Translating veterinary clinical experiences into effective educational experiences with case studies

Abstract

Educating the next generation of veterinary practitioners is evolving and medical knowledge is growing rapidly, outstripping the practitioners’ ability to keep up with the medical literature. One challenge is shifting from primarily testing factual knowledge, towards demonstrating proficiencies in professional competencies. This emphasis highlights the importance of collaborating with content specialists, such as partnering with librarians, to support the development of information competencies. Teaching professional competencies in a curriculum can be overwhelming, especially for those without a background in educating adult learners. However, a variety of teaching methods and tools can facilitate moving from clinic to classroom. Frameworks may assist in constructing case studies to support contextual teaching. This approach is advantageous because the content is familiar and the framework facilitates chunking the information into a case study with a logical progression of information for learning.

We designed a case study worksheet that we then used to create the “PubMed for Veterinarians” tutorial. It is a simple case study providing context for users while they learn an information competency searching PubMed. The tutorial provides a framework that practitioners can use as a model to translate clinical experiences to educational experiences for the classroom. In this example, the medical case was intentionally uncomplicated to emphasize the PubMed skills. The “PubMed for Veterinarians” tutorial is a collaborative effort that emphasizes clinical information as context for learning and information competency.

As an instructor, the practitioner can use tools like this case study worksheet to translate experiences into context for teaching that emphasizes competencies and develops skills for practitioners in practice.