests: Disclosure The author has no conflicts of interest., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Objective: The authors' objective was to document the effects of evolving veterinary accreditation standards on the development of currently existing accredited US and Canadian veterinary school libraries in the late nineteenth and twentieth centuries., Methods: We gathered historical standards that major veterinary accreditation agencies developed with respect to libraries and library services. Historical background on college libraries, their facilities, services, and personnel via surveys, literature searches, and archival documents was also collected. We then correlated the evolving standards with each library's development., Results: There was a marked correlation between the prevailing accreditation standards and library development, particularly during the post-World War II era and through the mid-1980s. These impacts-which included new and separate facilities, hiring of professional librarians, and additional open hours-affected not only the twenty new developing veterinary schools, but also the libraries of the preexisting colleges., Conclusions: Professional veterinary accrediting standards were an important influence on the evolution of veterinary school libraries, particularly during the years of major growth in the number of new veterinary colleges in the United States and Canada. In the 1990s and beyond, both libraries and accreditation standards continue to evolve in response to changes in technology, economics, publishing methods, and more. This latter is a story yet to be told., (Copyright: © 2020, Authors.)

A global review of veterinary medical education (VME) programmes shows that, of 194 countries, 111 (57%) have 597 veterinary medical academic institutions (VMAIs) with 15 different names, which offer veterinary degrees with 54 different titles. The highest number of universities (n = 148; 25%), in 27 (14%) countries, award a veterinary medical degree (Doctor of Veterinary Medicine [DVM]), followed by the science degree (Bachelor of Veterinary Science [BVSc]) awarded by 28 (5%) universities in 9 (5%) countries. In addition to three original Universities of Veterinary Medicine, 23 veterinary-related universities have been established with titles such as 'Veterinary, Animal and Fishery Sciences', which do not reflect the VME programmes. The award of Bachelor of Science (BSc) degrees in Animal Husbandry (AH), Poultry Science and Dairy Technology created confusion and increased competition with veterinary graduates for positions in the dairy and poultry industries. Some countries, including Japan and Australia, have changed from the British single degree system to the American dual degree system. The American Veterinary Medical Association Council on Education has classified the 597 VMAIs into 'accredited' (n = 49; 8.2%), 'listed' (n = 468; 78.4%) and 'unlisted' (n = 80; 13.4%) categories. The diversity of nomenclature of VMAIs, degrees, curricula and training status of veterinary graduates may affect the globalisation of VME according to the 'One Health' concept. Veterinary medical professionals and international organisations must think creatively about the future of global VME, especially with regard to the standardisation of the nomenclature of institutions, degrees, professional associations and core curricula, to contribute effectively to biomedical sciences and One Health at the national and global levels.

First-year didactic course instructors at the University of Illinois College of Veterinary Medicine leverage earlier clinical rotation experiences with weekly "Clinical Correlations" exercises to provide early exposure to critical clinical thinking (CCT). This study evaluated the efficacy of individual and paired group exercises on CCT development. Before and after instruction, the Cornell Critical Thinking Test (Level Z) (CCTTZ) was administered. Based on the hypothesis that students with higher scores would coach lower-scoring colleagues during group exercises, heterogeneous groups with similar mean scores were established for the year. Students completed 14 individual and paired group exercises over 6 months. Exercises were designed to increase in complexity and decline in scaffolding. Seven of the exercises were cases using the Applied Learning Platform (ALP) at http://www.whenknowingmatters.com . Student analyses were scored according to a six-category critical-thinking rubric using a 5-point scale. Consistent with our hypothesis, individual and group rubric scores increased significantly, plateauing near the end of the year. Contrary to our hypothesis, mean overall CCTTZ scores did not change, but there was a small statistically significant increase in the ability to assess the validity of an argument. Student attitudes were mixed. Positive comments focused on reinforcement of prior didactic instruction, while negative comments focused on preparation time needed to conduct research on clinical concepts, and on a lack of explicit evaluation by summative examinations. Nonetheless, end-of-year GPAs correlated linearly with cumulative individual rubric scores. In summary, the value of early curriculum CCT training was confirmed when discipline-specific criteria were applied.

