Síndrome de burnout e relações com habilidades sociais, coping e variáveis sócio-ocupacionais em professores do ensino fundamental

Este estudo teve como objetivo geral verificar a relação entre síndrome de burnout, habilidades sociais, coping e variáveis sócio-ocupacionais em uma amostra de 166 professores do ensino fundamental de 13 escolas públicas do interior de Minas Gerais, Brasil, com idades entre 23 e 65 anos, sendo 73 % do sexo feminino. Foram utilizados o Inventário da Síndrome de Burnout (ISB), o Inventário de Habilidades Sociais 2 (IHS-2), o Inventário de Estratégias de Coping (IEC) e um questionário sócio-ocupacional desenvolvido especialmente para esta pesquisa. Obteve-se correlação negativa entre o burnout e o repertório de habilidades sociais (r = -0,273 e p < 0,01). As estratégias de coping que se correlacionaram positivamente com as habilidades sociais foram: busca de suporte social, resolução de problemas e reavaliação positiva. Ademais, houve correlação positiva entre coping e realização profissional, indicando que professores que adotaram estratégias de enfrentamento apresentaram maior tendência a sentirem-se realizados profissionalmente. As variáveis preditoras do burnout foram idade, estado civil, provimento familiar, número de filhos, tempo de serviço, tratamento contínuo de saúde e desenvoltura social. Discutiu-se a implicação desses resultados no tocante às ações protetivas de saúde mental docente e quanto à relevância do desenvolvimento socioemocional nas escolas.

Este estudio tuvo como objetivo general verificar la relación entre el síndrome de burnout, las habilidades sociales, el afrontamiento y las variables sociolaborales en una muestra de 166 profesores de educación básica de 13 escuelas públicas del interior de Minas Gerais, Brasil, con edades entre 23 y 65 años, el 73 % de los cuales son mujeres. Se utilizó el Inventario de Síndrome de Burnout (ISB), el Inventario de Habilidades Sociales 2 (IHS-2), el Inventario de Estrategias de Afrontamiento (IEC) y un cuestionario sociolaboral desarrollado especialmente para esta investigación. Se obtuvo una correlación negativa entre el burnout y el repertorio de habilidades sociales (r = -.273 y p = .001). Las estrategias de afrontamiento que se correlacionaron positivamente con las habilidades sociales fueron: búsqueda de apoyo social, resolución de problemas y reevaluación positiva. Además, hubo una correlación positiva entre el afrontamiento y la realización profesional, lo que indica que los profesores que adoptaron estrategias de afrontamiento tenían más probabilidades de sentirse realizados profesionalmente. Las variables predictoras del agotamiento fueron la edad, el estado civil, la provisión familiar, el número de hijos, el tiempo de servicio, la atención médica continua y la desenvoltura social. Se discuten las implicaciones de estos resultados respecto de las acciones protectoras para la salud mental de los docentes y la relevancia del desarrollo socioemocional en las escuelas.

This study had the general objective of verifying the relationship between burnout syndrome, social skills, coping strategies, and socio-occupational variables in a sample of 166 elementary school teachers from 13 public schools of Minas Gerais, Brazil, aged between 23 and 65 years, 73 % of whom were female. The Burnout Syndrome Inventory (ISB), the Social Skills Inventory 2 (IHS-2), the Coping Strategies Inventory (IEC), and a socio-occupational questionnaire developed especially for this research were used. A negative correlation was obtained between burnout and repertoire of social skills (r = -.273 and p < .001). The coping strategies that positively correlated with social skills were seeking social support, problem solving, and positive reappraisal. Furthermore, there was a positive correlation between coping and professional fulfillment, indicating that teachers who adopted coping strategies were more likely to feel professionally satisfied. The burnout predictor variables were age, marital status, family provision, number of children, length of service, ongoing health care and social resourcefulness. The implications of these results were discussed concerning protective actions for the mental health of teachers and the importance of socio-emotional development in schools.

Cultural taboos and low sexual and reproductive health literacy among university students in Magway city, Myanmar.

