Teaching parasitology in a modular veterinary curriculum - The Vienna experience. 2018

Anja Joachim, and Barbara Hinney, and Georg Duscher, and Ingrid Preusche, and Petra Winter
Institute of Parasitology, Department of Parasitology, University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna, Veterinaerplatz 1, A-1210 Wien, Austria. Electronic address: Anja.Joachim@vetmeduni.ac.at.

In a changing world with rapidly evolving new technologies, even in the "sheltered world" of teachers and lecturers at universities, we are challenged by new developments. As diversification is increasing in many aspects of our professional life, there is also a need to employ new ways of teaching, learning and assessments in veterinary curricula, taking into account the increasing numbers of students and limited teaching resources. The "classical" Austrian veterinary curriculum, with a series of consecutive lectures followed by practical courses in the different disciplines, separated from each other in the curricular time table and by annual examinations, has been a long-standing concept for teaching in the past. However, when veterinary practitioners and graduates where asked to judge the adequacy of undergraduate training for their professional skills and knowledge, several major shortcomings were revealed. The most commonly mentioned point was a lack of first-day competencies. As a consequence, the Vetmeduni Vienna developed a new veterinary curriculum implemented in 2014-2015. This curriculum covers 12 semesters and includes a "Diploma" (degree) thesis and several externships; graduates are eligible to practice in all branches of veterinary medicine. We abandoned the classical discipline-based teaching, established a modular, mostly organ-based system, and focus on student-centred and competency-based learning and teaching with defined learning outcomes and first-day skills. We also include training of scientific, managerial and communication skills in the curriculum. What does this mean for parasitology? We do not teach this subject in a closed lecture, but rather in a modular style, starting in the first year with the taxonomy and basic morphology of the animal kingdom, proceeding to parasite biology of the major groups in the second year, to the diagnostic and clinical training in practicals in the third year as well as joint lectures, seminars and conversatories in the organ- and species-based clinical training in years 3-6. Examinations are organised in different test formats, aligned to a list of skills and diseases. Quality assurance is a formal process and implemented at different levels. The ultimate aim of undergraduate teaching is to provide students with defined professional competencies and promoting life-long learning.

UI MeSH Term Description Entries
D010273 Parasitic Diseases, Animal Animal diseases caused by PARASITES. Parasitic Infections, Animal,Animal Parasitic Disease,Animal Parasitic Diseases,Animal Parasitic Infection,Animal Parasitic Infections,Disease, Animal Parasitic,Diseases, Animal Parasitic,Infection, Animal Parasitic,Infections, Animal Parasitic,Parasitic Disease, Animal,Parasitic Infection, Animal
D003479 Curriculum A course of study offered by an educational institution. Curricula,Short-Term Courses,Course, Short-Term,Courses, Short-Term,Short Term Courses,Short-Term Course
D004520 Education, Veterinary Use for general articles concerning veterinary medical education. Veterinary Education,Educations, Veterinary,Veterinary Educations
D006281 Health Occupations Professions or other business activities directed to the cure and prevention of disease. For occupations of medical personnel who are not physicians but who are working in the fields of medical technology, physical therapy, etc., ALLIED HEALTH OCCUPATIONS is available. Health Professions,Health Occupation,Health Profession,Profession, Health,Professions, Health
D006801 Humans Members of the species Homo sapiens. Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man
D000818 Animals Unicellular or multicellular, heterotrophic organisms, that have sensation and the power of voluntary movement. Under the older five kingdom paradigm, Animalia was one of the kingdoms. Under the modern three domain model, Animalia represents one of the many groups in the domain EUKARYOTA. Animal,Metazoa,Animalia
D001317 Austria A country located in Central Europe, north of Italy and Slovenia. The capital is Vienna.
D012582 Schools, Veterinary Educational institutions for individuals specializing in the field of veterinary medicine. Veterinary Schools,School, Veterinary,Veterinary School
D013336 Students, Health Occupations Individuals enrolled in a school or formal educational program in the health occupations. Health Occupations Students,Health Occupations Student,Occupations Student, Health,Occupations Students, Health,Student, Health Occupations
D013663 Teaching A formal and organized process of transmitting knowledge to a person or group. Teaching Method,Training Activity,Training Technique,Academic Training,Educational Technics,Educational Techniques,Pedagogy,Teaching Methods,Technics, Educational,Techniques, Educational,Training Activities,Training Technics,Training Techniques,Activities, Training,Activity, Training,Educational Technic,Educational Technique,Method, Teaching,Methods, Teaching,Pedagogies,Technic, Educational,Technic, Training,Technics, Training,Technique, Educational,Technique, Training,Techniques, Training,Training Technic,Training, Academic

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