Duration
35h PCL
Number of credits
| Veterinary surgeon | 1 crédit |
Lecturer
Language(s) of instruction
French language
Organisation and examination
All year long, with partial in January
Schedule
Units courses prerequisite and corequisite
Prerequisite or corequisite units are presented within each program
Learning unit contents
The great number of professional situations, very different in appearance, can be grouped into families that share a similar decision-making approach. The learning objective is thus simplified and based on the acquisition of a general approach applied to each family.
If this approach clarifies the objectives, it does not solve the problem of integrating knowledge and techniques that have become bloated in the process of decision making.
The families are qualified as "complex" not in the sense of the difficulty of the medical case to be resolved but because the number of parameters to be integrated to make an decision, medical but also economic, legal, societal, psychological, ethical ...
In most cases, the veterinarian is called to make quick decisions. This has several consequences which affect, in practice, the decision process. The objective of this module is to train the students to this process.
Each of us with our level of knowledge and skills, must make decisions. Students are expected to be able to respond quickly and implement to make a quick decision, never forgetting that these decisions can always be improved. They are taken by mobilizing internal resources (knowledge, skills and attitudes) in the context of a complex situation. The basic rule is to never take irreversible decisions, dangerous and overly expensive. We must immediately raise the question of risk (animal health, public health, economic, legal liability ...). Whatever the decision, it is essential to communicate it to the stakeholders.
After this first decision and risk analysis, students are encouraged to clarify their doubts which may lead to reconsider the original decision.
The higher the risk is high and doubt, the more the decision maker should seek to improve its decision on the basis of new information by following the process proposed by the Evidence Basedb Medicine. EBM, refers to conscious and explicit use of the best scientific evidence and information to make a decision. During this process, the veterinarian combines the best personal experience with evidences found in the literature.
Students must possess the skills required to get complete information and knowledge to optimize an initial medical decision, knowing that the the time to make it is limited. Students must not waste time to find not essential information to make à good decision, and conversely, must not miss out crucial information that will make the difference between good and poorer medical decision.
The decision maker is better informed about certain aspects of the problem and it should eventually modify its original decision. This new decision is not yet perfect, but given the realities, it is currently acceptable.
Concepts
Competency framework: which format for which target. Vandeweerd JM., Cambier C., Romainville M., Perrenoud P., Desbrosse F., Dugdale A., Gustin P. J. Vet. Med. Education. in press.
Understanding veterinary practitioners' decision-making process: implications for veterinary medical education. Vandeweerd JM., Vandeweerd S., Gustin C., Keesemaecker G., Cambier C., Clegg P., Saegerman C., Reda A., Perrenoud P., Gustin P. J Vet Med Education. 39, 142-151, 2012.
Learning outcomes of the learning unit
The first objective of the module is to train the students to integrate their knowledge and knowhow gained in the first four years of their cursus. A reflexive and methodical process will help the students to prepare themselves to perform better therapeutical decision making process
The second objective is to train the students to use the Evidence Based Medecine (EBM) approach in the context of clinical and non clinical decison making.
The learners should be able to
- Search the appropriate literature,
- Assess the internal validity of the information found in the literature.
- Assess the external validity of the information (is it applicable to the case)
- Apply the principles of cursory reading of the literature (reading by "layers")
- Understand and explain what is a bias and a random error,
- Identify the future applications of EBM in their practice,
- Integrate EBM in the process of decision making
- Understand the different elements of decision making by integrating them in a multidisciplinary context
- Synthesize the elements and justify the final decisions
Prerequisite knowledge and skills
All disciplines taught during the first four years of the curriculum must be integrated into decision-making. Specific tools such as literature review, evidence-based medicine and English are essential to this process.