Four years after the institution of a new curriculum at the University of Pretoria's Faculty of Veterinary Science, a second major curricular renewal was initiated as a result of several pressing drivers, many of which were unique to the national and institutional context. During the project, South African higher education was disrupted by student protests prompted by financial pressures on students, the overt colonial structure of higher education, and the need to accelerate transformation of the sector. A structured curricular renewal process was followed, including the laying down of the principles, the structuring the macro-curriculum as a story, the design of a meso- and micro-curriculum, and the mapping of the curriculum to Day One outcomes. The resulting program is a 6-year bachelor's degree with a blend of discipline and species modules, with the first cohort graduating in 2016. There is a strong focus on skills embodied in a 62-week experiential component, managed using a unique custom-designed online platform for booking placements, documenting exposure, assessing competency, and providing feedback to students. The experiential training includes a large elective component. Several causes of loss of impetus during the process are discussed and proposals are made for avoiding these. The value of accreditation as a driver and a source of inputs is evident. The process has succeeded in producing a significantly reshaped curriculum that has been well received by external stakeholders.

Beginning in 2005, the Doctor of Veterinary Medicine program at the University of California underwent major curricular review and reform. To provide information for others that follow, we have documented our process and commented on factors that were critical to success, as well as factors we found surprising, difficult, or problematic. The review and reform were initiated by the Executive Committee, who led the process and commissioned the committees. The planning stage took 6 years and involved four faculty committees, while the implementation stage took 5 years and was led by the Curriculum Committee. We are now in year 2 of the institutionalizing stage and no longer refer to our reform as the "new curriculum." The change was driven by a desire to improve the curriculum and the learning environment of the students by aligning the delivery of information with current teaching methodologies and implementing adult learning strategies. We moved from a department- and discipline-based curriculum to a school-wide integrated block curriculum that emphasized student-centered, inquiry-based learning. A limit was placed on in-class time to allow students to apply classroom knowledge by solving problems and cases. We found the journey long and arduous, requiring tremendous commitment and effort. In the change process, we learned the importance of adequate planning, leadership, communication, and a reward structure for those doing the "heavy lifting." Specific to our curricular design, we learned the importance of the block leader role, of setting clear expectations for students, and of partnering with students on the journey.

Curriculum managers of the Bachelor of Veterinary Science program at Massey University have undertaken major curricular review every 5-10 years and also made adjustments to the program as a result of student and other stakeholder feedback. New curricula introduced in 2003 and 2013 aimed to address specific stakeholder requirements in the veterinary, agricultural, and allied industries. The new curricula initially sought to strengthen clinical skills but more recently focused on the core professional skill of client communication, the integration of knowledge and clinical skills, and a better understanding of the effects of herd health interventions on farm economics. The need for greater emphasis on the veterinarian's role in One Health at the intersection of humans, animals, and the environment was also recognized. The most recent curricular review was preceded by faculty enlightenment and discussion about innovative models of medical education with a focus on student-centered and integrated learning. A new curriculum was introduced from 2013 that presented more material in its clinical context, attempted to manage curriculum overload through a focus on Day One Competences, implemented vertical and horizontal integration of subjects, and introduced more problem-based and student-centered learning. Regular reviews of student workload were needed to ensure that the objectives were achieved, but student feedback has generally been positive.

Experiential learning through the use of standardized patients (SPs) is the primary way by which human medical schools teach clinical communication. The profession of veterinary medicine has followed suit in response to new graduates' and their employers' concerns that veterinary interpersonal skills are weak and unsatisfactory. As a result, standardized clients (SCs) are increasingly relied upon as invaluable teaching tools within veterinary curricula to advance relationship-centered care in the context of a clinical scenario. However, there is little to no uniformity in the approach that various colleges of veterinary medicine take when designing simulation-based education (SBE). A further complication is that programs with pre-conceived curricula must now make room for training in clinical communication. Curricular time constraints challenge veterinary colleges to individually decide how best to utilize SCs in what time is available. Because it is a new program, Midwestern University College of Veterinary Medicine (MWU CVM) has had the flexibility and the freedom to prioritize an innovative approach to SBE. The author discusses the SBE that is currently underway at MWU CVM, which incorporates 27 standardized client encounters over eight consecutive pre-clinical quarters. Prior to entering clinical rotations, MWU CVM students are exposed to a variety of simulation formats, species, clients, settings, presenting complaints, and communication tasks. These represent key learning opportunities for students to practice clinical communication, develop self-awareness, and strategize their approach to future clinical experiences.

