Utilisation and Evaluation of Cooperative Case-Based Teaching for Integration of Microbiology and Pharmacology in Veterinary Education

• Published in: Health professions education 2020-06, Vol.6 (2), p.211-221
• Main Authors: Picard, Jacqueline, Sutcliffe, Ruth, Kinobe, Robert T.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Antimicrobial resistance; Basic and clinical discipline integration; Cooperative teaching; Student evaluation; Veterinary education
• ISSN: 2452-3011; 2452-3011
• DOI: 10.1016/j.hpe.2019.09.001

Integrating basic sciences with clinical disciplines while fostering clinical reasoning capabilities is difficult. We investigated the utilisation of diagnostic specimens and, a cooperative, case-based learning and teaching model to integrate principles of antimicrobial drug pharmacology and microbiology in the fifth year of a veterinary course. In small groups, students were assigned diagnostic specimens from which they isolated and identified clinically relevant microorganisms and then performed antimicrobial susceptibility tests based on a review of pharmacology, microbiology and pathophysiology. Results were recorded and analysed followed by a student-led integrative tutorial. Learning outcomes were assessed via individually written reports discussing the disease process, interpretation of diagnostic results and, recommendations and rationales for therapeutic interventions. This approach yielded high quality student reports that conformed to antimicrobial prescription guidelines with consistently high summative assessment scores. Mean scores for the final report in this learning activity were: 82 ± 12%, 80 ± 12% and 80 ± 11% for 2015, 2016 and 2017 cohorts respectively; over the same time period, 98 ± 1% of students indicated that these learning activities facilitated the development of confidence, professional knowledge and skills. This was a consistent approach for integrating principles of veterinary pharmacology and microbiology in clinical disciplines. These data illustrate the benefit of a systematic application of a cooperative, case-based learning and teaching model in integrating pre-clinical and clinical disciplines in a bachelor of veterinary science course.