Development of learning objectives for neurology in a veterinary curriculum: part I: undergraduates.
Yu-Wei Lin, Holger A Volk, Jacques Penderis, Andrea Tipold, Jan P Ehlers
Author Information
Yu-Wei Lin: Department of Small Animal Medicine and Surgery, University of Veterinary Medicine Hannover, Hannover, Germany. alan.ywlin@gmail.com.
Holger A Volk: Department of Clinical Science and Services, Royal Veterinary College, University of London, London, UK. hvolk@rvc.ac.uk.
Jacques Penderis: Department of Clinical Neurology, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, Scotland. jacques.penderis@vet-neurology.co.uk.
Andrea Tipold: Department of Small Animal Medicine and Surgery, University of Veterinary Medicine Hannover, Hannover, Germany. andrea.tipold@tiho-hannover.de.
Jan P Ehlers: Didactics and Educational Research in Health Sciences, Witten-Herdecke University, Witten-Herdecke, Germany. Jan.Ehlers@uni-wh.de.
BACKGROUND: With an increasing caseload of veterinary neurology patients in first opinion practice, there is a requirement to establish relevant learning objectives for veterinary neurology encompassing knowledge, skills and attitudes for veterinary undergraduate students in Europe. With help of experts in veterinary neurology from the European College of Veterinary Neurology (ECVN) and the European Society of Veterinary Neurology (ESVN) a survey of veterinary neurologic learning objectives using a modified Delphi method was conducted. The first phase comprised the development of a draft job description and learning objectives by a working group established by the ECVN. In the second phase, a quantitative questionnaire (multiple choice, Likert scale and free text) covering 140 learning objectives and subdivided into 8 categories was sent to 341 ESVN and ECVN members and a return rate of 62% (n = 213/341) was achieved. RESULTS: Of these 140 learning objectives ECVN Diplomates and ESVN members considered 42 (30%) objectives as not necessary for standard clinical veterinary neurology training, 94 (67%) were graded to be learned at a beginner level and 4 (3%) at an advanced level. The following objectives were interpreted as the most important day one skills: interpret laboratory tests, perform a neurological examination and establish a neuroanatomical localization. In this survey the three most important diseases of the central nervous system included epilepsy, intervertebral disc disease and inflammatory diseases. The three most important diseases of the peripheral nervous system included polyradiculoneuritis, myasthenia gravis and toxic neuropathies. CONCLUSIONS: The results of this study should help to reform the veterinary curriculum regarding neurology and may reduce the phenomenon of "Neurophobia".