University students in Myanmar experience a high prevalence of sexual and reproductive health (SRH) problems including unintended pregnancies and sexually transmitted infections. These are compounded by pervasive cultural taboos surrounding sex and sexuality. Sexual and reproductive health literacy is crucial to addressing these problems. Four focus group discussions with 33 university students revealed how cultural taboos act as barriers across five SRH literacy subdomains: accessing, comprehending, criticising and applying SRH information, and communicating with healthcare providers. Students primarily relied on online health information rather than face-to-face discussions. Many students considered SRH information to be 'dirty' and experienced feelings of shame, guilt and fear of being blamed or disrespected while seeking healthcare. They therefore hesitated to visit healthcare providers and sought SRH services only in urgent medical situations. Additionally, all SRH literacy subdomains were influenced by cultural taboos surrounding sex: societal denial towards youth premarital sex, and the perception of sexual matters as embarrassing and inappropriate. Advocacy is needed to promote positive societal attitudes towards sexual matters and youth premarital sex, signalling the value of culturally tailored digital SRH literacy interventions using vernacular language. Healthcare providers should offer non-judgemental youth-centred services to promote SRH literacy among students.

Incorporating Generative AI to Promote Inquiry-Based Learning: Comparing Elicit AI Research Assistant to PubMed and CINAHL Complete.

Generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) is transforming education, and faculty can either incorporate GenAI in intentional course design to promote inquiry-based learning (IBL) or resist its use. This study identified an effective strategy to intentionally integrate GenAI in the course design to promote IBL. A descriptive study design was used for graduate nursing students to compare the effectiveness of a GenAI literature search tool, Elicit: The AI Research Assistant, to PubMed and CINAHL. A two-phase framework was utilized to organize complex information and justify a preference. A rubric was designed to promote and assess critical thinking through IBL in educating graduate nursing students on information literacy and structuring a literature search. Discovering a relationship between the search tools, students identified the strengths (pros) and weaknesses (cons) of each tool and determined which tool was more effective in terms of accuracy, relevance and efficiency.

The Impact of Self-Directed Arthrocentesis Model Practice on Student Stress and Procedural Performance of Live Donkey Arthrocentesis.

Arthrocentesis is an essential procedure for diagnosing and treating equine lameness. However, veterinary students may receive insufficient practice on live equids, and cadaver training is suboptimal due to difficulty procuring cadavers, autolysis, and inability to use cadavers repeatedly. We evaluated the impact of third year students' equine model arthrocentesis practice on their performance of arthrocentesis on a live donkey. After baseline salivary cortisol and trait anxiety testing, students received didactic training on arthrocentesis. The model-trained group performed self-directed tibiotarsal arthrocentesis on an equine hindlimb model using a needle and syringe that emitted an auditory stimulus when the joint space was entered. All students (model group and control group) subsequently performed arthrocentesis on a live donkey. Immediately before and after arthrocentesis on the model and donkey, students' salivary cortisol and situational and trait anxiety were measured. Groups did not differ in number of attempts, time, or performance score on the donkey. Students' cortisol levels were highest at baseline and lowest immediately prior to live arthrocentesis, suggesting that veterinary students have a high baseline level of stress and that focusing on performing a single procedure may have a paradoxical stress-reducing effect. Students' situational anxiety was highest immediately after performing live arthrocentesis, suggesting that they reflected on their performance with self-criticism. One short session of self-directed model training was not effective at improving students' performance or reducing their stress levels associated with performing arthrocentesis on a donkey.

Design and Implementation of a Safe Equine Radiation-Free Radiographic Simulator for Veterinary Skills Training in the Pre-clinical Curriculum.

The ninth standard of accreditation as outlined by the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) Council on Education (COE) mandates that all accredited colleges of veterinary medicine must provide instruction in medicine and surgery, including principles of practice, hands-on experiences with diagnostic methods, and interpretation of clinical findings. In equine practice, diagnostic imaging is used as a first-line diagnostic approach and is an integral part of pre-purchase and lameness examinations. Accuracy and consistency of radiographic interpretation relies heavily upon procedural techniques to acquire diagnostic images and overcome both motion artifacts and obliquity. Because the sizes and temperaments of equine patients potentiate hazardous working conditions for the veterinary team, learners might benefit from simulations that allow them to practice holding the x-ray generator and the imaging plate for diagnostic image acquisition in the absence of live horses. This teaching tip describes the development of a novel equine radiographic simulator for skills training in the veterinary curriculum. The model allows learners to handle imaging equipment safely and without radiation exposure as they develop proficiency positioning radiographic plates and placing directional markers. Learners can also test their understanding of radiographic positioning in reverse: if given a radiograph, they can be asked to describe how the x-ray generator was positioned to obtain the diagnostic image. Future iterations will investigate the simulator's efficacy with respect to learning outcomes when the model is paired with an assessment rubric as part of an objective standardized clinical examination.

