The College of Veterinary Medicine at National Chung Hsing University yesterday held a ceremony to launch the use of bionic animals in clinical training.
Living animals and animal remains are indispensable in traditional veterinary medical internships, but concerns have been raised over limited resources and animal welfare, college dean Chen Peng-wen (陳德勛) said.
Using bionic animals as teaching materials is an efficient and standardized learning method that would reduce the dependence on laboratory animals, as well as enable students to practice surgical skills in a stress-free environment until they master core techniques of clinical diagnosis and treatment for small animals, he said.
Photo: Tsai Shu-yuan, Taipei Times
Bionic teaching materials can be used for practicing small animal clinical operations such as blood draws from the leg, palpation of internal organs, cardiopulmonary resuscitation, tracheal intubation, nasogastric intubation, dental surgery, spaying, bandaging and stitching. These tools are expected to help students cultivate professional capabilities in simulated environments, Chen said.
The college also introduced life-sized bionic dairy cattle from Canada under the Ministry of Education’s Higher Education Sprout Project in 2020, becoming the first institute to use bionic animals as teaching materials in Taiwan, he said.
Last year, it used funding from the Ministry of Agriculture to introduce life-sized bionic dogs for training on small animal clinical operations, Chen said, adding that five dog models were procured for each type of operation.
Photo: Tsai Shu-yuan, Taipei Times
Hsieh Chia-yu (謝嘉裕), associate professor of the college, also developed a bionic fish model for blood-draw training, he added.
Deputy Minister of Agriculture Tu Wen-jane (杜文珍) said that bionic animals could not substitute for real animals, but they could boost students’ confidence and skills.
Combined with artificial intelligence and virtual intelligence, bionic teaching materials would increase teaching quality by providing enhanced simulated context and sensory feedback in the future, she said.
University president Chan Fu-chih (詹富智) said the investment in bionic teaching materials has made the university a model for veterinary medical education nationwide, bringing multiple benefits for students, animals and the whole of society.
The college bases its teaching and training on case studies, encouraging students to practice techniques and solve problems in simulated clinical contexts, Chen said.
Such a practice-oriented teaching method allows students to learn better by deepening their understanding of diagnosis and treatment processes, ensuring that each graduate from the college is equipped with professional competencies that can be transferred immediately to the workplace, he said.
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