The organization and delivery of a curriculum is the responsibility of the faculty in educational institutions. Curricular revision is often a hotly debated topic in any college faculty. At the University of Illinois, a 2006 mandate for curriculum modernization from the American Veterinary Medical Association Council on Education provided impetus for a long-discussed curricular revision. After two iterations and a lengthy development process, a new curriculum was gradually implemented at Illinois with the August 2009 matriculation of the Class of 2013. The goals of the revision included earlier clinical exposure for veterinary students through introductions to clinical rotations in years 1 to 3 and an integrated body systems approach in lecture/laboratory courses. A new Clinical Skills Learning Center facilitates development of clinical skills earlier in the curriculum and promotes the development of those skills throughout all 4 years of the curriculum. New outcomes assessments include comprehensive written examinations and Objective Structured Clinical Examinations (OSCEs) in years 2 and 3. Curriculum management, including grading of clinical rotations in all 4 years, is achieved through a commercially available software package. For the past 5 years, when candidates were asked why they chose to apply to Illinois, the new curriculum (27.4%) was the most common answer given during interviews. The Illinois revision has resulted in measurably increased veterinary student self-confidence (p<.001) at graduation.

Curricular review is considered a necessary component for growth and enhancement of academic programs and requires time, energy, creativity, and persistence from both faculty and administration. At Texas A&M College of Veterinary Medicine & Biomedical Sciences (TAMU), the faculty and administration partnered with the university's Center for Teaching Excellence to create a faculty-driven, data-enhanced curricular redesign process. The 8-step process begins with the formation of a dedicated faculty curriculum design team to drive the redesign process and to support the college curriculum committee. The next steps include defining graduate outcomes and mapping the current curriculum to identify gaps and redundancies across the curriculum. Data are collected from internal and external stakeholders including veterinary students, faculty, alumni, and employers of graduates. Data collected through curriculum mapping and stakeholder engagement substantiate the curriculum redesign. The guidelines, supporting documents, and 8-step process developed at TAMU are provided to assist other veterinary schools in successful curricular redesign. This is the first of a two-part report that provides the background, context, and description of the process for charting the course for curricular change. The process involves defining expected learning outcomes for new graduates, conducting a curriculum mapping exercise, and collecting stakeholder data for curricular evaluation (steps 1-4). The second part of the report describes the development of rubrics that were applied to the graduate learning outcomes (steps 5-8) and engagement of faculty during the implementation phases of data-driven curriculum change.

Current guidelines suggest that educators in both medical and veterinary professions should do more to ensure that students can tolerate ambiguity. Designing curricula to achieve this requires the ability to measure and understand differences in ambiguity tolerance among and within professional groups. Although scales have been developed to measure tolerance of ambiguity in both medical and veterinary professions, no comparative studies have been reported. We compared the tolerance of ambiguity of medical and veterinary students, hypothesizing that veterinary students would have higher tolerance of ambiguity, given the greater patient diversity and less well-established evidence base underpinning practice. We conducted a secondary analysis of questionnaire data from first- to fourth-year medical and veterinary students. Tolerance of ambiguity scores were calculated and compared using the TAMSAD scale (29 items validated for the medical student population), the TAVS scale (27 items validated for the veterinary student population), and a scale comprising the 22 items common to both scales. Using the TAMSAD and TAVS scales, medical students had a significantly higher mean tolerance of ambiguity score than veterinary students (56.1 vs. 54.1, p<.001 and 60.4 vs. 58.5, p=.002, respectively) but no difference was seen when only the 22 shared items were compared (56.1 vs. 57.2, p=.513). The results do not support our hypothesis and highlight that different findings can result when different tools are used. Medical students may have slightly higher tolerance of ambiguity than veterinary students, although this depends on the scale used.

The objective of this study was to determine if a revised, recently implemented curriculum, embracing an integrated block design with a focus on student-centered, inquiry-based learning, had a different effect on veterinary medical students' approaches to studying than the previous curriculum. A total of 577 students completed a questionnaire consisting of the short version of the Approaches and Study Skills Inventory for Students (ASSIST). It included questions relating to conceptions about learning, approaches to studying, and preferences for different types of courses and teaching. In addition, students were asked to respond to general questions regarding the design of the revised curriculum. The scores for the deep and strategic learning approaches were higher for students studying under the previous curriculum compared to the revised curriculum, despite the fact that the revised curriculum was specifically designed to foster deep learning. The scores for the surface learning approach were lower in the students studying the revised curriculum compared to students studying under the previous curriculum. We identified the following factors affecting student learning: alteration of learning activities, such as problem-based learning, from the recommended models; a lack of instructor support for the revised curriculum; assessments that were not aligned to encourage critical thinking; and directed self-learning activities that were too comprehensive to complete in the allotted time. The results of this study can be used to improve the implementation of student-centered and inquiry-based curricula by identifying potential problems that could prevent a deep learning approach in veterinary medical students.