Factors Associated with the Innate Orthopedic Ability of Veterinary Students.

Relatively little is known about the innate surgical ability of veterinary undergraduates. The objective of this study was to investigate if there were differences in the innate surgical ability of a cohort of 142 third-year veterinary undergraduate students to perform a series of simulated orthopedic surgical tasks, and whether specific factors influenced their innate ability. Participants performed four simulated surgical tasks; "depth of plunge"-an assessment of the "plunge" depth through foam when drilling through the trans cortex of a PVC pipe; "3-dimensional drilling"-an assessment of accuracy when drilling through a block of wood; "depth measurement"-an assessment of the ability to correctly measure the depth of holes in PVC pipe; and "fracture reduction"-where the speed and systematic reduction of a simulated fracture was assessed using a rubric score. Performance for each task was compared based on the responses to a survey. Results showed considerable variation in innate ability. Previous experience performing manual tasks and using a drill was associated with an improvement in students' ability to perform one of the four tasks (fracture reduction). Age, gender, handedness, videogame experience, building game experience, exposure to orthopedic surgery, or desire to pursue surgery as a career were not associated with student performance in any task. A learning curve was observed for the depth of plunge task. An increased target angle led to decreased drilling accuracy for the 3D drilling task. The innate ability of veterinary students to undertake simulated surgical tasks was largely unaffected by the previous experiences evaluated.

Evaluation of Peer Simulations Utilizing Student-Generated Case Studies with Pre-clinical Veterinary Students.

A novel student-driven model of peer simulations using reverse case studies was developed during the COVID-19 pandemic to provide virtual instruction to fourth-year clinical veterinary students. Focus groups suggested that, while this teaching method could not replace hands-on clinical experience, it could be a valuable tool to clinically prepare students during their pre-clinical curriculum. The primary aim of this study was to determine whether this teaching method enhanced earlier curricular student comfort with clinical reasoning, communication, and peer role play as measured by pre- and post-surveys. A secondary aim was to evaluate clinical reasoning ability using the validated Modified Lasater Clinical Judgment Rubric (MCJR). Eighteen pre-clinical veterinary students participated in a 1-week course where they designed and presented clinical cases and participated through virtual role play as clients, clinicians, and observers. Our results demonstrated that students' comfort in clinical reasoning and peer role play significantly improved (p < .001 and p = .003, respectively) after participating in this activity. The role perceived to be the most helpful at developing clinical reasoning and communication skills was clinician, followed by client then observer. Results from the MCJR found significant discrepancies between facilitator scoring and student self- and peer-assessment (p < .001). Common themes emerged including the benefits of engaging in self-reflection, peer-to-peer learning, experiencing case ownership and autonomy, and practicing communication and clinical reasoning skills. This teaching method provides a valuable alternative to client simulators and suggests having students create a case as a client offers a unique educational opportunity.

How I do it: Meeting Milestones Through a Communication Coaching Program.

OBJECTIVE: An existing communication coaching program was adapted to address an educational gap to enhance the communication skills of surgical residents. DESIGN: Expert communication coaches observe surgical residents in various clinical settings and provide detailed feedback and recommendations for improvement. SETTING: Observations occur across diverse clinical environments, including inpatient and outpatient settings, peri-operative contexts, team meetings, and skills labs. PARTICIPANTS: Participants include general surgery and integrated residents, with an initial focus on chief residents, later expanding to include all levels of surgical trainees. RESULTS: Residents reflected that: this is not a domain about which they otherwise receive direct feedback; they appreciate having space to explore their approach to complex interactions; and they experience increased confidence in their interactions with patients, families, peers, and staff. The program adapts easily to various clinical settings, allowing for comprehensive evaluation and individualized feedback. It addresses both personal and systemic factors affecting communication. CONCLUSIONS: This communication coaching program was effectively tailored to the needs and demands of a surgical training program. The program's success underscores the importance of having real-life, direct observation and personalized feedback regarding communication training as part of surgical education. Effective communication skills are an important foundation for creating the most effective future surgical leaders.

