Preparing undergraduate veterinary students for performing ultrasound in practice

This article describes how the University of Surrey prepares undergraduate veterinary students to achieve Day-One Competence in ultrasound within a spiral curriculum framework. The term Day-One Competence is referred to as the minimum standard of knowledge, skills and professional behaviours required when newly qualified. As veterinary surgeons do not have the same training programme as junior doctors, it is vital to ensure a minimum level of competence to ensure graduates are equipped to manage cases, often on their own, in their first job.

When looking at planning the curriculum, the article explores the ethical and logistical challenges of using live animals in teaching, especially for large cohorts, and outlines how cadavers and a bespoke preservation technique provide realistic, repeatable training in ultrasound while reducing welfare concerns.

The concept of using ultrasound phantoms in teaching is introduced, considering both those commercially available and the innovative work going into creating bespoke models. The author emphasises the value of repetitive practice in a safe-to-fail environment, supported by detailed clinical skills documents to enable unsupervised practice.

The article hopes to highlight how the integration of skills across a spiral curriculum within the university’s undergraduate course ensures graduates are equipped to perform basic ultrasound examinations from day one, following graduation.

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