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The use of on-line continuing education modules to improve awareness of African horse sickness among U.S. equine veterinarians

Date

2011

Authors

Wiedenheft, Alyson M., author
Traub-Dargatz, Josie, advisor
Salman, Mo, advisor
Gillette, Shana, committee member
O'Keefe, Garrett, committee member

Journal Title

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Abstract

U.S. equine veterinary practitioners will likely be responsible for the detection and reporting of a foreign animal disease (FAD) incursion, such as African horse sickness (AHS), into the U.S. On-line continuing education is one method of increasing awareness about FADs among equine veterinarians by providing a consistent message that can be conveniently accessed by most veterinarians. Two major types of on-line continuing education include webinar and text formatted modules. An on-line educational assessment study for equine veterinarians was developed to determine baseline knowledge of AHS as well as the effectiveness of webinar versus text formatted education modules. The results from this study imply that the participants were not initially prepared to recognize and report a suspect case of AHS. Additionally, the webinar and text formatted modules were equally effective in educating the equine veterinarians about AHS. The low voluntary participation rate in the study implies that on-line continuing education is not currently the best method for preparing equine veterinarians in the U.S. for an FAD outbreak. If equine veterinarians become more willing to participate in on-line education based on the new requirements for accreditation, or if incentives/penalties are used to promote on-line continuing education participation, this continuing education method may become more accepted by U.S. equine veterinarians in the future.

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Subject

continuing education
African horse sickness
equine
foreign animal disease
on-line learning
veterinary

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