Preventive medicine is a growing part of contemporary dairy farming; a unique continuing education program at the Ontario Veterinary College (OVC) is helping veterinarians to ensure that they have the newest skills and knowledge to guide and advise their clients.
The dairy health management certificate program (DHMCP), which began last fall, is made up of a series of 12 on-campus modules designed to facilitate learning and networking for current dairy veterinary practitioners.
The program was initially developed by Dr. Ken Leslie of OVC's Department of Population Medicine; it was offered for the first time in 1990 and again in 1992. Dr. Stephen LeBlanc, from the Department of Population Medicine, says a renewed need for the program became apparent in recent years, but it was just last year — when he took on the job of program coordinator — that it could be updated and planned for a new cohort of dairy veterinarians.
When announced in April 2002, the certificate program filled its 36-seat capacity in just weeks. LeBlanc attributes the program's popularity to changes in the dairy industry, as well as the significant opportunities for learning and networking that the program offers. “For dairy practitioners to really thrive in a modern practice, there's a definite need for continuing education,” he says.
Program participant Dr. John Van Ostaaijen, a 1997 graduate of OVC, says he is seeing an increased demand for specialized herd health knowledge from his clients. “More and more, we're helping our clients implement programs to prevent disease and protocols to increase their herd's reproductive efficiency,” he says. “Similarly, cow comfort, nutritional programs and dairy financial decisions are often topics of conversation with our clients. Obviously, consulting on these topics requires a lot of specific education and up-to-date information. That's where the DHMCP comes in.”
The program brings participants together for intense 2- or 3-day on-campus modules. Between modules, the participants can meet online through a Web site for further discussion about the program material.
But LeBlanc says that what really attracts veterinarians to the program is the opportunity to network with participants, faculty, and guest lecturers in person. As well as drawing on OVC experts, the program makes extensive use of guest speakers.
“There was a conscious decision to bring in the leading people in the field, regardless of where they're from,” says LeBlanc. “Having outside experts adds an important dimension to the program, particularly because about three-quarters of the students are OVC graduates,” he says.
Van Ostaaijen agrees, saying that the guest speakers were part of what attracted him to the program. “The biggest strength of the modules is that they bring together leading experts from across North America and put them in a room full of bovine vets. This results in great discussions and an exchange of ideas, which is, in my opinion, continuing education at its best,” says Van Ostaaijen. For more information on the program contact Karen Gallant, Communications Officer, University of Guelph, (519) 824-4120, ext. 54414.
Mother's Love — Leo Niilo, DVM, Lethbridge, Alberta