Teaching Of Veterinary Parasitology Research Articles

Teaching of Veterinary Parasitology to University students in Trinidad, West Indies; are our local wildlife species neglected?

Parasites of veterinary importance have been heavily focused on domesticated livestock that was introduced into the neo-tropics. The text used in the teaching parasitology to veterinary students in Trinidad has only investigated the parasites of domesticated species. In the reviewed veterinary parasitology text no mention was made on the parasites that affect wild neo-tropical animals. Information on wild neo-tropical animals had to be sourced from texts on the management of wild life animals in the Neotropics. The texts that were reviewed in this document spanned from the mid-1950s to 2020. The information presented in this review reveals the exhaustive work done on the parasites of domesticated species but also revealed little information on neo-tropical animals with the potential for domestication. In conclusion, this review reveals the gap of information that is missing from parasitology texts used in the teaching of veterinary students. In the future these parasitology texts can be revised to include chapters on the parasites of neo-tropical animals with the potential for domestication. At present students that graduate from the veterinary parasitology course has little information on the parasites of animals which are present in their 'backyards'.

Teaching Veterinary Parasitology in Portugal in the 21st century – Changes, challenges and opportunities after the Bologna process

Veterinary education in Portugal began in 1830, but individualised teaching of parasitology started in 1911 at the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Lisbon (FMV-ULisboa). Parasitology and Parasitic Diseases were taught in the 3rd and 4th years of the veterinary course, respectively. In 2007/2008, a new curriculum was implemented as a consequence of the Bologna Process (BP), with Parasitology converted into “Parasitology I” (General Parasitology, Arthropods and Protozoology) and “Parasitology II” (Helminthology), being taught in the 1st and 2nd semesters of the 2nd year of the course, respectively. “Parasitic Diseases” became a one-semester subject in the 4th year. BP was intended to harmonise university courses, foster mobility and cooperation among European Universities, but instead there have been major challenges in reducing student contact and an erosion of Parasitology I and II as basic subjects, which were moved to 2nd year. In spite of these changes, the way subjects have been taught since then shows that veterinary students are satisfied with Parasitology; academic success ranges from 70% to 90%; the number of Master and PhD theses in Parasitology has increased; and students share their research results in classes and at conferences in our faculty and abroad. This shows how research and teaching of Veterinary Parasitology are tightly inter-linked and critical, presenting an opportunity to motivate future students to study Parasitology and Parasitic Diseases in such a challenging tertiary education environment in Portugal.

Veterinary parasitology teaching at London – Meeting the ‘Day-One Competency’ needs of new veterinarians

Over the past four decades, there has been an exponential increase in veterinary parasitology knowledge, coinciding with the advent of molecular biology in research. Therefore, it is unrealistic for teachers to expect students to graduate with an encyclopaedic knowledge of the subject. As a result, a new curriculum was introduced at The Royal Veterinary College (University of London) in 2007, designed to meet the needs of our new graduates, i.e. RCVS Day-One Competences. The aims of this curriculum are, inter alia, to ensure that new graduates have an up-to-date body of core knowledge and are able to apply such knowledge and newly-acquired information to scientific and clinical problem-solving. Veterinary parasitology is taught primarily in Year 2, following a brief introduction in Year 1; clinical aspects are covered in Year 3, with original research projects undertaken in Years 4 and 5. Parasitology is taught in parallel with other subjects, enabling both horizontal and vertical integration. Core material is provided in lectures supplemented by directed learning (DL) in small groups and interactive, clinical scenario-based practical classes. Student learning is supported by Moodle 3.2 (Virtual Learning Environment [VLE], RVC Learn) which provides access to an on-line study guide (annotated using Adobe Reader), PowerPoint presentations with synchronized lecturer commentary (Echo Active Learning Platform [ALP]), detailed feedback for DL and practical classes, parasite ‘potcasts’ and CAL packages, and a Clinical Skills Centre. A parasitology textbook has also been published recently to support courses taught at the College. Assessment of student learning is achieved using a variety of written formats (essay, problem-solving questions [PSQ], multiple choice questions [MCQ] and extended matching questions [EMQ]), integrated oral examinations and objective structured clinical examinations (OSCEs).

