A Novel Canine Otoscopy Teaching Model for Veterinary Students

Otoscopic evaluation using an otoscope is an important tool among the diagnostic modalities for otitis externa and is considered a core component of a canine patient's complete physical examination. Traditionally, otoscopic training in veterinary school involves using live dogs (i.e., laboratory dogs or dogs that are patients of the veterinary teaching hospital). While this approach has its advantages, performing otoscopic examination on live dogs presents several challenges: it requires adequate patient restraint, can cause stress to the dog, and can potentially cause trauma and/or injury to the dog's ear canal when performed by an inexperienced individual. Using an alternative teaching tool for otoscopic evaluation could overcome these challenges and improve veterinary students' learning experience. In this study, we investigated student perceptions of a novel canine teaching model for otoscopic evaluation in first-year veterinary students. The Elnady preservation technique was employed to create a realistic, durable, and flexible model for otoscopic training in a dermatology laboratory session in a first-year veterinary course. Student feedback was assessed on a Likert scale, and overall feedback indicated that students felt that the model was beneficial for skill building and removed many of the stressors incurred with using live animals when training in clinical skills. Most students stated that they would like to have additional similar models incorporated into training and would recommend these models to other students.