A novel small animal ovariohysterectomy training model improves veterinary students' surgical times

The aim of this study was to evaluate the impact of a novel, low-cost ovariohysterectomy (OVH) training model on surgical times recorded for final-year veterinary students performing live canine and feline OVH. The training model provides focused practice on a segment of the OVH procedure that is typically challenging for students: the exteriorisation of an ovary with clamping and ligation of the ovarian pedicle. At James Cook University, surgical times are recorded as part of routine patient care and include the time from the start of an abdominal incision to exteriorisation of a uterine horn, the time taken to ligate both ovarian pedicles and the uterine body, the time taken to complete abdominal closure and the total procedure time. For this study, surgical times recorded during canine and feline OVHs performed by a full-year cohort of students trained before the introduction of the OVH model (Pre-model group; n = 79 students) were compared to a full-year cohort trained after the introduction of the OVH model (Post-model group, n = 80 students). All surgical times recorded for canine OVH were significantly reduced in the Post-model group compared to the Pre-model group. For feline OVH, surgical times were similar, except for a significant reduction in the time taken to ligate both ovarian pedicles and the uterine body in the Post-model group. An unanticipated finding was significant improvements in surgical times for successive students performing canine OVH over the course of each cohort's year, likely a reflection of developing student competence and confidence across the clinical year.