In August of 2018, the College of Veterinary Medicine will open a brand new 7,000-square-foot Clinical and Professional Skills Center(CPSC). The facility will support a wide variety of activities, including hands-on simulations of common clinical procedures (for example: suturing, IV placement, intubation, dental charting, etc.), as well as client communications training, continuing education courses, professional conferences, and more. To support the anticipated breadth of activities, a highly flexible space was planned with small, medium and large multipurpose teaching spaces.
The CPSC is seen as a transformational initiative for the college, and is envisioned to serve as a catalyst for major curricular reform and integrated active learning opportunities for our students. The Office of Teaching and Learning (OTL) has provided consultation in the layout and design of the facility, as well as technology integration for the space. OTL is preparing to develop a series of self-directed online modules to facilitate student learning. Long term, the OTL will assist the college in fully integrating the skills lab into the DVM curriculum.
Assessment and Evaluation
The Office of Teaching and Learning is committed to improving student learning by leveraging assessment and evaluation data. Currently, the department is working on several projects to increase the accuracy and reliability of assessment data, including:
- Objective Structured Clinical Examinations (OSCEs): In the spring of 2018, the College of Veterinary Medicine began the use of OSCEs for direct evaluation of student performance by trained professionals. OSCEs are a short series of clinical stations in which students are observed and rated on their ability to carry out a simulated clinical procedure.
- Surveys: Candid feedback from individuals closely involved with our program is a valuable source of assessment data. Surveys are sent to current students, alumni, employers, and prospective students in order to gauge the perception of our DVM program and identify areas for improvement.
- Analysis of Stanton-funded Research Data: A Stanton Foundation grant has provided the college with a transformational gift to enhance the general practice education of our students. The OTL provides assistance in analyzing data collected by formal research grants funded through the Stanton Grant.
- (Proposed) Real-time competency assessment: The Office of Teaching and Learning is exploring the use of mobile technology as a way to provide real-time assessment and feedback to students on clinical rotations. Our goal is to pilot this evaluation process for the 2018-19 academic year.