Curriculum review is an essential part of ongoing curriculum development, and is a mandate of the American Veterinary Medical Association Council on Education (AVMA COE), the accrediting body of all North American schools and colleges of veterinary medicine. This article describes the steps in curriculum review undertaken by the University of Minnesota College of Veterinary Medicine (UMN CVM) in response to this mandate from the COE and to a recommendation from a recent collegiate review that was part of a larger university-level strategic planning effort. The challenges of reviewing and revising the curriculum within a short time frame were met by appointing a dedicated curriculum review board and by engaging students and faculty groups, both as focus groups and as specific faculty work sections within disciplines. Faculty voting on the process was very valuable as it permitted the curriculum review board and faculty groups to move ahead knowing there was a process in place for reassessment if most faculty did not agree with recommendations. Consistent support from the dean of the college and other administrators was vital in helping maintain momentum for curriculum review.

The "hidden curriculum" has long been supposed to have an effect on students' learning during their clinical education, and in particular in shaping their ideas of what it means to be a professional. Despite this, there has been little evidence linking specific changes in professional attitudes to the individual components of the hidden curriculum. This study aimed to recognize those components that led to a change in students' professional attitudes at a UK veterinary school, as well as to identify the attitudes most affected. Observations were made of 11 student groups across five clinical rotations, followed by semi-structured interviews with 23 students at the end of their rotation experience. Data were combined and analyzed thematically, taking both an inductive and deductive approach. Views about the importance of technical competence and communication skills were promoted as a result of students' interaction with the hidden curriculum, and tensions were revealed in relation to their attitudes toward compassion and empathy, autonomy and responsibility, and lifestyle ethic. The assessment processes of rotations and the clinical service organization served to communicate the messages of the hidden curriculum, bringing about changes in student professional attitudes, while student-selected role models and the student rotation groups moderated the effects of these influences.

Building capacity is synonymous with sustaining development. Both are required to fuel progress and propel efforts towards heightening health and security. The urgency to build capacity has been catalysed by an increasing number of sanitary crises, threats, and disease outbreaks that have spanned countries, regions and continents. Education has often bridged the gaps in learning, but it has also divided the ways in which learning is practised. Differing cultural, religious and political beliefs, together with alternate economic priorities, have meant that countries have been advocating for education to meet their own specific needs, and not necessarily those of the international community. The varying contents of veterinary curricula around the world do not always demonstrate that the initial education of veterinary students provides them with the necessary skill sets to fulfil their responsibilities as key actors in the private and public sectors of national Veterinary Services. This has resulted in discrepancies in the competencies acquired by veterinarians and their capacities to uphold good veterinary governance and practices. To address this educational imbalance, the World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE) has drafted recommendations and guidelines to assist Veterinary Education Establishments worldwide with improving the breadth and depth of their veterinary curricula in order to strengthen their national Veterinary Services. The OIE has, furthermore, developed a twinning programme for Veterinary Education Establishments, under which learning opportunities for teaching staff and students are created and shared. Twinning has, to date, proved to be an effective and powerful mechanism through which developments in veterinary education through mutual capacity and confidence-building can be sustained.

Aim: To determine the period prevalence of needlestick injury (NSI) at the Massey University Veterinary Teaching Hospital (VTH) and to identify handling and disposal practices that may contribute to the risk of NSI., Methods: Observations of personnel were conducted in the equine (EVH) and companion animal (CAH) clinics of the VTH during scheduled clinical activities over 9- and 10-day periods, respectively. The number and type of NSI incidents, needle uncapping, capping and disposal events were recorded for veterinarians, nurses and other personnel (visitors and students). The number of needle-related practices, as a proportion of observations, were compared between CAH and EVH, and veterinarians, nurses and others using χ(2) tests., Results: Needlestick injury was not observed during 190 and 163 needle handling and disposal observations in the CAH and EVH, respectively. Uncapping of needles by mouth was observed and was practised more by veterinarians (15/119; 13%) than nurses (2/42; 5%) and others (6/193; 3%) (p=0.001). Two-handed needle recapping after use was observed 265/354 times, and the one handed scooping technique was rarely observed (8/352). In the case of needle disposal, EVH workers used a container that was not purpose built for disposal more than CAH staff (p=0.02), or placed them in a pocket more frequently (p=0.003). Needle disposal containers were available on adjacent bench tops for 65/190 (34%) CAH observations, but no EVH observations. For 51/163 (31%) EVH observations the needle disposal containers were located on the ground, whereas none were observed there in the CAH. No approved sharps containers were observed in the immediate EVH and CAH work areas for 47/163 (28.8%) and 1/191 (0.5%) needle-handling activities, respectively., Conclusions: Unsafe needle-handling practices must be reduced by policies and training programmes to encourage safe needle-related practices, and ensuring that approved sharps containers are available in close proximity to where needles are used.

