Improving Clinical Anesthesia Performance of Veterinary Students with Collaborative Simulation Training

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Collaborative case-based anesthesia learning may occur in veterinary anesthesia curricula however it is typically not in a simulated operational environment (OR) with multiparameter monitors and models, which this literature incorporates, but in a classroom or techniques laboratory environment.  Moving student collaborative case-based learning into the OR with simulated patient parameters on a model created the clinical surgical environment for later senior student clinical use competence and ultimately upon graduation.  Implementing simulated case scenarios requires technology and equipment funding.   It also requires a faculty expert to adjust expected patient parameters and be available during each collaborative group simulation repeatedly for an entire class.  Use of simulated collaborative learning requires student engagement and review of necessary background material and will not remove all lecture-based content.  However, this research demonstrates an approach to enhance clinical student learning which was measured in the reduction of negative anesthetic events in patients. This approach can be added to collaborative classroom case-based teaching to further engage students and introduce them to the OR surgical environment during patient monitoring with required treatment intervention practices that will be present upon graduation in their daily work.