This message will appear in the Illinois State Veterinary Medical Association Epitome.
Last spring marked the five-year anniversary of the start of the COVID-19 pandemic that impacted nearly every sector of our society. Education was greatly disrupted by the pandemic, and veterinary education was no exception. Our college transitioned rapidly to delivering the pre-clinical curriculum online and even assisted veterinary colleges around the world by making our online materials available.
As pandemic restrictions were gradually lifted and safe in-person interactions resumed, the use of technology to deliver instruction to remote learners—or “distance education”—was no longer essential for public health. Waivers issued by the Department of Education to allow institutions greater flexibility in using distance education during the pandemic expired in October 2023.
The Council on Education of the American Veterinary Medicine Association, our accrediting body, has been looking closely into the role of distance education for the past year and, in March, adopted new policies regarding its use.
Gathering Stakeholder Input
As a dean and as a member of the AVMA Council on Education, I have spent quite a bit of time delving into the matter of technology in the classroom and how to ensure that its use enhances learning. Very little data have been published regarding the effectiveness of distance education in our field. We can see, however, that NAVLE scores dropped amid the pandemic, from a 95% pass rate for 2019-20 to an 86% pass rate in 2022-23. An increase in the use of distance education over that period is just one of many factors that may have contributed to the drop. Fortunately, the pass rates appear to be rising again over the past two years.
The COE consulted with leading experts on distance education, gathered data on its use in the veterinary colleges it accredits, and collected feedback from more than 1,300 faculty, students, and veterinarians. Overwhelmingly, these stakeholders expressed the belief that hands-on, in-person instruction is an essential component of veterinary education. Faculty and students were more likely than practitioners to acknowledge that distance education enhances flexibility and accessibility in specific learning settings.
Identifying Distance Education
Some practices that meet the definition of definition of distance education might surprise you. For example, “lecture capture” has become ubiquitous in medical education; this technology provides students with perpetual access to the information delivered by their instructors during class time.
Is the course then considered “distance education” when students view the lecture capture rather than attend in person? The answer appears to be yes, with some qualifications.
While having the lecture recorded provides a great study tool and—for students with certain learning styles—a necessary accommodation, the COE guidelines indicate that colleges must set an expectation that students attend lectures in person if the course has not been approved as a distance education course.
Interestingly, the phenomenon of students opting to consume core lectures remotely and digitally is not exclusive to veterinary education and predates the pandemic. In 2019, the American Medical Association reported that 23.5% of second-year medical students “almost never” attend lectures.
New Policies Guide Use of Distance Education
Ultimately, the COE recognizes that technology brings value to the educational space, provided that its use is thoughtfully implemented and continually assessed. The new policies limit the use of distance education to no more than 15% of the overall preclinical curriculum.
Additionally, within any individual course, at least half of the instruction must be delivered in person. In keeping with feedback from stakeholders, the policy prohibits the use of distance education during clinical rotations, while allowing it as a supplement to, not a replacement for, in-person pre-clinical skills training and laboratory instruction.
The COE has also established a formal process by which colleges must request approval for courses to be delivered via distance education. Colleges must show that these courses include regular and substantive interaction between faculty and students.
Technology changes rapidly, and the COE recognizes that the new guidelines will require ongoing adjustment. The bottom line, though, is that the veterinary profession demands practitioners who are adept at communication, collaboration, interprofessional teamwork, and clinical competencies. To instill these skills, veterinary education must remain a predominantly residential enterprise.
Featured photo: In person, hands on. Senior Illinois veterinary students gain experience in advanced avian handling during a wet lab with the college’s cockatiel flock led by Dr. Stephany Lewis. Photo by Fred Zwicky.