Using Cognitive Task Analysis to Develop a Protocol for Teaching Ultrasound Pregnancy Diagnosis in the Bitch to Undergraduate Veterinary Students.

Pregnancy diagnosis in the bitch is routinely performed using ultrasound and is therefore an important skill for veterinarians to have been exposed to during undergraduate training. Proficiency of this skill is difficult to achieve, due to limited exposure to suitable live patients, and animal welfare considerations limiting repeated performance on the same bitch. Models have been beneficial in allowing undergraduates to perform a range of ultrasound techniques without the use of live animals. Using clinical veterinarians and a model created at the University of Surrey, cognitive task analysis (CTA) was used to construct a list of instructional steps required to perform ultrasound pregnancy diagnosis. Experts were asked to evaluate the existing model then video recorded while demonstrating the skill on the model as if teaching a novice student. Anonymized and muted video footage along with transcribed audio files were used to create a draft teaching protocol. A group consensus for the final teaching protocol was developed following a semi-structured interview. The final teaching protocol had 23 steps to guide a novice to perform this skill, broken down into three stages: setup and preparation, pregnancy identification, and estimation of gestational age. Not all steps were both performed and verbalized by all of the experts, hence the need for a panel discussion to confirm a final teaching protocol. This study demonstrated that CTA is useful in compiling a comprehensive list of steps, for a teaching protocol, including those which may have been missed if demonstrated through a lone subject matter expert.

Using Mobile Polling to Teach Animal Ethics to Large Audiences: A Case Study of First-Year Veterinary Students' Personal Views.

Research has demonstrated that educating veterinary students in animal ethics helps them address moral dilemmas in their later careers. Teaching about animal ethics dilemmas to large student groups is challenging. Therefore, a polling series was created for first-year veterinary students at Ghent University, Belgium. Over the course of three theoretical sessions and during four consecutive academic years, students answered four questions about which animals they have at home, prioritization of animal versus owner interests, motivations for studying veterinary medicine, and eating patterns. Poll results were used to discuss student views in an applied session. The voluntary polls were a success, with more than half of the students taking part and with the participation rate increasing over four years. Findings indicate that animal ethics topics were more likely to elicit a response from students than veterinary ethics topics. This trend persisted in applied sessions, where students found it easier to discuss and substantiate animal ethics dilemmas compared to veterinary ethics dilemmas. In conclusion, discussing polling results on animal ethics dilemmas can help first-year veterinary students develop ethical awareness, personal identity, and decision-making skills.

An Exploratory Qualitative Content Analysis of First-Year Veterinary Students' Perspectives on Conflict.

Teamwork among health professionals is a requirement for the delivery of excellent medical care; effective teamwork leads to improved patient outcomes and greater job satisfaction for health care professionals. A critical component of successful teamwork is effective conflict management. While preliminary evidence suggests that many health care providers have negative perceptions of conflict and conflict-avoidant tendencies, no existing research to-date has explored veterinary students' perspectives on conflict. Understanding the ways in which veterinary students perceive conflict represents an important first step in helping them identify strategies for future conflict management. The purpose of this exploratory study was to describe the first-year veterinary students' perspectives on conflict. Students responded to two open-ended prompts as part of a reflection assignment following an instructional module on conflict. Results from the qualitative content analysis showed that students demonstrated an understanding of (a) the role of feelings and emotions in conflict, (b) the importance of relying on facts and observations as opposed to evaluations and judgment in conflict, (c) the value of competent communication in conflict, and (d) self-awareness of personal factors related to conflict. These findings highlight the power of self-reflection to learners' awareness of default tendencies when faced with conflict, the impact of their attitudes and experiences on conflict behavior, and a willingness to incorporate a collaborative approach to conflict resolution in the future.

