Random forest models reveal academic and financial factors outweigh demographics in predicting completion of a year-round veterinary program.

Objective: The purpose of this study was to develop random forest classifier models (a type of supervised machine learning algorithm) that could (1) predict students who will or will not complete the DVM degree requirements and (2) identify the top predictors for academic success and completion of the DVM degree.

Methods: The study utilized Ross University School of Veterinary Medicine student records from 2013 to 2022. Twenty-four variables encompassing demographic (eg, age, race), academic (eg, grade point average), and financial aid (eg, outstanding balances) data were assessed in 11 cross-validated random forest machine learning models.

Third Year Veterinary Student Academic Encumbrances and Tenacity: Navigating Clinical Skills Curricula and Assessment.

This study is a qualitative exploration of the student experience of stress at the University of Calgary Faculty of Veterinary Medicine (UCVM). Ten third-year students from the class of 2019 participated in a semi-structured interview designed to explore the student experience surrounding stress, resiliency, and their perception of mental health awareness initiatives. Transcripts were de-identified and analyzed using thematic analysis.

Using Machine Learning in Veterinary Medical Education: An Introduction for Veterinary Medicine Educators.

Machine learning (ML) offers potential opportunities to enhance the learning, teaching, and assessments within veterinary medical education including but not limited to assisting with admissions processes as well as student progress evaluations. The purpose of this primer is to assist veterinary educators in appraising and potentially adopting these rapid upcoming advances in data science and technology. In the first section, we introduce ML concepts and highlight similarities/differences between ML and classical statistics.

The Evaluation of a High-Fidelity Simulation Model and Video Instruction Used to Teach Canine Dental Skills to Pre-Clinical Veterinary Students.

In recent years, there has been an increased focus on the teaching of small-animal dentistry to veterinary students in order to address the recognized gap between dental skill training and the expectations of employers regarding the competencies of new graduates in this field. In this study, third-year veterinary students were trained in three canine dental core skills using either a high-fidelity model (Group A) or video instruction (Group B). An objective structured clinical examination was used to assess skill acquisition and questionnaires were distributed in order to assess student confidence and perceptions related to small-animal dentistry practice and related skills before and after the training.

Communication skills training and assessment of food animal production medicine veterinarians: A component of a voluntary Johne's disease control program.

In food animal production medicine (FAPM), the success of control programs for infectious diseases that have serious animal health and economic consequences frequently rely on the veterinarian's effective communication and producer adherence to veterinary recommendations. However, little research has been conducted on communication skills of practicing FAPM veterinarians. During this study, we developed a communication training workshop intervention to support the Atlantic Johne's Disease Initiative.

The use of the roter interaction analysis system in assessing veterinary student clinical communication skills during equine wellness examinations in rural Kentucky, USA: A pilot study.

Background: Effective clinical communication can aid veterinarians in building good client relationships, increase adherence to recommendations and, ultimately, improve patient health and welfare. However, available information on veterinary communication in the equine context is limited. The objective of this study was to describe the communication of veterinary students in the equine environment who had previous communication training.

Impact of Human-Animal Interactions on Psychological and Physiological Factors Associated With Veterinary School Students and Donkeys.

There has been an increased interest in evaluating human-animal interactions and assessing the mutual health and wellbeing. In this study, first-year female and male veterinary school students not paired ( = 58) or paired ( = 25) with immature (≤9 mo) donkeys ( = 13) were engaged in three different types of interactions (1st, hands-off remote learning, 2nd, hands-on passive learning, and 3rd, hands-on active learning) for 30 min each during Week 2 (Time 1), Weeks 5-8 (Time 2), and Week 12 (Time 3) over three, 15-week periods. Student psychological data involved the Penn State Worry Questionnaire (PSWQ) scores collected from the interactive (student-donkey pairs) and non-interactive (no student-donkey pairs) groups and modified Comfort from Companion Animals Scale (CCAS) scores collected from the interactive group during Times 1, 2, and 3.

Is Augmented Reality the New Way for Teaching and Learning Veterinary Cardiac Anatomy?

Unlabelled: Strong understanding of cardiac anatomy and function are essential components of veterinary medical education; however, the heart is considered challenging to comprehend due to its complexity. This study introduced and assessed a new learning resource, the IVALA® augmented reality (AR) heart program in a cohort of pre-veterinary students. Students were randomly divided into traditional textbook learning and AR learning groups.

Second Life and Classroom Environments: Comparing Small Group Teaching and Learning in Developing Clinical Reasoning Process Skills.

