title: Development of learning objectives for neurology in a veterinary curriculum: part II: postgraduates.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Specialization in veterinary medicine in Europe is organized through the Colleges of the European Board of Veterinary Specialization. To inform updating of the curriculum for residents of the European College of Veterinary Neurology (ECVN) job analysis was used. Defining job competencies of diploma holders in veterinary neurology can be used as references for curriculum design of resident training. With the support of the diplomates of the ECVN and the members of the European Society of Veterinary Neurology (ESVN) a mixed-method research, including a qualitative search of objectives and quantitative ranking with 149 Likert scale questions and 48 free text questions in 9 categories in a survey was conducted. In addition, opinions of different groups were subjected to statistical analysis and the result compared.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A return rate of 62% (n = 213/341) was achieved. Of the competencies identified by the Delphi process, 75% objectives were expected to attain expert level; 24% attain advanced level; 1% entry level. In addition, the exercise described the 11 highly ranked competencies, the 3 most frequently seen diseases of the central and peripheral nervous systems and the most frequently used immunosuppressive, antiepileptic and chemotherapeutic drugs.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The outcomes of this "Delphi job analysis" provide a powerful tool to align the curriculum for ECVN resident training and can be adapted to the required job competencies, based on expectations. The expectation is that for majority of these competencies diplomates should attain an expert level. Besides knowledge and clinical skills, residents and diplomates are expected to demonstrate high standards in teaching and communication. The results of this study will help to create a European curriculum for postgraduate education in veterinary neurology.
authors.affiliation: Department of Small Animal Medicine and Surgery, University of Veterinary Medicine Hannover, Buenteweg 9, Hannover, 30559, Germany. alan.ywlin@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Yu-Wei
authors.initials: YW
authors.lastname: Lin
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Science and Service, Royal Veterinary College, University of London, London, UK. hvolk@rvc.ac.uk.
authors.forename: Holger A
authors.initials: HA
authors.lastname: Volk
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Neurology, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, Scotland. jacques.penderis@vet-neurology.co.uk.
authors.forename: Jacques
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Penderis
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Neurology, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, Scotland. Thomas.Anderson@glasgow.ac.uk.
authors.forename: Thomas J
authors.initials: TJ
authors.lastname: Anderson
authors.affiliation: Department of Animal Medicine and Surgery, The Autonomous University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain. Sonia.Anor@uab.es.
authors.forename: Sonia
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Añor
authors.affiliation: Department of Animal Medicine and Surgery, CEU Cardenal Herrera University, Valencia, Spain. a.lujan@arsveterinaria.es.
authors.forename: Alejandro
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Lujan-Feliu-Pascual
authors.affiliation: Department of Small Animal Medicine and Surgery, University of Veterinary Medicine Hannover, Buenteweg 9, Hannover, 30559, Germany. veronika.stein@tiho-hannover.de.
authors.forename: Veronika M
authors.initials: VM
authors.lastname: Stein
authors.affiliation: Department of Small Animal Medicine and Surgery, University of Veterinary Medicine Hannover, Buenteweg 9, Hannover, 30559, Germany. andrea.tipold@tiho-hannover.de.
authors.forename: Andrea
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Tipold
authors.affiliation: Didactics and Educational Research in Health Science, University Witten-Herdecke, Witten, Germany. jan.ehlers@tiho-hannover.de.
authors.forename: Jan P
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Ehlers
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002983:Clinical Competence / Q000592:standards; D003479:Curriculum; D003697:Delphi Technique; D004520:Education, Veterinary / Q000379:methods* / Q000592:standards; D005060:Europe; D006801:Humans; D009462:Neurology / Q000193:education* / Q000592:standards; D012955:Societies, Medical