Veterinary parasitology teaching in China in the 21st century – Challenges, opportunities and perspectives

China has made significant achievements in social-economic development in the last three decades, and the numbers of livestock and companion animals are rapidly increasing. Some advances have been made in the control and prevention of animal parasitic diseases, but there are still some significant challenges, particularly in relation to foodborne parasitic zoonoses and vector-borne diseases. In addition, new molecular (e.g., genomic and transcriptomic) technologies have been developed and are gradually being introduced into the veterinary parasitology field. Therefore, teaching of veterinary parasitology in Chinese universities has undergone significant changes over the years, in terms of topics, depth and breadth, and also in the ways in which courses are delivered. In this article, we describe the current status of veterinary parasitology teaching at the undergraduate and postgraduate levels in Chinese universities, summarise changes and improvement in veterinary parasitology teaching, and discuss the challenges and opportunities for veterinary parasitology teaching in the 21st century, including the use of new teaching technologies and the integration of the “One Health” concept into veterinary parasitology courses.

Veterinary parasitology teaching – Ten years of experience with the Vetsuisse curriculum

Pursuant to the Joint Declaration by 29 European education ministers in June 1999 in the city of Bologna, Italy, the so-called ‘Bologna Process’ was officially introduced at the Vetsuisse Faculty (Universities of Zurich and Berne) in Switzerland in 2007. The long-term goal of restructuring the study programmes was to create a common European Higher Education Area (EHEA), with uniform and clearly defined standards for degrees (“diplomas”). Accordingly, the Vetsuisse curriculum was organised as a 3-year Bachelor and a 2-year Master study program. For the final Federal examination in veterinary medicine, both programs and a master thesis have to be completed. Parasitology, as a subject, is introduced with selected examples in the ecology course during the first academic year. The second and third years of the Bachelor program comprise non-organ-centred (NOC) and integrated organ-centred (OC) course modules, respectively. In the NOC modules, parasitology is taught in consecutive courses, focussing on topics including occurrence, biology, pathogenesis, clinical manifestations, diagnostics and the strategic principles of therapeutic and prophylactic interventions against major veterinary and zoonotic parasites. This syllabus is complemented with live demonstrations as well as practical laboratory exercises. Lecture notes, with defined learning objectives, are based on the textbook “Parasitology in Veterinary Medicine” which is available free of charge to students as an on-line edition in German. Furthermore, students review relevant parasitoses in the diagnostic context of OC case presentations. In another module, immunological aspects of parasitic diseases are elaborated on group sessions, supported through the use of specialist literature. The two-year Master program is divided into a core syllabus for all students, and elective subjects are chosen from six areas of specialisation (three each with clinical or non-clinical focus). Within the clinically focused specialisations, interactive teaching of control strategies against parasitoses of companion and farm animals is the focus. Students specialising in ‘Pathobiology’ experience a deep immersion in parasitology. Learning objectives are verified in different test formats. E-learning tools, including a learning management on-line platform, allow interactive student training in coproscopic diagnostic techniques and in arachno-entomology and provide case-oriented teaching. Since an aptitude test limits the number of first-year students in veterinary medicine in Switzerland (80 in Zürich, 70 in Berne), the conditions for students and teachers are similar each year. The fragmentation of teaching in veterinary parasitology, the reduction of the number of diagnostic exercises and clinically oriented day-1-skills pertaining to the control of parasitoses are critically commented upon.

Simple, but not easy – Opportunities and challenges from teachers’ and students’ perspectives in the 21st century of veterinary parasitology teaching

