| The members of the Board and
VSIC would like to congratulate Dr. Marilyn McKenzie on her receipt of
the Order of Australia Medal in the Queen’s Birthday Honours this
year. This award acknowledges the benefits to the public and to the Veterinary
Profession that have resulted from the endless energy and enthusiasm Marilyn
poured into her 6 years on the Board and VSIC.
While working full time at Baulkham Hills Veterinary Hospital and raising
two teenage sons, Marilyn joined the Board as a Ministerial Appointment
in 1996. Seemingly tireless and with great humour, Marilyn worked for
reform and improvement in many different spheres which include improving
contacts with Department of Local Government, moulding Boardtalk to the
publication it is today, designing education programs for veterinarians
who had lost touch with modern veterinary medicine and implementing procedures
in the VSIC to speed and standardise case handling. So much unseen work
is done for the Profession by their colleagues. It is great to have this
work acknowledged publicly.
Benchmarking Activities at the Faculty of Veterinary Science University
of Sydney
Accreditation:
A number of methods ensure that the Faculty consistently compares its
programs, resources, levels of expertise and facilities to veterinary
schools nationally and internationally.
The requirement for accreditation with professional bodies ensures the
Faculty is compelled to adhere to strict international standards. Locally,
the Faculty is assessed by the Australasian Veterinary Schools Accreditation
Advisory Committee. Internationally, the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons
and, more recently, the American Veterinary Medical Association, provide
rigorous standards against which the Faculty is measured and measures
itself.
Means of Testing:
The decision by the Faculty to apply for accreditation with the AVMA was
a pro-active one following the accreditation of a number of international
veterinary schools outside North America. AVMA accreditation is a rigorous
process and the body assesses veterinary schools based on 11 exacting
standards. The recent availability of AVMA accreditation to schools outside
North America is creating an international benchmark for all veterinary
education providers. The Faculty’s first site visit in April 2003
was an important step in assuring its ongoing viability and position internationally.
Other benchmarking activities take place on a less formal basis. The
Faculty maintains regular liaison with the other veterinary schools in
Australia and New Zealand and seeks advice on policy and practices from
medical schools at the Universities of Sydney and Newcastle. Visiting
academics are involved in benchmarking the curriculum and learning outcomes.
The NSW Board of Veterinary Surgeons is an independent statutory body
for the registration, licensing and regulation of veterinarians in NSW.
As a result, the Faculty is also regulated by this body, which licenses
students as veterinary interns in their period of clinical training in
the final year of the course.
Outcomes of Recent Reviews:
In addition to the Academic Board review in 2002, the Faculty has recently
received review and feedback from the Veterinary Schools Accreditation
Advisory Committee (VSAAC), the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons (RCVS)
and the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA). This Self Evaluation
Report addresses the issues raised following the Academic Board review
in 2002. Briefly outlined here are the issues raised by the three other
reviews.
Report from the VSAAC:
The recommendations of VSAAC: a committee of the Australasian Veterinary
Boards Council Inc., emphasised the Faculty’s physical facilities
and certain aspects of the new curriculum. In particular, the committee’s
concerns and the Faculty’s responses were:
- Upgrade of the Sydney teaching hospital First stage of $4 million
cat hospital is under construction.
- Replace/refurbish horse yards at Camden. Horse yards were completed
in 2002.
- Upgrade microscope facilities in pathology teaching Sesqui funds
are being used to purchase a 10-headed microscope.
- Upgrade computer laboratory and give more access to computers for
undergraduate students. Access computer laboratory with 60 computers
being established in 2003.
- Explore opportunities for students to gain live surgery experience.
Spey clinic at Camden established. New extramural program including
relationship with the RSPCA will provide further experience.
- Appoint academic pathologist. Dr. M Krockenberger and Dr. Kate Bosward
appointed in 2002.
- Review Professional Practice program. The Review was completed and
the restructured program implemented in Semester 2 2002.
- Appoint additional staff member for Professional Practice. Dr. J
Bagley appointed 2003
- Explore options for students to study topographical anatomy on live
animals. Dr. P McCarthy appointed
- Arrangements for students to visit abattoirs. Elective extramural
rotations have been established.
Report from the RCVS:
The Dean met with the RCVS in July 2002. The Royal College has specific,
measurable criteria for staff/student ratios, theoretical/practical/clinical
teaching ratios, necropsy/student ratio, animal/student, clinical accessions/student
ratios. In this meeting the RCVS indicated that they:
- Were impressed with the progress of the Faculty and supportive of
its future directions.
- Understand that facilities are currently being upgraded.
- Were concerned that the Faculty’s teaching staff/student ratio
does not adhere to the 1:7 ratio or better that has been mandated in
veterinary schools across Europe.
- Would need to see at least a week of meat inspection experience integrated
into the BVSc curriculum.
Report from the AVMA:
The AVMA site visit team visited the Faculty in April 2003. AVMA review
is based on the standards of organisation, finance, facilities, clinical
resources, library and information resources, students, admission, Faculty,
curriculum, research and outcomes assessment. The team has provided the
Faculty with a verbal report of their findings. The Faculty is still waiting
for the written report from the AVMA.
The verbal report noted the following:
- Students are mature, highly motivated and enthusiastic.
- Impressive system for allowing students to express concerns about
the Faculty and curriculum and for these concerns to be addressed quickly.
- Outstanding young staff.
- Innovative and well implemented curriculum.
- Faculty structure that is very supportive of students.
- Forward planning and culture of shared responsibility and leadership.
- Well maintained physical facilities and plans for future expansion.
- Support services, especially the library.
- Veterinary Science Foundation
The challenges that were verbally outlined by the AVMA team included:
- The Faculty needs to continue to look for appropriate non-Government
sources of funding.
- Physical facilities need to be upgraded, especially clinics and teaching
laboratories.
- Upgrade Isolation Units in both clinics.
- Official University formalin monitoring in anatomy labs to be conducted
periodically.
- Recruiting and retaining faculty staff in clinical areas.
- Ongoing monitoring of new curriculum to assess whether the Faculty
is achieving student outcomes.
- Continued encouragement and support for new Faculty to develop research
programs the team suggested mentoring of young staff in this area
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