A Multicenter Evaluation of a Metacognitive Framework for Antimicrobial Selection Education.

Antimicrobial selection is a complex task for veterinary students there is a need for both assessment tools and novel strategies to promote the proper use of antimicrobials. SODAPOP (Source-Organism-Decided to treat-Antimicrobials-Patient- Option-Plan) is a mnemonic previously designed to aid in developing antimicrobial selection skills by promoting metacognition. To assess the effect of this tool, we enrolled veterinary students (N = 238) from five veterinary teaching institutions in a study that consisted of an online survey that contained a video-based intervention. For the intervention, a video that presented principles of antimicrobial selection was embedded within the survey. For one-half of students, the video also included an explanation of SODAPOP. The survey included self-efficacy statements rated by participants pre-intervention and post-intervention. The survey also included cases, developed for this study, that were used to assess selection and plan competence. Cases were graded using two study-developed rubrics in a blinded fashion by veterinary educators. A statistically significant difference was found in participant-reported self-efficacy pre-scores and post-scores when asked about empiric prescribing (5.8 vs. 6.5; P = .0153) for the SODAPOP group but not the control group. No immediate impact on competence was found. When asked whether SODAPOP was an essential educational tool and likely to be used by participants in the future, the mean rank score (from 1-10) was 7.6 and 7.2, respectively. In addition to developing cases and rubrics, this study demonstrated that SODAPOP may be a useful tool for integration into approaches for teaching antimicrobial selection to veterinary students.

Perception of Animal Welfare and Animal Abuse among Veterinary Students: Role of Individual and Sociodemographic Factors.

Animal welfare and animal abuse, although measurable, exhibit a high degree of subjectivity that conditions how they are perceived and the level of sensitivity. Both elements are influenced by individual and sociodemographic factors. To determine the perception of animal welfare among veterinary students and to study the main sociodemographic factors influencing the assessment of animal welfare. To evaluate animal welfare perception at the University of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria's Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, a 20-question survey was deployed via the Google Surveys platform. Distributed across all academic years, it was facilitated with QR codes located within the faculty premises. The data collection occurred from November 1, 2022, to November 30, 2022. A total of 223 students responded the questionnaire about perception of animal abuse, which represents 56.3% of the total enrollment in the academic year 2022-2023. Sensitivity to animal welfare, including academic training on how to respond to animal abuse, increased as students progressed through their studies. However, as students approached the end of their studies, they became less willing to make voluntary efforts. The profile of the veterinary student least sensitive to animal abuse appeared to be men without dogs who reside in rural habitats and have family members involved in hunting or fishing. We propose the implementation of intensive courses on animal welfare throughout the veterinary curriculum, along with an understanding of the veterinarian's role in reporting animal abuse. This approach aims to foster a foundation of critical awareness and commitment to animals.

A Need for Targeted Teaching of Shared Decision-Making as Identified from an Assessment of Client-Centered Communication Skills Training with Companion Animal Veterinarians.

Shared decision-making has been increasingly discussed as a communication practice within veterinary medicine, and it is gaining more traction for diagnostic and treatment planning conversations and specifically offering a spectrum of care. This teaching tip describes the data from an investigation of veterinarians' shared decision-making in a pre-test/post-test communication skills training intervention that used a client-centered, skills-based communication approach. Practice teams from a purposive sample of four companion animal veterinary clinics in Texas participated in a 15-month communication skills intervention, including interactive group workshops and one-on-one communication coaching. To assess the outcome of the intervention, for nine participating veterinarians, appointments recorded pre- (n = 85) and post-intervention (n =  85) were analyzed using the Observer OPTION 5 instrument to assess shared decision-making. The intervention effect was evaluated using mixed logistic regression, adjusting for appointment type. The communication intervention did not significantly impact participating veterinarians' demonstration of shared decision-making (pre = 25.42, n = 55; post = 28.03, n = 56; p = 0.36). Appointment type was significantly associated with veterinarians' OPTION 5 scores (p = .0004) and health problem appointments (OPTION 5 = 30.07) demonstrated greater shared decision-making than preventive care appointments (OPTION 5 = 22.81). Findings suggest that client-centered, skills-based training traditionally used in veterinary curricula and continuing education may not foster the use of shared decision-making, which is a higher-order communication approach that may require a dedicated process-oriented training. This teaching tip highlights the need for a targeted stepwise approach to teach shared decision-making.

