TITLE III HBGI 1997 GRANT APPLICATION

SCHOOL OF VETERINARY MEDICINE
TUSKEGEE UNIVERSITY
TUSKEGEE, ALABAMA

PART I

COMPREHENSIVE DEVELOPMENT PLAN

The University's Comprehensive Development Plan is submitted with this application as a separate document. However, in this application, specific information related to the School of Veterinary Medicine is included. This information augments the University's Comprehensive Development Plan.

Tuskegee University School of Veterinary Medicine

The Tuskegee University School of Veterinary Medicine is a component of the larger College of Veterinary Medicine, Nursing and Allied Health. In November 1996, under a comprehensive university-wide reorganization plan, the School of Veterinary Medicine and the School of Nursing and Allied Health were merged into the College.

The School of Veterinary Medicine (hereinafter referred to as the School) is an integral component of an institution whose primary purpose is to develop leadership, knowledge, and service for a global society. Committed deeply to academic excellence, the School admits highly talented students and challenges them to reach the highest possible levels of intellectual and moral development.

Over the years, the School has developed a proud history of scientific accomplishments. It has kept pace with and responded to the rapidly changing technologies, the management of new information, and the new and exciting directions within the profession. Today, veterinary medicine is a biomedical science of great breadth and its scientists are among the best equipped to deal effectively with the complex health interrelationships that exist among humans, animals, and the environment.

Approximately 40 percent of the School's graduates choose non-clinical practice careers in biomedical sciences and public health. This reflects the philosophical approach of the School, that is, that veterinary and human medicine are inseparable. This "One Medicine" concept is also demonstrated in the faculty's research and teaching functions. Because veterinary medicine plays an integral role in safeguarding human health, the School is developing strategies to reinforce the importance of veterinarians in health manpower issues. The high percentage of the School's graduates in the public sector -- reflects this commitment and fills a critical societal need.

The School is unique among North American schools of veterinary 'medicine. It is one of only three schools of veterinary medicine at private ,institutions, and the only veterinary school in this country located at a historical black institution. The School plays a unique role in veterinary medical education in North America. It serves primarily minorities of color and high-potential, talented students who are underprepared academically and financially disadvantaged. The School has a long history and enviable track record of success in carrying out its mission. It remains the only professional veterinary medical opportunity available to the vast ma ority of it applicants. It is important to note that approximately 71% of minority Veterinarians in the U. S. received their Doctor of Veterinary Medicine DVM) degrees at Tuskegee University.

MISSION

The primary mission of the School is to provide an environment that romotes and nurtures independent and self-directed learning, teaching, esearch, and service in the field of veterinary medicine. The School's mandate is to provide the students and faculty with the tools necessary to articipate fully in a technological, informational, and global society. To meet these challenges, the School has set in place an educational program designed to promote qualitative learning that is assisted by state-of-the-art echnology compatible with the present and future needs of its diverse population of students and faculty.

1. INSTRUCTION

The veterinary curriculum is sequentially designed in accordance with global educational criteria established by the American Veterinary Medical Association. It has been specifically adapted to accommodate the diversity of needs among the students attending this University. Because the majority of our students are minorities and disadvantaged Americans who are underrepresented in the practice of veterinary medicine, academic reinforcement activities are designed to support mastery of the curricular offerings. The academic reinforcement services include an audto-visual/audio- tutortal laboratory, media center, and a veterinary medical library. Additionally, the ongoing faculty tutorial program in the basic sciences is assisted by student/peer tutorials where appropriate.

Recently, emphasis has been placed on the revision/expansion of the curriculum to include a criterion-referenced teaching methodology. Traditional fact-centered instruction is being replaced with classroom facilitation; computer assisted instruction, student/peer participatory designs in problem based learning; and distance learning modalities. The School continues to develop expertise in the application of computer technologies for veterinary medical research and instruction. The study of complex systems, which previously may have been impractical, is now realistically simulated with computers.

The School is unique among North American schools of veterinary medicine. it is one of only three schools of veterinary medicine at private institutions, and the only veterinary school in this country located at a historical black institution. The School plays a unique role in veterinary medical education in North America. It serves primarily minorities of color and high-potential, talented students who are underprepared academically and financially disadvantaged. The School has a long history and enviable track record of success in carrying out its mission. It remains the only professional veterinary medical opportunity available to the vast majority of it applicants. It is important to note that approximately 71% of minority veterinarians in the U. S. received their Doctor of Veterinary Medicine (DVM) degrees at Tuskegee University.

2. RESEARCH

The School recognizes the correlation between research and instruction, and it actively promotes mentor/prot6g6 relationships among senior and junior faculty. Additionally, faculty are encouraged to seek external support. As a result of the merger between the School of Veterinary Medicine and School of Nursing and Allied Health, there is a new thrust in interdisciplinary research methodologies and collaborative initiatives

In keeping with the University's Strategic Plan for the years 19962000, the School's research efforts will focus on animal and human health issues, methods of disease control and prevention, and the effects of animal diseases on human health. Also, research efforts are being expanded in the areas of molecular biology, immunology, public health, epidemiology, theriogenology, computer modeling, AIDS-related diseases, and specific health problems that disproportionately affect minority populations. The School is involved in a new university initiative in bioethics as it relates to issues that impact on animal and human health concerns. Frequently, these research projects pull together multidisciplinary teams of scientists whose interests converge on common concepts and principles. This unified approach to increasingly sophisticated methodologies coordinates multiple efforts to create partnerships that exploit individual expertise.