Planned learning activities and teaching methods
Each week, each group must make a decision following the process described above regarding one situation. The exercise will be repeated 1 time. The first day, the group must make a quick decision to explain it to to the stakeholders. Then the group will conduct self-criticism and self-assessment under the control of supervisors who assist the students in the process of decision making. At the end of the process leading to the verification of the first decision , students will probably have to change substantially some elements of the initial decision. It is not yet perfect, but given the realities, it is currently acceptable.
Mode of delivery (face to face, distance learning, hybrid learning)
Blended learning
Additional information:
The learning method is based on the PBL technique but whose objectives and process are suitable for decision making in complex situations. Detailed information is provided to students early in the first week. Each group will have to manage 2 situations (a situation / week) and will discuss with an owner during the week. Every Friday, each group presents its decisions to the expert panel in the presence of the other group.
Learning activities are organized face-to-face and remotely (hybrid system). The practical details will be sent to the members of the group, by email, prior to each week of the module. These practical details are also available on e.campus (activity sheet).
Recommended or required readings
Lecture conseillée
Guide pratique de médecine factuelle vétérinaire : De la preuve scientifique à la décision clinique
- Editeur : Editions du Point Vétérinaire (15 septembre 2009)
- Collection : Sine qua non
- Langue : Français
- ISBN-10: 2863262858
- ISBN-13: 978-2863262856
Mandatory
Detailed pedagogical commitments (available on e.campus)
Pharmacotherapy Decision-Making Learning Module - Objectives and Process (available on e.campus)
Families of situations (available on e.campus)
Activity sheet (available on e. campus)
Exam(s) in session
Any session
- In-person
written exam ( open-ended questions )
Written work / report
Continuous assessment
Additional information:
Exemption from this examination may be obtained on the basis of the completion and success (grade strictly equal to or greater than 10) of group work during the academic year. The grade obtained for this work is individual.
If a student / group obtains a mark lower than 10/20, each student is obliged to take a written exam in the first session and, in case of failure, in the second session.
Attendance at the various sessions is compulsory and conditions, where applicable, access to the first and second session exam. Unjustified absence is
sanctioned at the level of the student's grade (minus 3 points on the final grade established at the end of the two weeks). A delay of more than 15 minutes will be considered as an absence.
From two unjustified days of absence during the two weeks of the module, access to the exams of the first and second sessions will be refused.
In the event of an unjustified absence during the presentation on Friday, the student's mark will be zero for the week concerned.
Supporting documents relating to absences must be sent as soon as possible by email (c.cambier@uliege.be). They must also be deposited with the secretariat of the pharmacology service from the working day following the resumption of activity.
In the event of a justified absence on one of the days of the week, except Friday, the student will instruct, as an exercise, an additional question relating to the work presented by his group. The work, in WORD or PPT format, will be sent by email within one week from the end of the week of the module (c.cambier@uliege.be). In the absence of this work, the absence will be considered unjustified.
In the event of a justified absence from the Friday presentation, the student must present the group's work individually on a date to be agreed with the supervisors. An individual score will be awarded for the week concerned. In the absence of presentation, the absence will be considered unjustified.
In the event of a justified absence of several days during the week, including Friday, individual work provided by the supervisors must be carried out and presented on a date to be agreed with the supervisors. In the absence of this work or presentation, the exam dispensation will not be granted.
Construction of the final mark taken into account for the granting of the exemption
Final grade: S1 final grade (30%) + S2 final grade (70%).
The grade awarded for the work performed at the end of one week will take into account the assessments * formulated in the evaluation report, the corrections to the shortcomings made in the context of the remediation and any improvements proposed at the end of the work of progression. Remediation or progression work will never lower the grade awarded for weekend work. The decision-making process is evaluated by the holder and / or his representative. The final decision is evaluated by the invited expert.
* Meaning of the ratings: NI (0-6), I (7-9), P (passable: 10-11), S (12-13), B (14-15), TB (16-18), E (Excellent (E: 19-20).
Work placement(s)
Organisational remarks and main changes to the course
Contacts
Pr P GUSTIN