Development and Validation of a Bovine Left Displaced Abomasum Reduction Model and Rubric

Area of Science:

• Veterinary Surgery
• Surgical Education
• Laparoscopic Training Models

Background:

• Left displaced abomasum (LDA) is a prevalent condition in dairy cattle, causing significant economic losses.
• Effective surgical training for LDA correction is crucial for veterinary students entering food animal practice.
• A lack of validated surgical models for LDA hinders effective student training.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop and validate a bovine model for teaching surgical correction of LDA.
• To assess the model's suitability for teaching and evaluating surgical skills.
• To provide content, internal structure, and relational evidence for model validation.

Main Methods:

• A bovine LDA reduction model and scoring rubric were developed.
• Experienced veterinarians and novice veterinary students performed LDA reduction on the model.
• Performance was recorded and scored by blinded experts; participants completed surveys.

Main Results:

• All veterinarians found the model suitable for teaching and assessment (content evidence).
• The scoring rubric demonstrated high reliability (α = .886) (internal structure evidence).
• Veterinarians significantly outperformed students on checklist and global ratings (relationship evidence).

Conclusions:

• The developed bovine LDA model is a validated tool for surgical training.
• This model enhances veterinary students' competence in performing food animal procedures.
• Utilizing such models improves surgical training and protects animal welfare.