Charles Sturt University in New South Wales, Australia, is responding to a national need for veterinarians with the skills and attributes to fulfill roles in rural practice and the large-animal industries. Rural practitioners must competently and confidently handle a range of large animals if they are to build a relationship of mutual trust with clients and deliver effective animal-health services. Training in animal handling begins in the first year of the course with highly structured small-group practical classes involving cattle, horses, sheep, dogs, cats, pigs, poultry, and laboratory animals (rats and mice). Other experiences with animals in the first three years build on basic animal-handling skills while performing other veterinary activities. Students who provide documented evidence of prior animal-handling experiences are admitted, and learning and teaching strategies aim to enhance skills and knowledge. Rigorous examinations use a competency-based approach prior to extramural placements on farms and in veterinary practices. A continuing process of evaluation, review, and refinement will ensure continual improvement and graduate veterinarians with strong skills in animal handling.
A historical perspective of the development of interpersonal communication and consultation skills workshops within the veterinary curriculum at Murdoch University is presented, along with plans for the future in this area. Videos have been found to be valuable teaching tools for triggering discussion in workshops on communication issues and in reviewing real client consultations. More use could be made of role plays with actors involving challenging consultations, and changes in the curriculum could allow for aspects of professional and applied interpersonal skills to be incorporated at an earlier stage of the program. An overview of the professional communication programs in other Australian veterinary schools is also presented. Most programs involve interaction with veterinary practitioners and consultants such as counselors and psychologists, and most veterinary schools offer a program of professional development spanning five years of the curriculum.
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