SCAM21001U Companion Animal Surgery - Good Surgical Practice (GSP)

Volume 2023/2024
Education

This course is a compulsory course at the Master of Companion Animal Clinical Science. The Master is a postgraduate education targeted small animal veterinarians seeking Continual Professional Development (CPD).

Content

The purpose of this course is to provide the students with theoretical and practical tools to perform rational diagnostic work-up and clinical decision-making, and to extend the participants knowledge, personal skills and competences within the discipline of companion animal surgery. The course will provide the students with theoretical and practical competences within the fundamentals of good surgical practice as it relates to first opinion companion animal practice – in particular Halsted’s principles of surgery, atraumatic tissue handling, aseptic preparation of patient and team, and the problem-oriented and evidence-based background for decision making in companion animal surgical procedures. The course provides the student with a set of tools to assess the outcome of surgeries in general and to establish, perform and develop a continuous quality-assurance program in particular. As part of the responsibilities of the companion animal surgeon the course emphasizes the importance of a systematic approach to, and management of, emergency surgical patients, animal pain perception, and individually-tailored anaesthetic and analgesic management.

Read more about the Master of Companion Animal Science.

Learning Outcome

Having completed the course, the student must be able to:

Knowledge

  • Understand the possibilities and limitations of surgical intervention primarily in first opinion companion animal practice clinical situations.
  • Understand the importance of application of good surgical practice (GSP) including Halsted’s principles in companion animal surgery.
  • Explain and discuss the key principles that are mandatory prior to initiating and for the follow-up of surgery in companion animal patients including challenging wounds and wound healing.
  • Explain and discuss emergency assessment and clinical decision making in the acute surgical patient.
  • Assess the limitations and contraindications related to surgeries in companion animal patients.
  • Define and identify key surgically-relevant anatomical structures.

 

Skills

  • Apply the physiological response to pain and tissue trauma in companion animals in a surgical situation including soft-tissue, orthopaedic and trauma patients.
  • Interpret signs of companion animal pain and administer appropriate pain alleviation and anaesthesia.
  • Perform fundamental surgical techniques including induction of anaesthesia, haemostasis, life-saving emergency techniques, simple skin grafting and flap approaches applied in tumor extirpation, surgical biopsy methods, common ophthalmic surgeries, and oro-dental surgery.
  • Perform oral presentations for both specialist and non-specialist colleagues and clients.
  • Find evidence-based information and approaches in surgical patients including the use of searchable medical databases such as Medline.
     

Competences

  • Plan, decide and evaluate a diagnostic work-up for patients with both simple and more complex histories within companion animal surgery.
  • Independently obtain, evaluate and elaborate on evidence based new knowledge within companion animal surgery.
  • Collaborate and communicate within and between specialist, dedicated companion animal and mixed practice peers, veterinary technicians and lay persons involved in companion animal surgical patient management.

Updated literature lists will be posted 1 month prior to course start. The participant should have theoretical knowledge updated prior to participation.

Inclusion criteria for Master's Programme in Companion Animal Clinical Science: Degree in veterinary medicine and at least two years of relevant work experience.
Progression requirements: SCAM13001U Veterinary Methodology and Paraclinical Skills
A mixture of case-based and problem oriented lectures, e-learning, theoretical and practical exercises. Case-study work. Scientific literature.
  • Category
  • Hours
  • Lectures
  • 24
  • Preparation
  • 116
  • Practical exercises
  • 18
  • Exam
  • 60
  • Total
  • 218
Oral
Individual
Collective
Credit
7,5 ECTS
Type of assessment
Portfolio
Type of assessment details
The portfolio exam consists of two parts.

1) The course certificate, which supports, underpins, and focuses on the learning process (learning portfolio). All required components of the course certificate must be approved and include a) a minimum of 80% active participation, b) preparation and plenary discussion of theoretical clinical cases, c) an objective structured assessment of technical skills (OSATS) and, d) a written assignment, such as an evidence-based procedure or clinical protocol.

2) A graded evaluation, which focuses on the intended learning outcomes (evaluation portfolio). The graded evaluation includes an exam with multiple-choice, short answer, and/or essay questions.
Aid
Only certain aids allowed

The evaluation portfolio consists of one component without aids allowed.

Marking scale
7-point grading scale
Censorship form
No external censorship
More than one internal examiner
Exam period

Exam dates will be published on the programme  homepage.

Criteria for exam assesment

To achieve the maximum grade of 12, the student shall be able to:

Knowledge

  • Understand the possibilities and limitations of surgical intervention primarily in first opinion companion animal practice clinical situations.
  • Understand the importance of application of good surgical practice (GSP) including Halsted’s principles in companion animal surgery.
  •  Explain and discuss the key principles that are mandatory prior to initiating and for the follow-up of surgery in companion animal patients including challenging wounds and wound healing.
  • Explain and discuss emergency assessment and clinical decision making in the acute surgical patient
  • Assess the limitations and contraindications related to surgeries in companion animal patients.
  • Define and identify key surgically-relevant anatomical structures.

 

Skills

  • Apply the physiological response to pain and tissue trauma in companion animals in a surgical situation including soft-tissue, orthopaedic and trauma patients.
  • Interpret signs of companion animal pain and administer appropriate pain alleviation and anaesthesia.
  • Perform fundamental surgical techniques including induction of anaesthesia, haemostasis, life-saving emergency techniques, simple skin grafting and flap approaches applied in tumor extirpation, surgical biopsy methods, common ophthalmic surgeries, and oro-dental surgery.
  • Perform oral presentations for both specialist and non-specialist colleagues and clients.
  • Find evidence-based information and approaches in surgical patients including the use of searchable medical databases such as Medline.
     

Competences

  • Plan, decide and evaluate a diagnostic work-up for patients with both simple and more complex histories within companion animal surgery.
  • Independently obtain, evaluate and elaborate on evidence based new knowledge within companion animal surgery.

 Collaborate and communicate within and between specialist, dedicated companion animal and mixed practice peers, veterinary technicians and lay persons involved in companion animal surgical patient management.