veterinary education

It is high time to restructure and revitalize the present institutional set-up for veterinary practices to enhance institutional level efficiency and promote new institutional models to handle the emerging challenges in the development of the veterinary sector.

In Nepal the veterinary profession lacks training and exposure of newly graduated vets/vet techs/para vets particularly to companion animal clinical practice. In this scenario, there is a need to develop and produce competent working professionals – vets, para vets and vet techs. Providing better training and services will help pets and their owners, and will secure the relationship of pet animals within local society.

The training and course we promote will provide in-depth knowledge and hands-on-skills for the vets and their teams.

With the rapid growth in technological knowledge and frequent paradigm shifts in technology, Continuing Education (CE) of working veterinary professionals is vital. The CE program of the (Clinical Skills Learning Center) CSLC will be set up to meet the training and upskilling of professionals working in the veterinary sector and related fields. The focus of the program is to provide practical evidence-based information that can be applied to clinical problems when the participants return to their places of employment. 

About the CSLC

The CSLC is a space where the group of teachers are dedicated to enhancing the development of both basic and advanced clinical skills for Nepali veterinary/para-veterinary graduates, students and interns. The nearly 1000 square foot CSLC is equipped with all the equipment, surgical tools, a video microscope and monitors, IV catheter trainers, restraint models, suturing pads among other learning tools.

Our national and international mentors/advisors (in alphabetical order):

1. Ms. Amy Baron, ISFM CertFN
2. Dr. Alasdair Hotston Moore, FRCVS
3. Dr. Ekata Pandey, BVSc & AH
4. Dr. Julia Hoag DVM
5. Mrs. Paula Hotston Moore RVN
6. Dr. Pranav R Joshi, BVSc & AH

Goals

• To provide a dedicated space with resources where students from all four years of the curriculum can learn, practice and refine clinical skills utilized across multiple species and disciplines
• To provide access to essential equipment and demonstration models in a flexible, convenient, and low-stress environment
• To augment the didactic curriculum and clinical case material with relevant, hands-on psychomotor skills training
• A safe space to practice clinical skills in a supportive environment where questions can be asked without judgement and potential errors can be recognized before they occur

CSLC will be set up with the objectives of:

• Assisting working veterinary professionals to widen their knowledge base and improve their skills
• To enhance the global competitiveness of the veterinary sector by promoting the use of up-to-date technologies among professionals through training and expertise in critical areas
• To promote strong industry-institution linkages
• Working with higher education institutions to enhance the learning of undergraduates by exposure to clinical cases

Specific Objective:

• Advancing the veterinary sector in Nepal, thereby improving learning and skills of the veterinarian, veterinary technicians and para veterinarians
• Strengthening the education system of colleges in Nepal
• Supporting veterinary colleges to enhance the status and effectiveness of the veterinary sector in local society by upgrading the technical and hands-on skills of veterinary graduates

• Public Private Partnership
  • Blending of resources and assets from both public and private sectors benefits all parties and meets the objective of providing a more efficient and cost effective means of the service at a saving to the public
  • Benefits include reduced cost (compared to colleges taking this responsibility alone), better quality of service, greater productivity, and better leverage of the limited government resources to fulfill high cost/high need projects
  • Including private practitioners gives participants exposure to their clinical skills, clinical experience, clinical facilities and business experience
  • Working together allows access to the international contacts of the public and private enterprises

• Providing Quality Education through Private Sector Engagement and Support
  • Increasing the private sector’s role in education has several potential advantages over traditional public delivery of education. When implemented correctly, the private sector can increase efficiency and choice, and expand access to education services, particularly for households that tend to be poorly served by traditional delivery methods. The main rationale for developing public-private partnerships (PPPs) in education is to maximize the potential for expanding equitable access to schooling and for improving education outcomes, especially for marginalized groups.

Curriculum:

Curriculum development for the CSLC is an ongoing process that involves individual faculty or specialties creating exercises or modules that represent core skills for that specific service or rotation. Examples of clinical rotations that will have a CSLC component include large animal, poultry, canine, fishery, equine, etc.

It is anticipated that the number of labs conducted in the CSLC for senior veterinary medical students will increase as more clinical faculties become aware of how to integrate the CSLC into their teaching efforts.

Types of Services/Trainings Offered

1. Student and Graduate Internship
   1. Short Term Internship (2 weeks)
      1. Sem II (Fundamentals)
      2. Sem IV (Clinic Exposure)
      3. Sem VI (Surgery)
      4. Sem VIII (R&D)
      5. Sem IX (Clinical Practice, Farm Management, etc)
   2. Long Term Internship
      1. Graduate students one year intensive Clinical Internship
   3. Externship Program
      1. Foreign Students
      2. Local Students

2. Student & Graduate Training
   1. Clinical Practice
   2. Surgery Training
   3. Pathology Training
   4. Research Methods and Projects

3. B.V.Sc – contribution of CSLS to regular course work in
   1. Internal Medicine
   2. Clinical Pathology
   3. Dentistry
   4. Pathology
   5. Ophthalmology
   6. Pediatric Medicine
   7. Geriatric Medicine
   8. Emergency Medicine
   9. Diagnostic imaging
   10. Anesthesia and Analgesia
   11. Surgery

Outcomes:

• Focused practical skills and training for vet students
• Development of the status of the veterinary sector within society
• A veterinary sector with improved status can contribute to the development of local society under the One Health concept
• Trained and competent veterinary graduates
• Developed skilled veterinary teams
• Community centered satellite clinics in peri-urban and rural areas.
• Accessible veterinary services aimed at rural farmers and communities
• Quality veterinary education for students

BUILDING CONFIDENCE TO PERFORM ROUTINE SURGERY – Veterinarians often struggle to achieve basic surgical competence which undermines their confidence in surgical skills. In addition, veterinarians working in isolation lose the benefits of mentorship, case discussion, peer review and lifelong learning.

Why Nepali veterinarians struggle

1. Lack of opportunities

In many countries, especially developing countries like Nepal, the structure of clinical practice restricts the opportunities for students, graduates and even practitioners to practice and perform surgery

2. Lack of support

When the students do not have adequate support, they do not feel equipped to undertake surgery on their patients once they graduate

3. Not enough cases

Even when veterinarians do have the ability and knowledge to perform surgery, sometimes the caseload is not enough for veterinarians to keep their skills up to date

The “No Experience Cycle”

In a busy practice, it is common for surgeries to be completed by the most experienced vets, as this is the most time efficient, with best outcomes for the patient. This starts a cycle where inexperienced vets do not have the chance to learn from experienced team members, nor to improve.

THE COURSE EXPERIENCE

The CSLC – Spay/Neuter Training Program is an immersive and intensive experience lasting for 15 days in an incredibly sympathetic environment. The students will be supported, supervised and mentored throughout the course by two highly experienced tutors who will help them develop their skills.

Around You – provide a supportive, safe and relaxed learning environment.

With you – will have two experienced tutors available to guide, support and mentor.

For you – students will be responsible for each procedure from start to finish, promoting case responsibility and key decision making.