Collaborative Development of a Shared Framework for Competency-Based Veterinary Education.

Competency-based medical education is an educational innovation implemented in health professions worldwide as a means to ensure graduates meet patient and societal needs. The focus on student-centered education and programmatic outcomes offers a series of benefits to learners, institutions and society. However, efforts to establish a shared, comprehensive competency-based framework in veterinary education have lagged. This article reports on the development and outcome of a competency-based veterinary education (CBVE) framework created through multi-institutional collaboration with international input from veterinary educators and veterinary educational leaders. The CBVE Framework is designed to reflect the competencies expected of new graduates from member institutions of the Association of American Veterinary Medical Colleges (AAVMC). The CBVE Framework consists of nine domains of competence and 32 competencies, each supplemented with illustrative sub-competencies to guide veterinary schools in implementing competency-based education in their local context. The nine domains of competence are: clinical reasoning and decision-making; individual animal care and management; animal population care and management; public health; communication; collaboration; professionalism and professional identity; financial and practice management; and scholarship. Developed through diverse input to facilitate broad adoption, the CBVE Framework provides the foundation for competency-based curricula and outcomes assessment in veterinary education internationally. We believe that other groups seeking to design a collective product for broad adoption might find useful the methods used to develop the CBVE Framework, including establishing expertise diversity within a small-to-medium size working group, soliciting progressive input and feedback from stakeholders, and engaging in consensus building and critical reflection throughout the development process.

Collaborative Development of Core Entrustable Professional Activities for Veterinary Education.

Entrustable professional activities (EPAs) have been proposed as a practical framework for the implementation of competency-based education. As veterinary education moves toward a competency-based approach, core EPAs provide a context for assessment of workplace activities. This article reports on the development of eight core clinical EPAs for veterinary education created through multi-institutional collaboration, with international input from veterinary educators and veterinary educational leaders. These core EPAs are intended as minimal expectations for clinical activities that should be assessed for every graduate of Association of American Veterinary Medical Colleges member institutions. Adoption of the core EPAs and the associated Competency-Based Veterinary Education (CBVE) framework by veterinary schools is intended to promote Day One graduate competence and thereby enhance patient care and client service.

Obturator-Assisted Prolapse for Access to and Sampling of Colorectal Masses in Seven Dogs.

The gold standard for diagnosis of colorectal masses is surgical biopsy; however, this is not always logistically or economically feasible. The authors present an alternative to established flexible and rigid endoscopic approaches when case limitations require such an approach. In seven dogs, after the identification of a mass on physical exam and computed tomographic evaluation, the colorectum was accessed using obturator-assisted prolapse to isolate discrete masses and perform shielded sampling via core needle biopsy. Histopathologic diagnosis was adequate for treatment planning in all dogs. No major complications were recorded 65-475 days after the procedure. This technique may be useful when traditional endoscopy and surgery for biopsy of colorectal masses is unavailable.

Development of core entrustable professional activities linked to a competency-based veterinary education framework.

Purpose: Despite the adoption of competency-based education in some veterinary schools over the past 15 years, only recently has a concerted effort been directed toward this in veterinary education internationally.Methods: In 2015, educational leaders from the Association of American Veterinary Medical Colleges (AAVMC) member schools came together with a strong call to action to create shared tools for clinical competency assessment.Results: This resulted in the formation of the AAVMC Competency-Based Veterinary Education (CBVE) Working Group, which then embarked on the creation of a shared competency framework and the development of eight core entrustable professional activities (EPAs) linked to this framework.Conclusions: This paper will report on the development of these EPAs and their integration with the concurrently-developed CBVE Framework.

Impact of gender and race-ethnicity on reasons for pursuing a career in veterinary medicine and career aspirations.

OBJECTIVE: To determine the impact of gender and race-ethnicity on reasons applicants to the Purdue University School of Veterinary Medicine decided to pursue a career in veterinary medicine and their career aspirations. DESIGN: Retrospective cross-sectional study. SAMPLE: Personal statements from 694 veterinary medical school applications submitted in 2008. PROCEDURES: Personal statements were read by investigators to identify the turning point for each applicant's decision to pursue a career in veterinary medicine and each applicant's intended career path. RESULTS: Veterinary practice experience and animal ownership were the most frequently stated reasons for pursuing a veterinary career; differences were not identified between males and females. More Caucasian applicants than underrepresented minority (URM) applicants stated veterinary practice experience and more URM applicants than Caucasian applicants cited animal ownership as a reason for pursuing a veterinary career. Many applicants did not cite a specific career path within veterinary medicine; applicants who indicated a career path most often cited veterinary practice. More females than males stated an interest in equine medicine, and more Caucasian applicants than URM applicants indicated an interest in mixed animal practice. More URM applicants than Caucasian applicants indicated a desire to pursue specialty training. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE: Results suggested that veterinary practice experience and animal ownership were important factors influencing applicants' decision to pursue a veterinary career, but many applicants had not selected a specific career path. Opportunities exist to influence the decisions of individuals to become veterinarians and the selection of specific career paths within the veterinary profession.

