Hurdles of Cataract Surgery: Veterinary Ophthalmology Resident's Perspective (Part B).

The purpose of this study was to describe veterinary ophthalmology residents' perceived preparedness for performing cataract surgery who are currently enrolled in, or recently graduated from, veterinary academic or private practice institutions. A descriptive survey was distributed online to 127 residents at academic and private practice training programs in the United States. The survey included items about educational resources available for residents and techniques commonly taught during cataract surgery. Residents were asked to describe their perceived preparedness in performing various surgical steps or techniques, difficulty of each surgical step, and the available educational resources. Thirty-five (27.5%) residents completed the survey and were included in this study. Residents who had access to wet labs gained surgical competency in creating a clear corneal incision, capsulorhexis, and wound closure. They reported sculpting with the phacoemulsification handpiece, quadrant or cortical removal, and capsulorhexis as most difficult and were not as prepared or a little prepared in performing capsulorhexis and sculpting during active phacoemulsification. When comparing residents' perceived competency before and after their first surgical experience, there was a significant change in their ability to perform all surgical steps except hydrodissection (p < .05). Cataract surgery is one of the more advanced surgical skills obtained during residency training. Supervised wet lab time improves a resident's preparedness for executing certain surgical steps. However, further research is needed to determine whether educational resources such as structured curriculum or virtual simulation may improve residents' preparedness for executing surgical steps not easily replicated in a wet lab.

A Literature Review: Pet Bereavement and Coping Mechanisms.

The loss of a companion animal results in millions of pet owners grieving annually. To date, little information has been synthesized on the grief response and coping mechanisms of bereaved pet owners. The aim of this review was to examine the relationship between pet loss and owner grief response. Major themes included: factors that influence the grief response, the disenfranchised nature surrounding pet loss, ambiguous pet loss and coping mechanisms used. Across the 48 studies included in this review, bereaved pet owners frequently reported feelings of embarrassment and loneliness following the loss of their pet. Types of coping mechanisms used by bereaved pet owners were identified and included: isolation, social support, continuing bonds, memorialization, religion, and relationships with other animals. Overall, this review was able to identify a consensus among the literature that bereaved pet owners are likely to experience disenfranchisement surrounding their loss. Based on the present findings, suggestions for future research include a focus on the effectiveness of coping mechanisms used by bereaved pet owners.

The Impact of COVID-19 on Pre-Veterinary Opportunities and Recommendations for DVM Admissions.

During the summer of 2020, a survey-based study was conducted at North Carolina State University, a land-grant university, to evaluate the impact of COVID-19 on pre-veterinary students' ability to gain experience hours for Doctor of Veterinary Medicine (DVM) admissions. Of the 286 respondents (47% of the respondent pool), 92% reported losing at least one animal, veterinary, research, extracurricular, or work opportunity due to COVID-19, and 59% were not able to find a replacement. Of the lost experiences, 74 (20.8%) were for academic credit, resulting in 131 total academic credit hours lost, while only 12 credit hours were gained via alternative experiences. Of respondents, 30% (29.7%) identified as applicants of the 2020-2021 Veterinary Medical College Application Service (VMCAS) cycle. More than half (52.6%) of the sample identified being concerned about the strength of their VMCAS experiences due to these lost opportunities. Many respondents reported considering delaying application submissions by taking a gap year (17.5%) or having had their intended graduation timeline affected (14.8%). Since the majority of veterinary colleges utilize a holistic review process, this study provides a basis for understanding the effects of COVID-19 on the duration, depth, and diversity of experiences gained by future DVM applicants. This article also provides recommendations for DVM admissions adaptations based on the outcomes of the data.

What Matters Most to Residency and Intern Selection Committees in Veterinary Medicine?

A recent survey of members of residency selection committees for the American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine and American College of Veterinary Surgeons boards found letters of recommendation to be the most important factor when reviewing a resident's application followed by class rank as the second most important factor. These statistics indicate an interesting, but possibly troubling trend. This Letter to The Editor discusses the major problems concerning these findings and what residency program committees might consider as an alternative.

