Ward Jessica L, Mulherin Brenda L, Vengrin Courtney A
J Vet Med Educ. 2022 Apr;49(2):141-150. doi: 10.3138/jvme-2020-0122. Epub 2021 May 4.
Policy changes in response to the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic at Iowa State University College of Veterinary Medicine (ISU-CVM) included the administrative directive that fourth-year (VM4) clinical rotations immediately transition from in-person to virtual format. This article summarizes the efforts, successes, and challenges experienced by ISU-CVM clinical faculty during this transition. Numerous data sources were reviewed, including college records and announcements, faculty survey results, and student rotation evaluations. Data were explored using quantitative and qualitative methods. Between March and July 2020, 36 faculty from 15 different clinical services invested approximately 5,000 hours in delivering virtual content to 165 VM4 students from ISU-CVM and Caribbean veterinary schools. With departmental, college, and university assistance, faculty effectively used educational technologies (Zoom, Canvas, Echo360) and developed adaptive and innovative methods for virtual content delivery. Virtual VM4 rotations were collectively well received and appreciated by students, and student evaluation scores for virtual rotations were statistically equivalent to or higher than those for the corresponding in-person rotations in the preceding year. Although certain hands-on skills could not be adequately acquired in a virtual environment, students gained theoretical knowledge and case-based problem-solving skills in the online format. Faculty reported satisfaction with their adaptability and resilience in these challenging circumstances. These findings demonstrate that ISU-CVM clinical faculty invested substantial time and effort to transition in-person clinical rotations to virtual format during the early COVID-19 pandemic. This is particularly noteworthy given that many of these same faculty simultaneously served as essential personnel managing clinical cases in the university's teaching hospital.
爱荷华州立大学兽医学院（ISU-CVM）针对2019年冠状病毒病（COVID-19）大流行所做出的政策调整包括一项行政指令，即四年级（VM4）临床轮转立即从面对面形式转变为虚拟形式。本文总结了ISU-CVM临床教师在这一转变过程中所做出的努力、取得的成功以及遇到的挑战。我们查阅了众多数据来源，包括学院记录和公告、教师调查结果以及学生轮转评估。我们运用定量和定性方法对数据进行了探究。在2020年3月至7月期间，来自15种不同临床服务的36名教师投入了约5000小时，为来自ISU-CVM和加勒比地区兽医学院的165名VM4学生提供虚拟内容。在系、学院和大学的协助下，教师们有效地利用了教育技术（Zoom、Canvas、Echo360），并开发了适应性强且富有创新性的虚拟内容交付方法。虚拟VM4轮转总体上受到了学生的好评和赞赏，并且虚拟轮转的学生评估分数在统计学上等同于或高于上一年相应的面对面轮转。尽管某些实践技能无法在虚拟环境中充分掌握，但学生们通过在线形式获得了理论知识和基于案例的问题解决技能。教师们表示对自己在这些具有挑战性的情况下的适应能力和应变能力感到满意。这些发现表明，在COVID-19大流行早期，ISU-CVM临床教师投入了大量时间和精力将面对面临床轮转转变为虚拟形式。鉴于许多教师同时还担任大学教学医院管理临床病例的关键人员，这一点尤其值得注意。
