Vet2011 Veterinary Education conference - News

Nick Short and Dr Prisca Noble represented WikiVet at the World Conference on Veterinary Education in Lyon, which took place from the 13th – 14th May 2011. This follows on from the first conference in 2009 in Paris set up by the OIE to identify veterinary training needs for the future. The venue for this second conference was especially appropriate given that the oldest veterinary school was established in Lyon exactly 250 years ago.

The conference organisers kindly agreed to distribute literature about WikiVet to all delegates attending the event. In subsequent discussions with Heads of Schools from around the world, there was real interest in collaborating on the development and sharing of online resources through WikiVet. The OIE (World Organisation for Animal Health) was enthusiastic about the potential to help standardise year 1 competencies through the use of e-learning and the WikiVet platform.

The conference was attended by over 300 delegates from around the world representing governments, international agencies and veterinary schools. It was fascinating to hear from international colleagues about the challenges they face in veterinary education in their own countries. For example, Dr Hideaki Karaki from the University of Tokyo reported on the problems that they have had in integrating veterinary education in Japan at a time when the country is struggling with the aftermath of the recent earthquake.

The OIE have appointed an ad hoc working Group chaired by Dr Ron DeHaven to oversee measuring and standardising the competencies of Year 1 graduates. Dr DeHaven, who is also the Chief Executive Officer of the American Veterinary Medical Association, has had the difficult task of trying to achieve consensus on veterinary education standards from international veterinary schools. Despite the differences in approaches and curriculum presented at the conference, it was still clear that highest professional standards and qualifications are crucial wherever veterinary students graduate. The conference also provided the opportunity to draw on the wide experience of delegates to help plan, design and support a veterinary curriculum.