Medical education and clinical practice support the development of clinical reasoning competency. Traditionally, the process of clinical reasoning is taught through small group discussions in pre-clinical and clinical medical training, and the need exists to explore further teaching and learning approaches that develop clinical reasoning. This study compared teaching and learning the clinical reasoning process through the virtual platform of Second Life (SL) with the traditional classroom setting.

Veterinary Students and Faculty Partner in Developing a Virtual Three-Dimensional (3D) Interactive Touch Screen Canine Anatomy Table.

As educational technology advances, it is imperative that universities responsibly and appropriately adapt new approaches to enhance teaching and learning. Over a 6-month period, veterinary students at Ross University School of Veterinary Medicine (RUSVM) spearheaded the improvement of a proprietary prototype virtual interactive three-dimensional (3D), touch screen, canine anatomy table (APEX). Eight veterinary students with a grade of 80% or higher in their anatomy courses were hired as research assistants to identify and characterize 306 virtual anatomical structures.

Mind-body therapies: an intervention to reduce work-related stress in veterinary academia.

Studies investigating perceived stress and mindfulness awareness support mind-body therapy (MBT) effectiveness in reducing stress and anxiety and, thus, has potential to decrease work-related stress. A pre/postexperimental design involved 30 faculty and staff working at Ross University School of Veterinary Medicine, Saint Kitts and Nevis, who experienced a two-day MBT intervention programme. An additional 16 faculty and staff not involved in MBT who went about their daily work schedules served as contemporary controls.

Computer Assisted Learning: Assessment of the Veterinary Virtual Anatomy Education Software IVALA™.

Although cadaveric dissection has historically been the cornerstone of anatomical education, it comes at the cost of some emotional, moral, safety, and environmental concerns. Computer assisted learning (CAL) programs are an increasingly common solution to these issues; however, research regarding the efficacy of high fidelity simulation is limited. The traditional first semester veterinary gross anatomy course curriculum at Ross University School of Veterinary Medicine (RUSVM) was supplemented with a web based virtual anatomy program, IVALA™ (www.

The Effects of Music during a Physical Examination Skills Practice: A Pilot Study.

Some veterinary students experience elevated stress, anxiety, and depression resulting in disease and psychological changes. Elevated arousal, negative moods, and lack of interest can negatively affect performance and learning. Psychoacoustic music promotes calming effects using simple and slow piano sounds and can positively impact well-being and functioning.

Using the Virtual World of Second Life in Veterinary Medicine: Student and Faculty Perceptions.

Virtual worlds are emerging technologies that can enhance student learning by encouraging active participation through simulation in immersive environments. At Ross University School of Veterinary Medicine (RUSVM), the virtual world of Second Life was piloted as an educational platform for first-semester students to practice clinical reasoning in a simulated veterinary clinical setting. Under the supervision of one facilitator, four groups of nine students met three times to process a clinical case using Second Life.

A Telephone Communication Skills Exercise for Veterinary Students: Experiences, Challenges, and Opportunities.

Evidence from human medicine shows a rise in telephone communication in support of after-hours services and in providing medical advice, follow-up information, etc. While specific training programs are continuously being developed for human medical education, limited publications are available on training veterinary students in telephone communication. Presented is our method of introducing a telephone communication skills exercise to third-year veterinary students.

Does a Rater's Professional Background Influence Communication Skills Assessment?

There is increasing pressure in veterinary education to teach and assess communication skills, with the Objective Structured Clinical Examination (OSCE) being the most common assessment method. Previous research reveals that raters are a large source of variance in OSCEs. This study focused on examining the effect of raters' professional background as a source of variance when assessing students' communication skills.

Informing web-based communication curricula in veterinary education: a systematic review of web-based methods used for teaching and assessing clinical communication in medical education.

We determined the Web-based configurations that are applied to teach medical and veterinary communication skills, evaluated their effectiveness, and suggested future educational directions for Web-based communication teaching in veterinary education. We performed a systematic search of CAB Abstracts, MEDLINE, Scopus, and ERIC limited to articles published in English between 2000 and 2012. The review focused on medical or veterinary undergraduate to clinical- or residency-level students.

Measuring the effectiveness of small-group and web-based training methods in teaching clinical communication: a case comparison study.

Current teaching approaches in human and veterinary medicine across North America, Europe, and Australia include lectures, group discussions, feedback, role-play, and web-based training. Increasing class sizes, changing learning preferences, and economic and logistical challenges are influencing the design and delivery of communication skills in veterinary undergraduate education. The study's objectives were to (1) assess the effectiveness of small-group and web-based methods for teaching communication skills and (2) identify which training method is more effective in helping students to develop communication skills.