title: Laparoscopic-guided compared to skilled instructor support for student rectal examination training using live horses in the veterinary curriculum.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the veterinary student learning outcome of 2 methods of equine rectal examination training.
  
  
  METHODS
  Randomized prospective study.
  
  
  METHODS
  Veterinary students (3rd and 4th year; n = 40) and practicing equine veterinarians (n = 10).
  
  
  METHODS
  Year 1: Group 1 (n = 11) and Group 2 students (n = 10) received skilled instructor (SI) and laparoscopic-guidance (LG), respectively, during rectal exam instruction. All students were tested on rectal identification of 4 abdominal organs. Year 2: One group of students (n = 19) was trained and subsequently tested using each technique, first SI, followed by LG. Subjective evaluation of laparoscopy as a teaching tool was achieved with veterinary students and equine practitioners.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A significantly greater percentage of students having LG compared to SI were able to correctly identify the left kidney (Year 1) and the spleen, cecum, and right ovary (Year 2). A significantly greater proportion of LG trained students in years 1 and 2 (100% and 95%, respectively) were also able to identify 75% of organs compared with SI (27% and 21%, respectively). Both students and veterinarians uniformly provided favorable feedback for LG in teaching rectal palpation skills.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The LG method of equine rectal examination instruction resulted in improved learning for identification of several key abdominal organs compared with SI.
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York.
authors.forename: Rolfe M
authors.initials: RM
authors.lastname: Radcliffe
authors.forename: Alison C
authors.initials: AC
authors.lastname: Manchester
authors.forename: Hussni O
authors.initials: HO
authors.lastname: Mohammed
authors.forename: Kyla
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Ortved
authors.forename: Heidi L
authors.initials: HL
authors.lastname: Reesink
authors.forename: Lauren V
authors.initials: LV
authors.lastname: Schnabel
authors.forename: Hayley M
authors.initials: HM
authors.lastname: Lang
authors.forename: Peter V
authors.initials: PV
authors.lastname: Scrivani
authors.forename: Susan L
authors.initials: SL
authors.lastname: Fubini
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002983:Clinical Competence; D004520:Education, Veterinary; D006734:Horse Diseases / Q000473:pathology*; D006736:Horses; D006801:Humans; D010535:Laparoscopy / Q000379:methods / Q000662:veterinary*; D010173:Palpation / Q000662:veterinary*; D015397:Program Evaluation; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012007:Rectum / Q000473:pathology*