Evaluation of Retention of Veterinary Clinical Pathology Knowledge between Second-Year and Fourth-Year Clinical Pathology Courses.

There is a concern over long-term retention of knowledge in professional programs. The goal of this study was to evaluate the retention of veterinary clinical pathology knowledge between the fourth-semester and fourth-year clinical pathology courses. We hypothesize that students will forget a significant amount of content area knowledge between the fourth semester and fourth year in the Doctor of Veterinary Medicine (DVM) program. We further hypothesize that a review of material during the fourth-year clinical pathology rotation will help students rebuild existing knowledge and increase performance on specific test questions, between T2 (rotation pre-test) and T3 (rotation post-test). Initial mastery of course material was assessed via a 94-item multiple-choice final exam (T1) given in the semester 4 clinical pathology course. Retention of course material from semester 4 to year 4 was assessed via a 55-item multiple-choice pre-test, administered at the start of the clinical pathology rotation in year 4 while learning/mastery during the clinical rotation was assessed via a 55-item multiple-choice post-test, administered at the end of each clinical pathology rotation. In this study, evidence of knowledge retention between semester 4 and year 4 was 55.5%. There is a small increase in the measure of knowledge gain from the beginning to the end of the rotation. As an added benefit, we were able to use identified trends for retention of knowledge within specific subject areas as a mechanism to evaluate the effectiveness of our course and reallocate additional instructional time to topics with poorer retention.

A Comparison of Public Perceptions of Physicians and Veterinarians in the United States.

Veterinary medicine consists of virtually the same medical specialties as human medicine, with veterinarians performing similar roles as medical doctors, albeit with different species. Despite these similarities, anecdotally, some perceptions of veterinarians as not "real doctors" persist. The purpose of this study was to explore and compare public perceptions of physicians and veterinarians. Participants were provided brief definitions of a physician and a veterinarian and then asked to provide a rating that best describes their perception with respect to 25 different personality characteristics/traits. A sample of 606 participants (unweighted) in the United States completed the survey. The results of this research show that the public tends to perceive veterinarians more favorably than physicians. More specifically, veterinarians were viewed as more approachable, sensitive, sympathetic, patient and understanding, while physicians were viewed as more proud, arrogant and overconfident. These results point to the favorable public perceptions of veterinarians. These findings are particularly relevant for veterinary educators who train the future workforce and have a significant role both in how the profession is portrayed and emphasizing the relationship between the public trust and social responsibility. Reinforcing the public's strong trust in the veterinary profession throughout students' education could enhance their own self-concept, self-esteem and overall mental health and well-being.

Perceptions and attitudes of Small Animal Internal Medicine specialists toward the publication requirement for board certification.

BACKGROUND: The publication requirement for board certification in Small Animal Internal Medicine (SAIM) by the ACVIM is controversial. OBJECTIVES: Directly and indirectly evaluate the perceptions SAIM Diplomates have on the publication requirement. A secondary objective was to compare the frequency with which publications submitted for credentialing purposes (CredPubs) were cited compared to control articles. SUBJECTS: One thousand two hundred forty-one SAIM Diplomates were sent an electronic survey. METHODS: A electronic survey was sent to all SAIM Diplomates. Practice websites were evaluated for reference to publication or research. An electronic database was searched to identify the number of times a subset of CredPubs were cited was compared to control articles. RESULTS: Five hundred six individuals responded. The majority of respondents (n = 428, 85.25%) stated the requirement should be retained either with no changes (n = 186, 37.05%) or with clarifications or modifications (n = 242, 48.21%). A minority of respondents (n = 74, 14.7%) felt it should be eliminated. "Understanding the scientific process" was the most commonly selected reason (n = 467, 92.48%) for the publication requirement. All websites that mentioned research or publication did so using a positive sentiment. With regard to relative citation rates; 17% of CredPubs were in the lower quartile, 59.1% of CredPubs were in the interquartile range, and 23.5% were in the upper quartile compared to control articles. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL IMPORTANCE: A majority of SAIM Diplomates favored the retention of the publication requirement in some form. CredPubs were cited at rates similar to control articles.

