A row of hair-covered cattle “tails” sits on one table, a prominent “vein” represented by rubber tubing. Beside it stands the back portion of a heifer with a life-like orifice for simulated rectal palpation. Across the room is a life-sized horse model with removable sides, the better to peer inside.When it comes to tools for hands-on learning, the University of Calgary veterinary school has gone the extra mile. And it doesn’t stop there. Entrance interviews quiz students on how they would handle real veterinary situations. Actors are called upon to impersonate pet owners whose animals need care. Equipment will soon allow the school to plasticize animals and parts in a manner similar to the touring Bodyworks exhibits of human anatomy.”I can assure you this is unique and deluxe. This is a deluxe facility,” said Dr. Eugene Janzen, assistant dean of clinical practice, during a recent tour of the school in northwest Calgary. Surprisingly, the vet school, which opened in 2004, does not have an animal hospital. Janzen said experience in other veterinary schools has shown that university hospitals are often targeted for referrals and diagnosis of special or unusual cases. This doesn’t serve undergraduates well, because they need to see the basics – horses with barbed wire cuts and cats that bite. So once they’ve undergone campus instruction, students work with veterinary clinics, stables and other animal-related businesses to gain important real-life experience.Kelsey Shacker is a member of the inaugural class and she is enthusiastic about the learning opportunities afforded. As one example, a mock experience involving animal euthanasia at the school helped her deal with an actual case she encountered later at a vet clinic.Shacker will graduate in 2012. Last week, faculty completed 120 interviews from which they will select the 30 Alberta students who gain entry each year. Janzen says they’ll experience a balanced curriculum that involves instruction in various types of practice, from horses to cattle to dogs. Though the latter is more old-school than new, one gets the impression that the rest of the U of C approach is unique in many ways, from its student interview process to its community outreach. See Barb’s blog at www.producer.com
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