Direct Measurement of Veterinary Student Learning Outcomes for the NAVMEC Professional Competencies in a Multi-User...

Area of Science:

• Veterinary Medical Education
• Health Professions Education
• Simulation-Based Learning

Background:

• Accreditation bodies like the American Veterinary Medical Association-Council on Education (AVMA-COE) mandate assessment of clinical competency in veterinary students.
• Veterinary colleges must validate scientific knowledge, skills, and values aligned with the North American Veterinary Medical Education Consortium (NAVMEC) core competencies.

Purpose of the Study:

• To describe the implementation of a virtual simulation in veterinary medical education for assessing clinical competency.
• To evaluate the use of Second Life as a tool for measuring student learning outcomes in emergency preparedness.

Main Methods:

• A required clinical rotation focused on veterinary emergency preparedness and response was developed.
• A virtual simulation environment, Second Life, was integrated to present mass-casualty medical triage scenarios.
• Student performance in critical thinking, problem-solving, and professional competencies was evaluated within the virtual environment.

Main Results:

• The virtual simulation facilitated the assessment of student decision-making in high-volume, mass-casualty medical triage.
• Interactions within the simulation allowed for evaluation of critical thinking and problem-solving aligned with NAVMEC competencies.
• The Second Life simulation proved effective for direct measurement of student learning objectives.

Conclusions:

• Virtual simulation, specifically Second Life, is a valuable tool for assessing clinical competency in veterinary medical education.
• This approach supports the accreditation requirements for measuring student outcomes in emergency preparedness.
• The virtual simulation is being adopted in other clinical teaching platforms at the institution.