Cyclic estrous-like behavior in a spayed cat associated with excessive sex-hormone production by an adrenocortical carcinoma.

A 15-year-old, spayed female domestic shorthair cat was evaluated for 1-year duration of cyclic intermittent estrous behavior. Diagnostic testing performed before referral, including baseline progesterone concentration, human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) hormone stimulation test and surgical exploratory laparotomy, had remained inconclusive for a remnant ovary. Evaluation of sex hormones before and after adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) administration revealed increased basal concentrations of androstenedione, estradiol, progesterone, and 17α-hydroxyprogesterone and normal ACTH-stimulated hormone concentrations. Enlargement of the right adrenal gland was identified by abdominal ultrasound. The cat underwent an adrenalectomy and histopathology of the excised adrenal gland was consistent with an adrenocortical carcinoma. Clinical signs resolved immediately following surgery, and most hormone concentrations declined to within or below the reference interval (RI) by 2 months after surgery.

2007 Norden-Pfizer Distinguished Teacher. Evolution of a teacher: helping students learn.

I was honored to receive the 2007 National Carl J. Norden-Pfizer Distinguished Teacher Award. This award reflects the impact that my mentors and students have had on my teaching. I have been fortunate to have dedicated mentors and wonderful students. It is through the support and guidance of colleagues and students that I have been able to grow as a teacher. My students have taught me a lot about being an effective teacher. I will share some key principles that I try to follow in my teaching. These principles can be used in any teaching situation in any discipline.

Pancreatic abscess in 36 dogs: a retrospective analysis of prognostic indicators.

Thirty-six dogs were diagnosed with pancreatic abscess by the presence of purulent exudate within the parenchyma of the pancreas during exploratory laparotomy. Data regarding history, physical examination findings, clinicopathological data, diagnostic imaging findings, bacteriological culture results, abdominal drainage technique, and perioperative treatment were evaluated for factors predictive of survival. Elevated blood urea nitrogen, serum alkaline phosphatase activity, and rising bicarbonate ion concentration were each found to have statistically significant (P<0.05) influences on survival to discharge. Twenty-two (71%) of 36 dogs died or were euthanized prior to discharge from the hospital.

Spontaneous retrograde movement of ureteroliths in two dogs and five cats.

CASE DESCRIPTION: 2 dogs and 5 cats were evaluated for treatment of ureteroliths. CLINICAL FINDINGS: Spontaneous retrograde movement of 1 or more ureteroliths was detected by radiography, ultrasonography, fluoroscopy, and a combination of fluoroscopy and ultrasonography. The ureteroliths moved retrograde up to 4 centimeters. Retrograde movement of ureteroliths into the renal pelvis resulted in improved renal function in some patients but made complete surgical removal of all uroliths more difficult. TREATMENT AND OUTCOME: Medical management was not successful, and ureteroliths were surgically removed. Surgical management of ureteroliths was complicated by retrograde movement of ureteroliths in the perioperative period. CLINICAL RELEVANCE: Ureteroliths can move retrograde within the ureter and even back into the renal pelvis. Retrograde movement of ureteroliths may make surgical planning more difficult.

Omentalization of the thorax for treatment of idiopathic chylothorax with constrictive pleuritis in a cat.

A 6-year-old, spayed female Himalayan cat with idiopathic chylothorax, which failed to respond to medical management, was successfully treated by advancement of the omentum into the thorax. Exploratory thoracotomy revealed severe, constrictive pleuritis as a sequela to chylothorax. Because of the poor prognosis for recovery from chylothorax in cats with thoracic duct ligation alone, and the lack of success in performing thoracic duct ligation in this cat, the omentum was advanced into the thorax through a hole created in the diaphragm and sutured within the thoracic cavity. The cat recovered from surgery and is clinically normal 13 months postoperatively. Omental advancement may be an effective surgical management technique for this challenging disease in cats.