Abstract:

1. Introduction and aims
The quality of veterinary training is achieved by the concerted action of a series of steps during learning by the students. Quality of learning is translated into the concept of the competence of the graduate. Training as a veterinary surgeon shall provide an assurance that the person in question has acquired the following knowledge and skills. A model of hands-on learning practices indicated by the European Higher Education Area (Bologna Process), were introduced in the past academic course 2009/10 as the only educational innovation for students at the fifth year. The aim of the study was to value the stimulus of being involved into learning by doing practices, and the possible repercussion in the academic performance of the students.

2. Material y Methods
The activity was a wet lab for ovariohysterectomy in dogs, where students acts of direct, protagonist in an active way. All the students realized this wet lab as part of the practice period of the subject Special Surgery.

The activity was carried out in agreement with an Animal Shelter. Before the surgical intervention, students received formation about the anaesthetic and surgical protocol. In this seminar information was given to the students by a dossier, and using a video realized with the objective to explain every step of the anesthetic and surgical technique.

In the wet lab, 12 students were distributed in 4 groups of 3 students. All groups worked simultaneously in a surgery room prepared for the practice. This theatre has 4 positions for inhalatory anesthesia, anesthesia monitor, surgery table and surgical material. One animal was assigned to each group as their patient. The students were in charge of the preoperative assessment, anaesthesia management, surgical intervention, and postoperative care during hospitalization for 6 days. During the development of the practice the pupils were under supervision and received the support of 2 teachers of anaesthesia and 2 of surgery. The availability and proximity with the instructor allowed to solve any doubt.

3. Results
The day of the surgery, the practice lasted an average of 7,15±1.47h, from preoperative assessment to hospitalization of the patients.
The results from student´s surveys of valuation after the practice, showed the maximum global punctuation in the level of satisfaction.
The final marks obtained in the exams in June during the academic year 2009/10 revealed that 54,37% of the students attended the exam, and the 91,77% of them got through the subject, with an average of qualification of 6,8. Results were: 8 failed, 40 were scored 5-6.9, 45 were scored 7-8.9, 9 of them got 9 and 7 out of 101 received a 10 mark.
The final marks obtained in the exam in June during the academic year 2008/09 showed that the 42,85 % of the students attended the exam. The 79,06% got through the subject with an average of qualification of 6,1. Results were: 18 failed, 37 were scored 5-6.9, 27 were scored 7-8.9, 3 got 9 and 1 student had a mark of 10.

4. Conclusions
Results from both academic years were compared and it was verify that the introduction of this practice motivated more students (11.52%) to attend exams. In addition, during 2009/10 year there was a significant increase in students (12.71%) that got through the subject, obtaining higher marks.

Keywords:

Surgery, anaesthesia, training, skills, academic relevance.