One of the main goals in academia is, and has been, high quality education of students to provide theoretical and practical knowledge essential for professional life. Achieving this goal is highly dependent on teaching procedures and, consequently, on a constant adaptation of teaching styles to align to technical advances and cutting-edge topics. Technical advances can strongly influence teaching and learning in the complex subject area of veterinary parasitology. Today’s students are provided with extensive, digital lecture notes, and e-learning offers including virtual microscope technology to independently obtain intensified theoretical knowledge and understanding. As veterinary parasitology is also highly reliant on proficient practical skills, lectures with integrated diagnostic exercises are mandatory. Nowadays, such practical skills, such as carrying out faecal examination procedures, can be strengthened by having access to clinical skills labs. Advances such as digital lecture notes, e-learning and virtual microscopes do not only provide new, innovative opportunities, but can also comprise challenges. In this context, provision of sufficient relevant studying material may discourage students to take on responsibilities for autonomous gathering of information. Besides technical advances, ‘Zeitgeist’ changes are shaping teaching contents, which are progressively expanding as zoonoses are increasingly being focused on. With the aim of adopting the one-health concept, students today are expected not only to bear responsibilities for animals, but also for their owners and public health. This article will cast light on some key challenges and opportunities in modern veterinary parasitology teaching from the teachers´ and the students´ perspectives.

Established and novel approaches for teaching and learning of veterinary parasitology in Berlin

The teaching of veterinary parasitology to the large number of students at the Freie Universität Berlin is mainly limited to conventional face-to-face lectures, supplemented by practical classes. Extensive parasite descriptions and diagnostic techniques are at the core of the practical classes, which are also intended to emphasise key biological and veterinary aspects covered in lectures. Further in-depth and specific learning is achieved within a detailed framework of elective courses, with defined learning outcomes for small groups of students, focusing on themes such as ‘diagnosis and treatment of ectoparasites in companion animals’ or ‘zoonotic parasites’. Additionally, structured excursions are designed to offer experience through collaborative international investigations. Organ-based approaches are also an integral part of our veterinary parasitology teaching, done in collaboration with the clinical and para-clinical departments, either via face-to-face interactions or online. Wide-ranging themes, such as ‘causes of colic in horses’ or ‘atopic dermatitis in dogs’ are covered. Recently, diverse blended learning elements were introduced into the curriculum (e.g., QuerVet), which makes teaching and learning more flexible, in terms of time and space, and fosters self-directed learning and participation among the students. A new platform to provide online lectures for students, termed VET Talks, was launched in 2015 by the International Veterinary Student’s Association (IVSA), and is as a publicly available educational support system for students. Provided free to veterinary students throughout the world, this platform offers students the opportunity to access lectures on interesting topics by outstanding speakers who are nominated by their students. Finally, continuing education (CE) opportunities are provided through specific Masters courses (Master of Equine Medicine, Master of Small Animal Sciences), classical seminars and recent webinars.

How is veterinary parasitology taught in China?

Many parasites of domestic animals in China are of major socioeconomic and medical importance. Hence, veterinary parasitology is one of the core subjects for undergraduate and postgraduate students of veterinary science. Here, we review the teaching of veterinary parasitology in Chinese universities, including a description of the veterinary science curricula and measures to improve the quality of veterinary parasitology teaching in China.

Teaching of veterinary parasitology: the Italian perspective.

The curriculum in veterinary medicine in Italy is undergoing important changes, as in the rest of Europe. The 2001 fall semester will mark the beginning of a new format for the degree in veterinary medicine and these changes will obviously affect the teaching of veterinary parasitology. In Italy, veterinary parasitology is usually taught in the third year with a disciplinary approach, similar to that described by Euzéby [Vet. Parasitol. 64 (1996) 21] and Eckert [Vet. Parasitol. 88 (2000) 117]. Approximately 90 h of lectures and 40 h of laboratory are offered and are usually divided into parasitology, followed by parasitic diseases. A more problem-oriented approach to parasitology is offered to fifth-year students within several professional routes (large animal medicine, small animal medicine, hygiene and food safety, etc.), amounting to approximately 15-60 h per student. Indeed, in the last year of study, there are less students and it is possible to present clinical cases and orient the students towards team work and critical discussion. This new curriculum guarantees a reduction in the number of lecture hours and an increase in both laboratory work and personal study, as suggested by the guidelines of the European association of establishment for veterinary education (EAEVE).

Teaching of undergraduate veterinary parasitology: the South American perspective.