"Microbiology can be . . . " Student Competition to Develop Resources about Infectious Diseases that Improve Health Literacy.

The European Association of Establishments for Veterinary Education emphasizes the importance of communication skills and teamwork for student success in clinical practice. Traditionally, many veterinary curricula lacked standardized formal training in acquiring these essential skills. Effective communication and collaborative teamwork are not only crucial for fulfilling the clinical responsibilities of the veterinary profession but also play a pivotal role in the broader societal context. Veterinarians, in their social role, serve as scientific communicators for the community. This role involves conveying scientific concepts, even complex ones, with a particular emphasis on their significance for public health, reaching a diverse audience. Currently, there is a growing public health necessity to improve health literacy, which refers to the ability to access, understand, appraise, and use information to support healthy choices by society, especially for topics like infectious diseases and vaccination. This became more evident during the global COVID-19 pandemic. This teaching tip describes the development, organization, and broad outcomes of a student competition introduced during a standard veterinary medicine course to design novel resources on microbiology and infectious disease-enhancing health literacy. Three separate events were organized during the academic years 2020-2023. The third-year veterinary medicine students attending the 3-month course on infectious diseases of small animals participated in a student competition aimed at promoting creativity and innovation. Their task was to develop novel resources that delivered informative content to the public concerning microbiology and infectious diseases. Participation was voluntary and students participated in groups of 5-6. Overall, 125 students created 22 projects on microbiology and infectious diseases that were able to enhance health literacy. This approach allowed students to engage with the content and convey foundational knowledge to others in an easily accessible way. This skill of communicating with the public using easy-to-understand language is essential for success in the veterinary medicine profession. The resources produced, such as drawings, comics, games, and videos, constitute informative sources. Thus, they were published online on a scientific journal to disseminate knowledge of infectious diseases to a broader audience.

Case-Based E-Learning Tool Affects Self-Confidence in Clinical Reasoning Skills among Veterinary Students-A Survey at the Norwegian University of Life Sciences.

Veterinary education plays a crucial role in equipping veterinarians with the necessary skills and knowledge to navigate the challenges they will face in their professional careers. As part of enhancing the veterinary students' training in clinical reasoning, an online electronic veterinary clinic was introduced to a group of students during their final semester. This platform, called Veterinary eClinic, provides access to digital, real-life clinical cases, allowing students to apply their knowledge and develop critical thinking skills in a practical context. In this research project, the veterinary students were asked to assess how confident they felt in different clinical tasks related to a clinical investigation before and after using Veterinary eClinic. An exploratory sequential mixed-methods design was used when collecting data. The students answered pre- and post-use questionnaires, and semi-structured interviews were conducted to elaborate on the quantitative results. Our results showed that the students were significantly more confident in making a problem list (p = .005), completing diagnostic tests (p = .022), making a diagnosis (p = .041), and performing assessments of animal welfare in the clinic (p = .002) after solving different clinical cases in Veterinary eClinic. As much as 97% of the respondents reported that Veterinary eClinic was a valuable learning resource in veterinary education, to a fairly large or very large extent. Our findings suggest that the use of a case-based e-learning tool might contribute to increased self-confidence in clinical reasoning skills.

Setting Up and Running Online Communities of Practice (CoPs) for Veterinary Educators.

Communities of practice (CoPs) are social systems consisting of individuals who come together to share knowledge and solve problems around a common interest. For educators, membership of a CoP can facilitate access to expertise and professional development activities and generate new collaborations. This teaching tip focuses on online CoPs and provides tips for setting up and running such communities. The initial planning phase involves establishing the purpose of the CoP, recruiting an administrative team, designing the structure of the online environment, and choosing a platform. Once the online platform is launched, running the CoP involves building the membership, encouraging engagement (primarily in discussion forums), finding ways to create and share useful resources, and sustaining the community as an active and effective CoP. We also describe a specific example of an online CoP for veterinary educators involved in clinical skills teaching. The membership has grown to represent an international community who engage in a range of activities including sharing knowledge, tips and ideas, asking questions, discussing challenges, and promoting collaborative activities.

