Introduction
The Ohio State University College of Veterinary Medicine is revolutionizing how veterinary students are taught with the recent launch of its new curriculum.
At the heart of the program, lies a first-of-its-kind outcomes-based curriculum based upon the American Association of Veterinary Medical Colleges’ (AAVMC) Competency-Based Veterinary Education (CBVE) framework with extensive input from faculty and general practitioners to ensure relevance and effectiveness. By employing a comprehensive educational approach that combines clinical and didactic training, students will be equipped with the necessary skills and knowledge to be competent and confident veterinarians who excel upon graduation.
The innovative curriculum provides students with clear instructions and guidance to regularly assess their progress and take necessary steps for advancement. Faculty continuously monitor and provide feedback to ensure program quality and individual student success. These elements enable students to personalize their learning experience, understand the material thoroughly, and feel confident and capable upon graduation. The assessment methods have also changed to ensure that students have learned specific outcomes and can demonstrate a deep understanding of how they achieved those outcomes. Assessments include the use of Objective Structured Clinical Exams created and implemented to ensure hands-on evaluation of the development and refinement of clinical skills, communication, and other professional competencies throughout the program; Entrustable Professional Activities used in the clinical settings, including with years 1 through 3 students in the Frank Stanton Veterinary Spectrum of Care Clinic; and use of Milestone ratings in end-of-rotation evaluation reports.
Spectrum of care principles incorporated throughout new curriculum
The spectrum of care concept addresses the growing problem of affordability of veterinary care by providing a continuum of acceptable care that considers available evidence-based medicine while remaining responsive to client expectations and financial limitations to successfully serve an economically diverse clientele. The college has woven the spectrum of care concept into all 4 years of the veterinary training. This provides students with hands-on clinical opportunities each year and teaches them to provide the broadest range of possible treatment options for the broadest array of clients under the broadest set of circumstances.
Throughout the first 3 years of the new curriculum, students encounter 4 interconnected threads: communication and collaboration, professional identity development, clinical skills, and integrated problem-solving. Didactic content is delivered in a block design, beginning with an emphasis on normal vs. abnormal, wellness and prevention including a comparative approach across species as well as individual and populations of animals, transitioning to exploring disease and diagnosis, and then introducing treatment and management strategies. Each course builds upon and reinforces knowledge and skills learned previously. The integration of various disciplines enables faculty and staff from diverse backgrounds to collaborate, creating a well-rounded educational experience.
Advancing an outcomes-based educational approach with a focus on spectrum of care using the CBVE framework with a goal to Be The Model in veterinary medical education.
Citation: Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association 261, 9; 10.2460/javma.23.07.0383
The Veterinary Clinical and Professional Skills Center and the Frank Stanton Veterinary Spectrum of Care Clinic play pivotal roles in the curriculum update. These state-of-the-art facilities provide students with the opportunities to experience the clinical environment from day 1 of their program. In these spaces, students build upon the knowledge and skills they learn in the classroom and prepare to serve as doctors, directing the healthcare team as fourth-year students. This immersive approach ensures students are successful and graduate as career-ready veterinarians, able to practice broadly across the spectrum of care.
The college recently hosted the AAVMC CBVE Summer Workshop and continues to collaborate across the academy to help others interested in adapting a similar curricular and pedagogical framework.
Learn more at www.vet.osu.edu/spotlight.
