Utilisation and Evaluation of Cooperative Case-Based Teaching for Integration of Microbiology and Pharmacology in Veterinary Education

Purpose: Integrating basic sciences with clinical disciplines while fostering clinical reasoning capabilities is difficult. We investigated the utilisation of diagnostic specimens and, a cooperative, case-based learning and teaching model to integrate principles of antimicrobial drug pharmacology and microbiology in the fifth year of a veterinary course. Methods: In small groups, students were assigned diagnostic specimens from which they isolated and identified clinically relevant microorganisms and then performed antimicrobial susceptibility tests based on a review of pharmacology, microbiology and pathophysiology. Results were recorded and analysed followed by a student-led integrative tutorial. Learning outcomes were assessed via individually written reports discussing the disease process, interpretation of diagnostic results and, recommendations and rationales for therapeutic interventions. Results: This approach yielded high quality student reports that conformed to antimicrobial prescription guidelines with consistently high summative assessment scores. Mean scores for the final report in this learning activity were: 82 ± 12%, 80 ± 12% and 80 ± 11% for 2015, 2016 and 2017 cohorts respectively; over the same time period, 98 ± 1% of students indicated that these learning activities facilitated the development of confidence, professional knowledge and skills. Discussion: This was a consistent approach for integrating principles of veterinary pharmacology and microbiology in clinical disciplines. These data illustrate the benefit of a systematic application of a cooperative, case-based learning and teaching model in integrating pre-clinical and clinical disciplines in a bachelor of veterinary science course