Cross-Sectional Assessment of the Emotional Intelligence of Fourth-Year Veterinary Students and Veterinary House Officers in a Teaching Hospital.

Emotional intelligence (EI) is the recognition and management of emotions. This skill set is important to work relationships and professional success. In this cross-sectional, observational study, we investigated EI scores of 4th-year veterinary students, interns, and residents in a teaching hospital, using a psychometric tool with professional population norms. Participants' EI scores were compared with professional norms and between the sample groups. Scores were examined on the basis of demographics and residency program type. Twenty-four 4th-year students and 43 interns and residents completed the survey. Total, composite, and subscale scores for all groups were lower than professional means. We noted no statistically significant differences in EI scores between training levels, but evaluation of effect sizes showed a medium negative effect of higher training levels on Self-Perception Composite, Self-Regard, Emotional Expression, Interpersonal Composite, Flexibility, and Optimism and a medium positive effect of higher training levels on Impulse Control. Medium effects for residency type were found for Stress Tolerance, Flexibility, and Stress Management, with higher scores for residencies with heavy inpatient loads. Medium effects for residency type were found on Flexibility scores, with higher scores for residents in disciplines with a perceived high stress level. We found that baseline EI scores of 4th-year veterinary students, interns, and residents at a teaching hospital were similar to, but uniformly lower than, those of other professionals and did not increase with training level. These results may be used to build on strengths and address weaknesses associated with EI of students and house officers at this institution.

Use of a Versatile, Inexpensive Ophthalmoscopy Teaching Model in Veterinary Medical Student Education Increases Ophthalmoscopy Proficiency.

Ophthalmoscopy is an important examination technique in the diagnosis of disease. Although it is difficult to learn, practice increases confidence and proficiency. Practicing ophthalmoscopy on live animals presents an additional level of complexity, so we sought to evaluate how students would respond to practicing ophthalmoscopy on an ocular fundus model. We constructed a simple and inexpensive model and allowed half of the students (49/100) in a first-year veterinary medicine class to practice ophthalmoscopy (direct, PanOptic, and indirect) for 20 minutes using the model. Students completed a questionnaire regarding ease of use, enjoyment, and recommendations for future use of the model immediately after the practice session. Six weeks later, we tested students' ability to correctly match a fundus to a photograph using indirect ophthalmoscopy. All students who used the model rated it as 'easy' or 'somewhat easy' to use. All students reported that they 'enjoyed' (93.9%) or 'somewhat enjoyed' (6.1%) using the model. Also, all students who used the model stated the models should continue to be used to aid student learning. Students who used the model were significantly more likely (p = .013) to correctly match a fundus photograph to the fundus being observed than students who had not used the model. These findings demonstrate that the model used in this study is well received by students and results in discernible gains in proficiency.

Effect of a mindfulness exercise on stress in veterinary students performing surgery.

OBJECTIVE: To determine students' stress while performing surgery and evaluate the ability of a mindfulness intervention to reduce this stress. STUDY DESIGN: Quasi-experimental design. SAMPLE POPULATION: Eighteen fourth-year DVM program students (n = 9 student/group). METHODS: Utilizing a quasi-experimental design, students were randomly assigned to a control or treatment group. The treatment group performed a 5-minute breathing (mindfulness) exercise immediately prior to performing surgery. Each student provided 3 samples of saliva, at time 0, at 10 minutes before surgery, and at 10 minutes after surgery. Students' salivary cortisol and α-amylase levels were compared between groups. Students' self-reported mood measures were also correlated to levels of salivary biomarkers. RESULTS: Cortisol and α-amylase levels of students in both groups greatly exceeded normative reference groups (>90th percentile) prior to surgery and diminished to average levels (50th-60th percentile) after surgery but did not differ between groups at any time point. Immediately prior to surgery when stress values were likely to peak, salivary α-amylase levels decreased approximately 30 U/L units for students in the treatment group compared with an increase of approximately 10 U/L units for students in the control group. Students in the treatment group reported being more calm (mean [M] 2.67, SD 1.03, d = 0.75) and relaxed (M 2.33, SD 1.51, d = 0.90) than students in the control group (M 3.44, SD 1.01 and M 3.44, SD 0.88, respectively). CONCLUSION: This study provides some evidence that the mindfulness intervention temporarily decreased stress levels and improved students' sense of calmness and relaxation immediately before operating on a live animal. CLINICAL IMPACT: Students who are experiencing less stress may be less likely to commit a medical error and negatively impact animal health. This study, the first of its kind in veterinary surgery, may serve as a model for related future studies.

