The Curriculum Plan

Philosophy and Core Content

Vision Statement 2 states that the curriculum is to be ‘outcome-focussed’ implying that the content and competencies to be learned during the whole program should be relevant to the ultimate roles of the veterinary practitioner. This has become one of the most influential basic philosophies of professional education over the last few years, though more evident in its application and implementation in medical schools than in veterinary schools (Harden 2002, Davis 2003, Newble et al. 2005). There are various models of achieving this (Harden et al. 1999, Ross et al.1999) but the one being adopted and adapted for the School is the ‘Sheffield model’ as developed by Professor Newble and his colleagues, and one which has been shown to be transferable to the Australian context in both medicine and dentistry (Newble et al. 2005). It will be an innovative approach within veterinary education.
 
This approach defines the outcomes under three broad categories – University Graduate Attributes, Professional and Practical
 Veterinary Competencies and Underpinning Veterinary Sciences (Basic,
 Clinical, Behavioural, and Veterinary Public Health and Population Health 
Sciences).

Outcome Objectives for each are defined in broad terms. Examples of Veterinary Competencies, which are defined by the University of Adelaide for all programs, are ‘Is able to apply effective, creative and innovative solution, both independently and cooperatively, to current and future problems’ and ‘Is proficient in the appropriate use of contemporary technologies’. Examples of Clinical Competencies are ‘Gathers relevant information about the patient’; ‘Conducts relevant procedures’ and ‘Adopts a questioning approach’. Then, most importantly, these are used as a framework for preparing content blueprints around a comprehensive list of clinical problems that present to veterinary practitioners (eg cough, abnormal behaviour, diarrhoea). For each problem the specific competencies and underpinning knowledge required to understand, diagnose and manage the problem are identified. The total output from all the problem blueprints provides the content for the core curriculum. This approach has been highly successful in dealing with the perennial problem of professional curricula – content overload. It ensures that only content relevant to future veterinary practice is included and assessed in the core curriculum.

A provisional list of veterinary problems/presentations has been constructed based on published lists including the new UK Veterinary Group Diagnostic Codes (Royal Veterinary College, personal communication) and the Programme Outcomes of the Veterinary Curriculum (University of Utrecht, 2006). This will be validated locally. Groups of clinicians and scientists will then be involved in producing the blueprints which will ultimately be available on-line in a searchable core curriculum database for use by both staff and students.

BSc (Animal Science: Pre-Veterinary)

Currently, this is a three year undergraduate degree undertaken partly in conjunction with students in the BSc (Animal Science) program making a 2008 cohort of about 120 students. Students are admitted into the veterinary program on the understanding and expectation that they will all continue into the post-graduate program and become eligible to register as veterinary practitioners able to pursue a wide range of clinical and scientific careers. 

The School intends to use a body-system approach to the teaching of Animal Structure and Function (integrated teaching including relevant input, including comparative aspects, from disciplines such as anatomy, physiology, embryology, genetics, histology etc) during Years 2 and 3. Across Years 2 and 3 the underpinning sciences curriculum theme will, in addition to Animal Structure and Function, consist of the longitudinal integrated components Animal Husbandry and the Scientific Basis of Veterinary Practice. The latter will incorporate activities such as critical appraisal of the literature, evidence-based practice, principles of research and bio-statistics. It will continue in the post-graduate program leading into direct research experience and presentation of a project.

The Professional and Practical Veterinary Competencies theme will be allocated a larger proportion of time in Year 2 and 3. Students will be taught a range of Clinical Skills, where possible integrated with the systems-based learning of normal structure and function. Students will also undertake a variety of practice visits in order to experience the range of veterinary practice and potential career opportunities. In addition there will be a focus on developing Communication Skills, taking advantage of the School’s simulation centre.

The students will undertake regular ILAs to demonstrate the relevance of the underpinning sciences to examples of actual veterinary problems and clinical presentations. Examples might be presented in paper form but the appropriate use of informational technologies should make it possible for real cases to be portrayed. The establishment of the on-site hospital should further enhance opportunities to base learning on real patients and to integrate clinical competences with the underpinning sciences.

Post-graduate Program

At present (2008) this program is badged as a Master of Veterinary Science. However, it is anticipated that this will change and that the program may become a Doctor of Veterinary Medicine degree to align it with interstate and international qualifications. Students entering this program will have successfully completed the BSc (Pre-vet) program with its focus on the basic and pre-clinical sciences.

The Underpinning Veterinary Sciences theme of the program will encompass the para-clinical sciences (eg pathology, microbiology, parasitology, pharmacology and toxicology and integrate these with the teaching of the clinical sciences (eg mechanisms of disease, clinical medicine and surgery, therapeutics).

In the Professional and Practical Veterinary Competencies theme the students will be expected to develop the range of competencies required to diagnose, investigate and manage a wide range of conditions in relation to domestic and exotic species. The program will also provide students with knowledge and experience of animal husbandry in primary industry (including aquaculture), and with wildlife management. Public health and biosecurity issues will be particular features of the Adelaide program. 

The Scientific Basis of Veterinary Practice component will build upon the knowledge obtained during the BSc (Pre-vet) program. Year 4 will build on the work undertaken in the first three years with the introduction of more detail on research methods, study design and bio-statistics. Students will all undertake a research project working in association with established researchers and research programs. This project will be presented for assessment in written and verbal forms to peers and staff. The application of Evidence-based Practice will be expected during clinical attachments.

Teaching within the Underpinning Veterinary Sciences theme will largely have been completed and assessed by the end of Year 5. Year 6 will consist of a range of compulsory and elective rotations and might be conceptualised as a Student Internship.

Personal Development

The curriculum plan contains a Personal Development component running though all years of the program. In many medical programs there is a ‘Personal and Professional Development’ course. However, our preference is to separate these two aspects. Professional development is a definable entity best thought of as a competency of equal importance to clinical, interpersonal and technical skills. To ensure this happens the observable and measurable aspects of professional development are clearly defined under ‘Professional Behaviours’ in our Veterinary Competencies Outcome Objectives and as such will be rigorously assessed.

Personal Development, on the other hand, is unique to every student and is not something that is assessable. The University and the School have a pastoral responsibility to assist students with their transfer to the University environment and, if required, to provide help with study skills. The School, particularly as for much of the program students will not have easy access to the facilities on the main campus, will offer mentorship and a range of other supportive activities. While not all academically related they may have an important impact on academic success and personal comfort. A highly valued mentorship program is currently in place in the dental school utilising private  practitioners which is run by the local branch of the Australian Dental Association. It is hoped that a similar scheme might be arranged through the Australian Veterinary Association. The CC strongly supports the establishment of a formal in-School mentorship arrangement where students are met on a regular basis as it is well known that students in trouble are often the least likely to seek or take advantage of offers of assistance with personal and academic problems.