PBL in an Australian Veterinary Science Curriculum

Charles Sturt University (CSU) has developed a non-metropolitan based veterinary science course, with student selection based on a written questionnaire and interview. A curriculum was developed which allowed students to work with different live animal species throughout the six year programme, in order to retain student interest and focus on their future career. To facilitate the development of self-directed learning skills, problem solving, critical thinking and communication skills, a two-year Problem-Based Learning (PBL) curriculum was developed running from mid-year 3 to mid-year 5. Studies suggest that PBL programs have a positive effect on performance in several areas, including communication skills and clinical reasoning, in the first two years after graduation.