21 / 52
Students at the Onderstepoort Faculty of
Veterinary Science now have access to a new
“Skills Laboratory”, where they can hone their
clinical skills before performing them on live
animals.
Mei/May 2015
19
vet
nuus
•
news
T
he new Skills Lab was
formally launched on
Thursday, 16 April. Under
the passionate leadership
of Dr Annett Annandale,
supported by Dr Elrien Scheepers,
the facility provides students with
teaching and learning opportunities
that vary from the very basic, such as
neatly laid out surgical instruments
with a catalogue explaining what
each instrument is used for, to
advanced training models used to
teach students the technique of rectal
examination (as recently reported on
– “
Breed ‘N Betsy vs Proefplaas Polly
,
VetNews, Jan 2015).
In his welcoming address, Prof
Darrell Abernethy, Dean of the
Faculty, explained that the new
facility provided students with the
opportunity to practice techniques
on mannequins and models,
thereby reducing student stress
(knowing that they were not putting
a live animal at risk or distress),
allowing them to focus on the actual
technique. This also reduced the
pressure on the teaching animals kept
at the Faculty.
He also applauded the initiative
taken by Dr Annandale in sourcing
local talent and establishing a well-
equipped workshop at the Skills Lab,
where various disposable
models and components are
manufactured. This workshop,
managed by Ms Liezl Kok, employs
members of the local community,
creating job opportunities and
providing them with skills that can
form the basis of a future career.
After the opening ceremony, guests
were encouraged to view the various
models on display. Enthusiastic
veterinary students explained the
various workstations and models to
the group, and some guests made
use of the opportunity to determine
whether their own skills had stood the
test of time (we’ll rather not report on
the success of this…). The students
explained that practicing on models
made them feel more confident about
clinical techniques that they would
have to use on real patients in the
near future.
Veterinarians who will be attending
the SAVA Congress at the
Champagne Sports Resort in July
are encouraged to specifically attend
the talk by Dr Annandale, entitled:
“Meet the Patients in the Onderste
poort Skills Lab”, where she will
provide more information on this
new innovation.
v
Skills Laboratory
launched
Guests being guided by one of the
enthusiastic students
Below: Is she pregnant?
A calm and quite Quarterhorse, ready
to teach students more about his gut
Launch
I Opening