Readability Evaluations of Veterinary Client Handouts and Implications for Patient Care.

Health literacy and readability are important considerations for veterinary medicine, as veterinarians commonly distribute brochures, leaflets and info-graphics to explain health related issues to pet owners. Educational materials that are poorly comprehended by the intended audience could result in negative, unintended consequences. Thus, the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and the American Medical Association (AMA) have recommended readability levels for text on health information be targeted between the fourth and sixth grade levels to accommodate a highly diverse public. In the context of veterinary medicine, an increased awareness among veterinary professionals and educators regarding readability scores and the tools available to generate "easy-to-read" text would likely benefit client adherence with veterinary recommendations, client satisfaction with their veterinarian, and ultimately, pet health. Therefore, the goal of this study was to evaluate the readability levels of a sample of popular client handout materials prepared expressly for veterinarians to download and distribute to their pet-owning clients. Results indicate that 9 of 10 client brochures were written above the recommended sixth grade reading level. Recommendations for improving readability are provided.

Veterinary Medical Students' Motivations for Exercise.

The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) declares exercise to be one of the most important activities one can do to improve health. The benefits of exercise are well documented and include both physiologic and psychological health. Given the current landscape of wellness issues in veterinary medical education, it is necessary that students engage in exercise activities to manage stress and increase overall health. Therefore, to develop targeted interventions with the greatest likelihood for success, it is first necessary to understand what motivates veterinary medical students to exercise given their unique situational and environmental factors. This study is the first to explore this issue systematically in veterinary medical education, thus it is the authors' hope that the findings from this research will help identify exercise-related wellness interventions that could be implemented in veterinary medical schools.

Evaluating the readability levels of medical infographic materials for public consumption.

Readability is an important element of any published material. In recent years, various health organisations have utilised infographics to communicate important medical information. Established guidelines for readability suggest levels should be targeted between a 4th and 6th grade education level (United States) in order to avoid disadvantaging individuals with lower literacy skills. The purpose of this case study was to evaluate the readability levels of several published materials from the field of athletic training and demonstrate a model for evaluating readability levels in other medical and health professions.

Hydrogen peroxide plasma sterilization of a waterproof, high-definition video camera case for intraoperative imaging in veterinary surgery.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the safety and usability of a wearable, waterproof high-definition camera/case for acquisition of surgical images by sterile personnel. STUDY DESIGN: An in vitro study to test the efficacy of biodecontamination of camera cases. Usability for intraoperative image acquisition was assessed in clinical procedures. METHODS: Two waterproof GoPro Hero4 Silver camera cases were inoculated by immersion in media containing Staphylococcus pseudointermedius or Escherichia coli at ≥5.50E+07 colony forming units/mL. Cases were biodecontaminated by manual washing and hydrogen peroxide plasma sterilization. Cultures were obtained by swab and by immersion in enrichment broth before and after each contamination/decontamination cycle (n = 4). The cameras were then applied by a surgeon in clinical procedures by using either a headband or handheld mode and were assessed for usability according to 5 user characteristics. RESULTS: Cultures of all poststerilization swabs were negative. One of 8 cultures was positive in enrichment broth, consistent with a low level of contamination in 1 sample. Usability of the camera was considered poor in headband mode, with limited battery life, inability to control camera functions, and lack of zoom function affecting image quality. Handheld operation of the camera by the primary surgeon improved usability, allowing close-up still and video intraoperative image acquisition. CONCLUSION: Vaporized hydrogen peroxide sterilization of this camera case was considered effective for biodecontamination. Handheld operation improved usability for intraoperative image acquisition. CLINICAL SIGNIFICANCE: Vaporized hydrogen peroxide sterilization and thorough manual washing of a waterproof camera may provide cost effective intraoperative image acquisition for documentation purposes.

