| Unit name | Professional Studies 1 |
|---|---|
| Unit code | VETS14000 |
| Credit points | 0 |
| Level of study | C/4 |
| Teaching block(s) |
Teaching Block 4 (weeks 1-24) |
| Unit director | Dr. Blaxter |
| Open unit status | Not open |
| Pre-requisites |
None |
| Co-requisites |
All other units in BVSc 1 : Anatomy 1 ; Biochemistry ; Physiology 1 ; Animal Management |
| School/department | Bristol Veterinary School |
| Faculty | Faculty of Health Sciences |
This Unit is vertically integrated with Professional Studies units in years 2, 3, 4 and 5 and allows the initial development of an understanding of the complex issues and responsibilities associated with being a veterinary professional. Communication skills - Teaching facilitates the development of sound and effective face to face and written communication skills, primarily through reflective experiential practicals. Professional conduct ethics and law - Teaching encompasses the principles of ethical decision making, particularly in relation to animal welfare, and reflects on the concept and implications of professionalism. Business management - This element explores the structure of veterinary and agricultural businesses in the UK, and the role of innovation and entrepreneurship. Health and safety - Teaching facilitates understanding of health and safety law and practice in the UK applicable to agricultural and veterinary environments. Study Learning and Investigation - Essential study skills are explored and the role of questioning and hypothesis generation introduced.
Aims:
Communication skills:
Students should be able to:
Describe the role and importance of communication in veterinary work.
Identify and describe specific communication skills and distinguish between good and poor communication on recorded videotape.
Produce appropriate written communication to practitioners associated with EMS placements.
Professional conduct, ethics and law:
Students should be able to:
Distinguish between the subjects of ethics, law and professional conduct and explain how they are interrelated.
Describe the frameworks useful for ethical decision making in a veterinary context.
Discuss the use of an ethical framework when applied to a welfare issue.
Discuss the responsibilities and obligations inherent to members of the veterinary profession (including self audit, peer review, and continuing professional development).
Discuss the benefits and risks associated with team working and describe how decisions can be reached collectively.
Describe and apply appropriate methods of self study for the varied kinds of learning required by the course.
Business management:
Students should be able to:
Describe the way veterinary businesses operate in the UK.
Identify the business principles that are fundamental to the sound operation of all organisations, with an emphasis on the types of agricultural businesses to be experienced on EMS.
Identify and describe the role and value of innovation and enterprise in the profession.
Health and safety:
Students should be able to:
Describe how to keep safe in agricultural, veterinary and laboratory environments.
Identify risks and hazards in agricultural, laboratory and veterinary settings, including those associated with physical, electrical, heat, biological and chemical agents.
Complete risk assessments associated with preclinical EMS placements.
Study, Learning and Investigation:
Students should be able to:
Describe and operate the methods available to read and take notes from texts, and to learn from lectures, the internet and other sources.
Identify sources of information/evidence and identify how they are referred to in scientific reports.
Describe methods for revision and those for approaching MCQ, written and OSPE exams.
Generate questions and hypotheses associated with both clinical situations and in the context of biomedical and veterinary research.
Reflect on their personal approach to studying and identify the changes that might increase their effectiveness.
Lectures, seminars, practical classes, debates, computer-assisted-learning, reflective journal.
ASSESSMENT: To progress to the 2nd year, BVSc students must:
1. Achieve a pass mark in written work comprising: a) A 1 hour multiple choice question paper addressing all 5 elements : 70% b) Course work in Welfare and Ethics (set in collaboration with the animal welfare science module in the Animal Husbandry Unit, and assessed through both written and verbal presentations) : 30%
2. Submit a reflective journal entry on personal study methods in their Professional Studies portfolio and discuss this with their personal tutors.
3. Before undertaking any EMS placements (which normally start in the Easter vacation of first year) students must pass an on-line open-book MCQ on Health and Safety. This assessment may be taken multiple times through the first 2 terms of first year after the teaching is delivered in weeks 1 and 2 of term 1.
To progress to Year 3 students must complete and submit Health and Safety risk assessments associated with all their preclinical EMS placements out of term within years 1 and 2 These must be placed in the student’s Professional Studies portfolio as well as be submitted to the EMS Office.
PROGRESSION
Students will be given the opportunity to resit the MCQ and resubmit course work if they fail to achieve a pass mark in the combined mark from these components. Failure to achieve a pass mark after the resits will result in failure to progress.
Before entry into Year 2 multiple opportunities will be given to submit an acceptable reflective journal entry. Review opportunities with the Unit Organiser and personal tutors will be given throughout the third term. Failure to submit an acceptable entry will result in failure to progress.
Administrative staff will ensure that all students have completed the must-pass MCQ prior to any EMS placements. Those who fail to do so will not be allowed to undertake the EMS placements required by the RCVS. Unless all preclinical EMS placements have been completed satisfactorily, students will not be permitted to progress into third year.
Before entry into 3rd year all risk assessments must be placed with the EMS office. Support and opportunities to do this will be provided throughout Year 2 and will be monitored by administrative staff and the EMS coordinator, as is already done at present.
