The development of E-learning and clinical skills resources to improve the teaching and learning of small animal wound management

Abstract

Teaching and learning of small animal wound management at the University of Cambridge is currently via the traditional lecture system. Recent graduates and current clinical students were surveyed in order to evaluate the current teaching method. Sixty-three percent of respondents felt that an insufficient amount of time was dedicated to the topic, with the majority of students stating that they would like an increased emphasis on decision making and practical skills. In response to this, new resources were created to support the existing lecture. An integrated approach was chosen, involving e-learning modules and practical skills exercises to simulate clinical scenarios. E-learning has previously been well received as a teaching method in veterinary medicine(*1). In addition, practical skills exercises can be encouraged in the Pauline Brown Clinical Skills Centre, which is already well utilized by students in acquiring surgical skills(*2). Five different clinical scenarios were designed to reflect common wound presentations in first opinion practice, consisting of a burn wound, a shearing injury, a cat collar wound, a laceration and a chronic wound. The cases were presented in a quiz format, with key concepts and further supporting information given, where appropriate. The quizzes were comprised of multiple choice questions, which provided a particular focus on decision making, by testing appropriate methods of wound management at different stages of healing. A practical component was incorporated by encouraging students to practise the clinical skills encountered, including tie-over dressings, for which a complete instructions booklet was created. References: *1. Bernkopf, M., Franz, S. and Baumgartner W. 2010. Experiences with a blended learning course for clinical veterinary education at the University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna, Austria. Tierärztliche Praxis Großtiere. 2010; 38 (2): 99-108. *2. Wager, C.J. and Brearley, J.C., 2016. What happens when you open a purpose built Clinical Skills Centre in an established vet school and allows students 24 hour access to it? VetEd International Symposium of the Veterinary Schools Council 2016