Undergraduate teaching of veterinary parasitology in South American countries is basically similar to most of the veterinary schools and offers lectures and practicals in parasitology (P) predominantly in the second year of the curriculum, and parasitic diseases (PD) in the third year, but in some schools also in the fourth and fifth years. However, there is a great variation in teaching hours allocated to P/PD between totals of about 50-169 h during the full curriculum. In addition to the lectures and practicals, schools are increasingly using tools (CD-ROMs) for self-instruction and new forms of education, such as workshops, round tables, and field practicals. The large number of important parasite species of large and small animals in tropical and subtropical areas would require additional hours for teaching--at least in some of the schools--considering the multidisciplinary characteristics of veterinary parasitology.

Resolution on teaching veterinary parasitology. World Association for the Advancement of Veterinary Parasitology (WAAVP).

The principles of this resolution were adopted by the General Assembly of the WAAVP on 30 August 2001 at the occasion of the 18th International WAAVP Congress in Stresa, Italy. The resolution has been published in [WAAVP Newslett. 5 (1) (2002) 3-4] and is added to the series of manuscripts on teaching of veterinary parasitology published in this issue, as it defines minimum requirements of contact hours in undergraduate teaching of veterinary parasitology.

WAAVP/Pfizer Award for Excellence in Teaching Veterinary Parasitology: Teaching of veterinary parasitology – quo vadis?

Some thoughts on training and recruitment of academic teachers and future trends in teaching veterinary parasitology are presented with emphasis on the European situation. It is underlined that research is an indispensable basis for academic teaching. Besides a broad scientific background of the teacher, motivation and teaching methods are also important. Many academic teachers do not receive formal training in teaching methods. In order to improve future education, training of staff members in teaching methods should be promoted. Quality control of teaching and research, already established in many schools, should generally be introduced. Teaching is mostly underestimated in relation to research. Therefore, more weight should be placed on the former both in selecting scientists for the career as academic teachers and in evaluating and ranking departments for their academic activities. In the future veterinary medicine will have to cope with profound changes in the society and the veterinary profession, and the progressing European unification will enhance trends for internationalizing teaching curricula. Therefore, veterinary medicine has to reconsider the teaching subjects and methods and to lay more emphasis on flexibility, skills of problem-solving and self-learning and on training for life-long learning. At present there is an ongoing discussion on the question how to teach veterinary medicine, including veterinary parasitology. There are various options, and some of them are discussed, namely, the disciplinary and the problem-based/organ-focussed approaches. It is concluded that for teaching of veterinary parasitology and related disciplines a combined disciplinary and problem-based approach offers the best chances for fulfilling the requirements of teaching for the future. In the curriculum of undergraduate teaching of veterinary medicine at least 70–90 h should be dedicated to veterinary parasitology using a disciplinary and taxonomic approach. Additional hours are required for instructions on clinical cases in approaches focussed on animal species and/or organ diseases. As there is a need for discussing teaching issues, post-graduate specialization, and continuing education in parasitology and related disciplines on national and international levels, it is recommended to WAAVP to include regular workshops on teaching in the programmes of the biannual conferences, and to establish a permanent committee which should collect information and submit proposals for improvement of teaching veterinary parasitology.

Problem-based learning in pathophysiology using a computer simulation: Self-learning options

Some thoughts on training and recruitment of academic teachers and future trends in teaching veterinary parasitology are presented with emphasis on the European situation. It is underlined that research is an indispensable basis for academic teaching. Besides a broad scientific background of the teacher, motivation and teaching methods are also important. Many academic teachers do not receive formal training in teaching methods. In order to improve future education, training of staff members in teaching methods should be promoted. Quality control of teaching and research, already established in many schools, should generally be introduced. Teaching is mostly underestimated in relation to research. Therefore, more weight should be placed on the former both in selecting scientists for the career as academic teachers and in evaluating and ranking departments for their academic activities.In the future veterinary medicine will have to cope with profound changes in the society and the veterinary profession, and the progressing European unification will enhance trends for internationalizing teaching curricula. Therefore, veterinary medicine has to reconsider the teaching subjects and methods and to lay more emphasis on flexibility, skills of problem-solving and self-learning and on training for life-long learning. At present there is an ongoing discussion on the question how to teach veterinary medicine, including veterinary parasitology. There are various options, and some of them are discussed, namely, the disciplinary and the problem-based/organ-focussed approaches. It is concluded that for teaching of veterinary parasitology and related disciplines a combined disciplinary and problem-based approach offers the best chances for fulfilling the requirements of teaching for the future. In the curriculum of undergraduate teaching of veterinary medicine at least 70–90 h should be dedicated to veterinary parasitology using a disciplinary and taxonomic approach. Additional hours are required for instructions on clinical cases in approaches focussed on animal species and/or organ diseases.As there is a need for discussing teaching issues, post-graduate specialization, and continuing education in parasitology and related disciplines on national and international levels, it is recommended to WAAVP to include regular workshops on teaching in the programmes of the biannual conferences, and to establish a permanent committee which should collect information and submit proposals for improvement of teaching veterinary parasitology.

