Simulating Ovariohysterectomy: What Type of Practice Promotes Short- and Long-Term Skills Retention?

Simulation-based surgical training allows students to learn skills through deliberate practice without the patient risk and stress of operating on a live animal. This study sought to determine the ideal distribution of training sessions to improve short- and long-term retention of the skills necessary to perform a simulated ovariohysterectomy (OVH). Fourth-semester students (n = 102) were enrolled. Students in the weekly instruction group (n = 57) completed 10 hours of training on the OVH simulator, with sessions held at approximately weekly intervals. Students in the monthly instruction group (n = 45) completed the same training with approximately monthly sessions. All students were assessed 1 week (short-term retention test) and 5 months following the last training session (long-term retention test). Students in the weekly instruction group scored higher on their short-term assessment than students in the monthly instruction group (p < .001). However, students' scores in the weekly instruction group underwent a significant decrease between their short- and long-term assessments (p < .001), while the monthly group did not experience a decrease in scores (p < .001). There was no difference in long-term assessment scores between weekly and monthly instruction groups. These findings suggest that if educators are seeking maximal performance at a single time point, scheduling instructional sessions on a weekly basis prior to that time would be superior to monthly sessions, but if educators are concerned with long-term retention of skills, scheduling sessions either on a weekly or monthly basis would accomplish that purpose.

Validation of a Rubric Used for Skills-Based Assessment of Veterinary Students Performing Simulated Ovariohysterectomy on a Model.

Surgical skills are an important competency for new graduates. Simulators offer a means to train and assess veterinary students prior to their first surgical performance. A simulated ovariohysterectomy (OVH) rubric's validity was evaluated using a framework of content evidence, internal structure evidence, and evidence of relationship with other variables, specifically subsequent live surgical performance. Clinically experienced veterinarians (n = 13) evaluated the utility of each rubric item to collect evidence; each item's content validity index was calculated to determine its inclusion in the final rubric. After skills training, veterinary students (n = 57) were assessed using the OVH model rubric in March and August. Internal structure evidence was collected by video-recording 14 students' mock surgeries, each assessed by all five raters to calculate inter-rater reliability. Relationship with other variables evidence was collected by assessing 22 students performing their first live canine OVH in November. Experienced veterinarians included 22 items in the final rubric. The rubric generated scores with good to excellent internal consistency; inter-rater reliability was fair. Students' performance on the March model assessment was moderately correlated with their live surgical performance (ρ = 0.43) and moderately negatively correlated with their live surgical time (ρ = -0.42). Students' performance on the August model assessment, after a summer without surgical skills practice, was weakly correlated with their live surgical performance (ρ = 0.17). These data support validation of the simulated OVH rubric. The continued development of validated assessment instruments is critical as veterinary medicine seeks to become competency based.

Grief in Response to Uncertainty Distress Among Veterinary Students During the Early Stages of the COVID-19 Pandemic.

The abrupt and life-altering shifts brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic have stimulated research in fields ranging from social sciences to virology. This study explored perceptions and experiences of COVID-19's impact on students at Lincoln Memorial University-College of Veterinary Medicine (LMU-CVM) and considered how to respond to these. Semistructured interviews were conducted with 20 students from LMU-CVM. Thematic analysis elucidated five subthemes that were combined into two main themes based on Bertuccio's framework of grief in response to uncertainty distress. Uncertainty and disruption of routine were subthemes of ambiguous loss, while lost opportunities, milestones missed, and risk concern came under anticipatory grief. There was overlap and fluidity within these themes, with frustration, stress, and unexpected benefits pervading all categories. Differences were noted between classes, with clinical students expressing concern over graduation and lack of preparedness, and preclinical students with online assessment, lost opportunities for clinical experiences, and the loss of social connections. These results point to mitigation strategies for the adverse effects of COVID-19-related stressors specific to this population that encompass academic, physical, and mental well-being concerns. Clear communication, assurance of quality education, flexibility for meeting family needs, financial assistance, and mental health support are the areas evident from the interviews where successful responses might be targeted. This study also highlights areas for future research, including follow-up interviews, given the prolonged timeline of COVID-19, surveys of beliefs and practices across a larger university population, and exploration of the long-term impact on academic and practice success of the affected cohorts.

Does virtual reality training improve veterinary students' first canine surgical performance?

BACKGROUND: Virtual reality (VR) applications are effective tools in many educational disciplines. A minimally interactive VR application allowing stereoscopic viewing of surgical videos has been developed to aid veterinary students learning to perform surgery. We sought to describe how students used the VR application while preparing to perform their first canine sterilisation surgery and compare surgical performance of students who prepared using traditional methods with students who also used VR. METHODS: Third-year veterinary students (n=44) were randomised into control and VR groups in a parallel superiority randomised controlled trial. All were given lectures, videos and skills practice on models. VR group students were also given a VR application and headset to view stereoscopic surgical videos. Blinded raters scored a subset of students (n=19) as they performed their first canine ovariohysterectomy. RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONS: Groups spent similar time preparing to perform surgery, potentially because of the rigour of students' non-surgical course load. When VR training was added to an already comprehensive surgical skills curriculum, students watched VR videos for a median of 90 min. Groups did not differ in surgical performance scores or time. A larger study of the VR application with prescribed use guidelines would be a helpful subsequent study.

Femoral neuropathy in a dog with iliopsoas muscle injury.

OBJECTIVE: To report femoral nerve dysfunction caused by focal iliopsoas muscle injury and treated by performing tenectomy of the muscle insertion. STUDY DESIGN: Case report. ANIMALS: A 4-year-old, castrated male, English Mastiff. RESULTS: Iliopsoas muscle injury caused femoral nerve deficits and severe pain. Focal injury was not detected by ultrasonography or computed tomography but was visible on magnetic resonance (MRI) images. Tenectomy of the insertion of the iliopsoas muscle relieved signs of pain. CONCLUSIONS: Femoral nerve dysfunction may occur with iliopsoas muscle injury. CLINICAL RELEVANCE: Iliopsoas muscle injury should be considered in patients with hip pain and MRI is a useful test for diagnosis. Tenectomy may be indicated for relief of chronic iliopsoas muscle pain.