Abstract
The training of field veterinarians in veterinary public health needs an in-depth understanding of the in-situ problems, social and economic barriers that prevent problem solving and a relevant pedagogical approach to suit the mature learner. A participatory approach is necessary to develop such training. A course designed on the principles of adult learning theory and utilizing the experience of the field veterinarian's local knowledge combined with the expertise of the training provider can be very effective. Forty-eight field veterinarians were trained using a collaborative, participatory approach to understand the issues in clean milk production in Sri Lanka. The veterinarians developed a Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point-based decision framework to identify and evaluate the evidence of bacterial contamination points in the milk chain from the farm to the processing plant. Samples and swabs were collected for bacterial culture and results showed high bacterial counts that showed contamination of milk starting from the farm, through milk collection and chilling centers ending with 2 × 106–3 × 107 bacteria per ml of milk. Chemical and physical hazards were also identified. Lack of appropriate hygienic procedures, chilling at the farm and at the collection center, together with the delays at the chilling center was identified as main contributing factors for high bacterial counts. This problem-based training approach facilitated collaborative inquiry, experiential learning and critical analytical skills. The training enabled the veterinarians to understand the scale of the problem and how they can intervene directly and indirectly to ensure clean milk production in Sri Lanka.
Highlights
With the advent of continuous professional development (CPD) of veterinarians in food safety and public health, new questions about training approaches have arisen
Production and Health in nine provinces were recruited as participants. They were nominated by their provincial directors and represented a cross section of field veterinarians in Sri Lanka
The continuous professional development of field veterinarians in public health related issues is becoming more important as food safety issues threaten human health
Summary
With the advent of continuous professional development (CPD) of veterinarians in food safety and public health, new questions about training approaches have arisen. A field veterinarian may have an understanding of the local context in public health and what the issues are. They may lack the skills, knowledge and confidence in developing an effective problem-solving pathway to address the issues. The trainers who develop CPD for field veterinarians are often university based educators and researchers and they often lack the same in-depth understanding of in-situ issues. They are, well placed to develop the confidence and skills in field veterinarians to construct their own knowledge that can influence practice (Scales et al 2011). In the trainer and trainee relationship, the field veterinarians should have a participatory role in the in-situ identification of the problem, developing a problem solving pathway, collecting evidence and using the data to indicate how the problem can be solved (Baum, MacDougall & Smith 2006)
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