Purdue Veterinary Medicine Clinical Skills Laboratory Manager Danielle Buchanan kicked off the 8th annual PVM Family Program Series last week with a presentation entitled, “Our Stuffed Animals Can Teach Us Too!” Designed for families with elementary school students or older who are interested in learning more about the veterinary profession, the Family Program Series enables children to get hands-on experiences as they learn more about veterinary medicine.
Children were able to gain hands on experience and guidance using animal models Thursday, October 4, during the first PVM Family Program Series presentation of the new academic year, which was entitled, “Our Stuffed Animals Can Teach Us Too!”
During her session on Thursday, October 4, Danielle shared about the development of the Clinical Skills Laboratory and explained the skills that are taught there. As part of her presentation, audience members were able to practice some of the technical skills she discussed by using animal models. The children used puppets to learn how to handle animals properly and hold them still. Additionally, the children were able to wrap the lower part of a horse leg on an equine model, listen to a simulation of a dog’s heartbeat with a stethoscope, and learn how to put a harness on a dog. As she led the children through these activities, Danielle showed how stuffed animals can be used effectively to teach skills. The focus of the clinical skills laboratory is to teach students technical skills and competencies on models as they prepare for the clinical phase of their education.
“Our Stuffed Animals Can Teach Us Too” was a success with 25 in attendance. The next event in the Family Program Series is “Let’s Take a Peek,” which will be led by Dr. Micha Simons, clinical assistant professor of small animal surgery on November 1. She will be speaking about equipment that can be used to perform a minimally invasive surgery. The event is free but requires registration before the event. To register for an event, email: pvmenaged@purdue.edu.