Knowledge of nutrition is vital for veterinarians to inform owners about care of healthy pets and management of disease. Owners wish to have information from the veterinary health care team (VHT), and graduate veterinarians should be sufficiently educated to provide evidence-based information. Many veterinary practitioners feel that their veterinary school education in small-animal nutrition was insufficient. This survey presents the information on nutrition education in 63 European veterinary schools, including attitudes about teaching of nutrition, importance of nutrition, satisfaction of graduate performance and skills in nutrition, existing and required curriculum hours in nutrition, existing and required teaching staff, and barriers to achieving adequate teaching. The questionnaire was provided online to university deans and faculty members. The majority of schools felt that nutrition was important, but lacked staff numbers or knowledge to teach adequately. Many were also restricted by a crowded curriculum. Potential solutions include hiring a nutritionist, outsourcing nutrition education, and/or using online materials.

Background: Controversy exists regarding the optimal duration of storage of units of canine packed red blood cells (PRBC) prior to transfusion, resulting in different blood usage strategies between hospitals. Two hospitals were studied: At North Carolina State University (NCSU), usage protocol dictates that the oldest units of PRBC (stored the longest) are prioritized for transfusion; whereas, at Ontario Veterinary College (OVC), units of PRBC are sorted according to age (days after collection) and PRBC are selected for transfusion according to clinician or technician discretion, such that PRBC could be administered after any storage duration, with no preference given to older units., Objective: To evaluate differences in the age of PRBC administered to dogs at 2 veterinary hospitals with different age-related PRBC usage protocols during a 1-year period (2010-2011)., Key Findings: The average age of units of PRBC administered at NCSU was older than that at OVC (P < 0.001). Additionally, a higher number of PRBC units older than 14 days old were transfused at NCSU (P < 0.001), and the age of the oldest administered PRBC unit was also older at NCSU (P < 0.001). NCSU discarded approximately 15 expired PRBC units, whereas OVC discarded 96 expired PRBC units during the study period., Significance: A standardized protocol for the priority administration of the oldest stored PRBC resulted in the administration of significantly older PRBC, but fewer expired units of PRBC were discarded., (© Veterinary Emergency and Critical Care Society 2015.)

A survey was conducted to assess progress by accredited veterinary medical colleges in the United States and Canada with regard to implementation of recommendations from the North American Veterinary Medical Education Consortium (NAVMEC). Results indicated broad support for many of the recommendations and a willingness among stakeholders in veterinary medical education to accelerate their implementation. Respondents also expressed a desire for evidence-based decisions and detailed implementation planning. Many colleges of veterinary medicine reported progress on initiatives started prior to the meetings of the NAVMEC that closely aligned with NAVMEC recommendations. Only isolated progress toward implementation of system-wide recommendations that required coordination among multiple colleges of veterinary medicine and other stakeholders was identified. Survey results confirmed the need for changes to the current veterinary medical education paradigm and a commitment among many stakeholders to work together to effect these changes.

Background: In competency-based medical education emphasis has shifted towards outcomes, capabilities, and learner-centeredness. Together with a focus on sustained evidence of professional competence this calls for new methods of teaching and assessment. Recently, medical educators advocated the use of a holistic, programmatic approach towards assessment. Besides maximum facilitation of learning it should improve the validity and reliability of measurements and documentation of competence development. We explored how, in a competency-based curriculum, current theories on programmatic assessment interacted with educational practice., Methods: In a development study including evaluation, we investigated the implementation of a theory-based programme of assessment. Between April 2011 and May 2012 quantitative evaluation data were collected and used to guide group interviews that explored the experiences of students and clinical supervisors with the assessment programme. We coded the transcripts and emerging topics were organised into a list of lessons learned., Results: The programme mainly focuses on the integration of learning and assessment by motivating and supporting students to seek and accumulate feedback. The assessment instruments were aligned to cover predefined competencies to enable aggregation of information in a structured and meaningful way. Assessments that were designed as formative learning experiences were increasingly perceived as summative by students. Peer feedback was experienced as a valuable method for formative feedback. Social interaction and external guidance seemed to be of crucial importance to scaffold self-directed learning. Aggregating data from individual assessments into a holistic portfolio judgement required expertise and extensive training and supervision of judges., Conclusions: A programme of assessment with low-stakes assessments providing simultaneously formative feedback and input for summative decisions proved not easy to implement. Careful preparation and guidance of the implementation process was crucial. Assessment for learning requires meaningful feedback with each assessment. Special attention should be paid to the quality of feedback at individual assessment moments. Comprehensive attention for faculty development and training for students is essential for the successful implementation of an assessment programme.