Development and Integration of Models for Teaching Ram Breeding Soundness Examinations in Veterinary Education.

Proficiency with ram breeding soundness examinations requires competency with palpation, a skill that can be difficult to teach and assess. There are limited small ruminant clinical skills models available, despite the advantages they offer in veterinary education. We developed reusable models for teaching ram breeding soundness examinations, focusing on scrotal assessment and palpation. Then we integrated these models into a practical session where multiple clinical aspects were included. We created anatomically normal ("sound") testes using 3D modeling software before editing these to display common abnormalities ("unsound" testes). Then, we 3D printed two-part molds and cast the silicone testes. Testes were inserted into siliconized, lubricated stockings facilitating free movement during palpation. Scrotal sacs were sewn from polar fleece and suspended to mimic natural orientation in a live, standing ram. As well as for scheduled classes, we used the models as a station in our course's Objective Structured Clinical Examination (OSCE) assessment. Our models offer advantages in the veterinary education context. Their relatively low cost and durability facilitates their classification as "open access" within our skills lab for student deliberate practice outside scheduled classes. They provide a uniform student learning experience that does not rely on live animals or clinical case load and aligns with best-practice recommendations from accrediting bodies. Student engagement and OSCE outcomes were good, but going forward it would be ideal to collaborate with a program that uses live rams for teaching and assessing this skill to directly examine the impact of our models on confidence and competence.

Development and Evaluation of a Surgical Simulator and Assessment Rubric for Standing Castration of the Horse.

In veterinary education, simulators are models or devices that can imitate a real patient or scenario and allow students to practice skills without the need for live patients. Castration is a common surgical procedure in all species, and the standing, open technique is frequently performed in horses. Although a simulator has been developed for equine closed castration, a simulator for standing castration in the horse has not yet been described. This two-part study focused on the design, creation, and evaluation of a simulator for teaching standing castration in the horse. A low-technology simulator was created using molded silicone testicles, cohesive bandage, stockings, and socks. A rubric was created for assessing performance using the simulator. Participants were recruited from three groups: university academic staff members (n = 12, majority equine veterinarians), equine veterinarians working in private practice (n = 9), and final-year veterinary students (n = 28). Each group tested the simulator while being graded using the developed rubric, and participants completed an anonymous online feedback questionnaire. Feedback was positive overall, with 98% of respondents (n = 48/49) stating that the model would be a useful addition to the veterinary curriculum. Furthermore, 100% of students reported that using the simulator increased their confidence in performing standing castration in horses. Evaluation of the model included assessment of responses from veterinarians and students regarding realism and usefulness of the simulator, comparison of rubric scores between veterinarians and students, and assessment of the reliability of the rubric. Median student rubric score was significantly lower than qualified veterinarians (p < .001), and Cronbach's alpha demonstrated that there was adequate internal reliability in rubric scoring (α = .85). It was determined that the simulator is effective for teaching the steps of the surgical procedure and for increasing student confidence.

A Unique Spectrum of Care Tool Provides a Self-Regulated Learning Opportunity and Facilitates Client Communication.

Providing only the most state-of-the-art, intensive, and expensive level of treatment available does not meet the needs of every pet owner and pet. To overcome this barrier, veterinarians are working to provide spectrum of care (SOC) options to pet owners. This teaching tip describes the creation of a Spectrum of Care Options Presentation and Explanation (SCOPE), a tool which can serve a variety of educational purposes and improve delivery of care across the spectrum of care. The SCOPE considers andragogy, evidence-based medicine and pet owner preferences related to communication as well as the cost of care. Using a SCOPE during oncology consultations led by an intern on an oncology service rotation demonstrated the utility of the SCOPE to identify evidence-based SOC options for pets with cancer, serve as a self-regulated learning experience for the participating intern and elicit pet owner, and pet contextual issues impacting the care plan. The SCOPE can used to promote the implementation of SOC in veterinary medicine. The SCOPE has flexibility and may be adapted for use in disciplines other than oncology and with a variety of learners such as veterinary students or in early career mentoring programs.