Problem based learning in pathophysiology using a computer simulation: The patophysiology curriculum

Some thoughts on training and recruitment of academic teachers and future trends in teaching veterinary parasitology are presented with emphasis on the European situation. It is underlined that research is an indispensable basis for academic teaching. Besides a broad scientific background of the teacher, motivation and teaching methods are also important. Many academic teachers do not receive formal training in teaching methods. In order to improve future education, training of staff members in teaching methods should be promoted. Quality control of teaching and research, already established in many schools, should generally be introduced. Teaching is mostly underestimated in relation to research. Therefore, more weight should be placed on the former both in selecting scientists for the career as academic teachers and in evaluating and ranking departments for their academic activities.In the future veterinary medicine will have to cope with profound changes in the society and the veterinary profession, and the progressing European unification will enhance trends for internationalizing teaching curricula. Therefore, veterinary medicine has to reconsider the teaching subjects and methods and to lay more emphasis on flexibility, skills of problem-solving and self-learning and on training for life-long learning. At present there is an ongoing discussion on the question how to teach veterinary medicine, including veterinary parasitology. There are various options, and some of them are discussed, namely, the disciplinary and the problem-based/organ-focussed approaches. It is concluded that for teaching of veterinary parasitology and related disciplines a combined disciplinary and problem-based approach offers the best chances for fulfilling the requirements of teaching for the future. In the curriculum of undergraduate teaching of veterinary medicine at least 70–90 h should be dedicated to veterinary parasitology using a disciplinary and taxonomic approach. Additional hours are required for instructions on clinical cases in approaches focussed on animal species and/or organ diseases.As there is a need for discussing teaching issues, post-graduate specialization, and continuing education in parasitology and related disciplines on national and international levels, it is recommended to WAAVP to include regular workshops on teaching in the programmes of the biannual conferences, and to establish a permanent committee which should collect information and submit proposals for improvement of teaching veterinary parasitology.

Teaching veterinary parasitology

The history of parasitology and the teaching of veterinary parasitology in South Africa are reviewed briefly. Courses in veterinary parasitology are presented at the faculties of veterinary science at the University of Pretoria and the Medical University of South Africa as well as at the Pretoria Technicon. At the University of Pretoria, the three disciplines of veterinary parasitology, entomology, helminthology and protozoology, are covered in 330 core lectures; from 13 to 40% of the contact time is devoted to practical classes. Teaching veterinary parasitology is both labour intensive and costly, viz. R1700 (US$570) per student per annum. Such costs are justified by the R148.8 million (US$49.6 million) spent every year in South Africa on anthelmintics, ectoparasiticides and vaccines to control parasites. Veterinary parasitology is a dynamic subject and the curriculum must be revised regularly to incorporate new information. Because the parasite faunas are so diverse no single textbook can satisfy the requirements of the various institutions worldwide which teach the subject, with the result that extensive use is made of notes. In Australia and in Europe, ticks and tick-borne diseases are less important than they are in Africa; consequently insufficient space is devoted to them in textbooks to satisfy the requirements of the subject in African countries. Parasite control under extensive and intensive conditions is dealt with adequately at the University of Pretoria, but increasing emphasis will be given to small-scale farming systems, particularly if alternative food animals are to be kept.