Interactive E-learning for veterinary medicine students and practitioners.

Innovative methods in education, including in medicine, either human or veterinary contribute to enhance the learning effectiveness. The aim of this paper is to present the results that have been obtained by implementation of 3 e-learning platforms in veterinary undergraduate and post-graduate education and training. The e-learning platforms were developed through three projects, Higher Education at European Level in the Field of Veterinary Medicine, ID: HRDSOP 86/1.2./S/63654, Labour Market Integration of Veterinary Medical Students – Practical Training, ID: HRDSOP/90/2.1/S/63915 implemented by the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine Bucharest in partnership with the other faculties of veterinary medicine in Romania and Improving the Quality of Human Resources in Veterinary Medicine, ID: HRDSOP/81/3.2./S/58833, implemented by the College of Romanian Veterinary Physicians in partnership with the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine Bucharest. These projects are cofinanced by the Social European Fund through the Human Resources Development Sectorial Operational Programme 2007 – 2013. A number of 3,000 students from all the faculties of veterinary medicine from Romania have accessed the e-learning platform developed by the first mentioned project, that introduced a modular curriculum with 4 new courses: Veterinary Medical Deontology and Professional Ethics, Development of Professional Abilities and Career Guidance, Quality Management of the Veterinary Medical Act, Quality Management in Veterinary Higher Education. The second project e-learning platform presents 5 modules. Farm Animals Breeding Units, Clinics and Hospitals, Laboratories (research, diagnosis, food control), Slaughtering Houses, Rural Veterinary Clinics are the five domains for which platform presents scenarios that introduce the students to real-life situations. 2,500 students accessed the platform before the effective practical training. The third e-learning platform was intended for 1,000 veterinary practitioners in order to help them to update their knowledge in ten thematic areas: Advanced Veterinary Diagnostic Imaging, New Technologies in Laboratory Diagnosis, New Technologies in Large Animals’ Pathology and Clinic, New Technologies in Companion Animals’ Pathology and Clinic, Modern Technologies in Clinical Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Modern Devices Used in Animal Hygiene, Use of New Technologies for Food Control and Expertise, Informatics Technologies Dedicated to Food Safety and Quality Management, Modern Devices Used in Reproduction Pathology, Animals’ Selection and Amelioration and New Technologies Introduced in Emergency Veterinary Therapy. The project’s success is proved by the fact that a number of 2,488 public and private veterinary practitioners have already accessed the platform. A positive feedback of the e-learning platforms was recorded from all the members of the target groups, students and practitioners.