Think Subscores Are a Helpful Form of Feedback? Think Again.

Many educators believe subscores offer an easy approach for (1) discerning what students know/can do, and (2) providing more analytical feedback to students. In addition, many educators use subscores as a tool for guiding targeted remediation in specific areas of study. Unfortunately, there are several significant problems associated with subscores, and such beliefs and practices may be problematic and ill-advised. The purpose of this article is to address some of the problems relating to subscores in classroom assessment scenarios and to encourage educators to be cautious of these often deceptive and problematic measures.

Strategies Used for Making Healthy Eating Choices among Veterinary Medical Students.

Healthy eating is a challenge for most college students, and students in the field of veterinary medicine are no exception. Health experts have recommended that universities emphasize the importance of healthy eating and promote healthy eating habits among students. However, before we can begin offering targeted interventions to promote healthy eating strategies and behaviors, we must first understand students' current strategies used for making healthy eating choices, self-reported eating habits, and perceptions of diet quality. Thus, the purpose of this study was to understand veterinary medical students' perceptions of current diet quality and to characterize their strategies for making healthy eating choices. Results indicate veterinary medical students employ a wide range of strategies and behaviors for healthy eating, yet few students reported eating a diet of poor quality. We conclude that while most students report eating a relatively healthy diet, variation in strategies used suggests room for improvement for many. This article discusses potential intervention strategies to promote healthy eating among veterinary students.

Sleep hygiene among veterinary medical students.

OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study was to better understand veterinary medical students' sleep hygiene and identify the extent to which sleep hygiene behaviors may result in consequences (either positive or negative) for students. SAMPLE: A total of 187 doctor of veterinary medicine (DVM) program students at a large College of Veterinary Medicine in the United States. METHODS: The Epworth Sleep Scale and Daytime Sleepiness Scale were administered to 393 students enrolled in the DVM program. RESULTS: About 55.1% of students reported <7 h of sleep per night, 28.9% reported having trouble sleeping, and 50.3% reported feeling sleepy all day. With respect to sleep quality, 5.3% described it as excellent, 52.4% as good, 34.2% as fair, and 8.0% as poor. CONCLUSIONS: A significant percentage of veterinary medical students exhibit poor sleep hygiene habits that may be detrimental to both their health and academic endeavors.

Medical Students Rate Black Female Peers as Less Socially Connected.

BACKGROUND: Social and cultural outcomes are critically important in medical education. A large medical school located in the United States implemented a learning community model intended to promote social and cultural growth among its medical students. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the degree to which medical students from the same peer cohort were socially connected across racial and sex groups. METHODS: Because most assessments involving social and cultural outcomes involve self-reported data of a personal nature, the possibility of social desirability bias is increased. To mitigate this threat, this study utilized a novel method for measuring medical students social connectedness by having peers in one's advisory college provide social connectedness ratings about one another. RESULTS: While surface level results did not reveal any significant differences, a closer inspection of data revealed Black females were less socially connected with medical student peers from their cohort than other peer groups. DISCUSSION: Possible explanations for this are discussed. Future research should continue to investigate the experiences of Black females in medical schools so as to better understand the needs of this important and valuable subpopulation of students.

10 Reasons to Assign Seats in Allied Health Program Classrooms.

The topic of assigned seating likely is one that every allied health educator has considered at some point in time. Despite a great deal of informal discussions about the topic, surprisingly, not a great deal of scholarship has explored the role of assigned seating for students in allied health and medical education. While educators can readily recite reasons not to assign seats, rarely can educators provide reasons for doing so. in truth, however, there are many benefits to be reaped from assigned seating in college and medical school classrooms. Thus, the purpose of this paper is to present 10 reasons why allied health educators should consider assigning seats.