The School has entered into consortial relationships with other health professional schools, both within and outside of the field of veterinary medicine. It has also joined forces with scientists from other countries to research health problems of mutual concern. Similarly, completion of the Center for Food Animal Production, Research and Service, currently under construction, will enhance the School's research initiatives.

The School is one of eleven member institutions of the Association of Minority Health Professions Schools (AMHPS), which was formed to address legislative issues of mutual concern as well as the myriad health problems that disproportionately affect minority populations.

3. OUTREACH

The School is involved in a multi-faceted outreach progr both service and research oriented. Principally, the services are provided via the University's Extension Program and the West Alabama Herd/Health Management Program, serving participants in six Black Belt Counties of Alabama. The fundamental goal is to increase both the quality and quantity of beef cattle production. Among the 240 producers served by the program, results show reductions in calf mortality rates and improvements in the overall conditions of animal health.

The Large Animal Section of the Veterinary Teaching Hospital's bulatory outreach services are provided to local dairymen, beef herd producers; small ruminants owners (dairy, meat, and fiber producing goats); swine owners, and equine breeders/ companion clients. Services include health maintenance inclusive of reproductive evaluation, artificial sernination, nutritional evaluation and other diagnostic services.

The Small Animal Section of the Veterinary Teaching Hospital's treach services are extensive. They include home visitation for local derly pet owners; rabies clinics provided to the Poach Creek Indians the State of Alabama; consultation to the Macon Greyhound RacingTrack and services to local hunting/ sporting dog kennels and clubs.

GOALS AND OBJECTIVES

Th e goals of the School are directed at the continual advancement and rt of the three categories of Tuskegee University's mission: ction, research and outreach. A listing of the goals and the specific ives designed to accomplish the mission follows:

GOAL1:

To develop a center of excellence in veterinary medical education in order for the School's graduates to meet the challenges of the 21^st, century

By refining the curriculum on a continual basis to meet the changing trends in health education and technology so as to enable students to acquire and develop the knowledge, skills, and values for entry into the veterinary medical profession and the broader scientific community

By increasing student awareness of those broad social concerns which have a direct impact upon the profession and society

By increasing the yield of innovative teaching-learning techniques that stress self- directed learning and inculcate the concept of life-long education

By increasing mutuafly beneficial interactions within the University as well as with other veterinary medical colleges and related institutions in order to broaden the students' knowledge base

By increasing the awareness and exposure of students to career opportunities available in clinical and non-clinical practice areas

By continuing the ethnic, cultural and gender diversity of the student body which has been a notable characteristic of the School for many years and is in concert with the projected demographics of the 21^STCentury United States

BY providing resources to stimulate faculty and staff development and self-renewal

BY improving and expanding substantially the Dhysical environment within the TUSVM complex in which students faculty, and staff study and work

GOAL 2:

To continue to build a strong biomedical research program as a foundation for the educational process and for the creation and application of knowledge

By developing a strong biomedical research infrastructure

By providing opportunities for graduate and Postdoctoral students to develop into contributing scientists

BY continuing to place emphasis on the School's unique specialty areas rather than to attempt to cover all disciplines in depth

By providing a physical environment that will efficiently utilize the School's resources in produ ctive research initiatives

GOAL 3: To continue the management, application, and coordination of the School's animal health care services to efficiently meet the collective needs of the local, national and international communities

By improving the level of animal health care services provided by the School

BY continuing to advance the health care capabilities of the School through cooperative agreements at the local, state, and regional levels

By continuing to foster national and international linkages and collaborative outreach programs to enhance the School's position in the arena of international animal health

 

NEEDS ASSESSMENT

Based on the goals and objectives, the School has conducted an internal assessment of its programs and identified the following needs:

Advancement and maintenance of a quality veterinary medical library to support scholarly research and instruction

. Provision for faculty development and for faculty participation in quality research training

Assessment and redesign of the graduate degree offerings as outlined in the University's Strategic Plan for the years 1996-2000

Recruitment and employment of senior investigators to conduct global research

Increased enrollment of quality students through adequately funded recruitment campaigns

Improvement of student academic support services to include tutorial, comprehensive counseling, and career placement services

Development and improvement of the School's academic programs and resources to advance problem-based learning and distance learning modalities

Improvement/provision of access to pastures and animal facilities within the School

General maintenance on many of the School's support facilities; i.e., hay barns, fences for grazing areas, etc.

Continued improvement of the School's computer and electronic technology

EstablisHnent of more collaborative programs with universities and Federal ~.~id others agencies

Development of research methods useful in combating health problems affecting Black people.

Training of individual researchers in current technologies for the use of computer, in vitro, and animal models in studying health problems.

Promotion of intra- and interdisciplinary research efforts

Strengthening the School's basic and applied research infrastructure

Expanding and refining the curriculum to offer quality graduate and postdoctoral disciplines

Strengthening the School's capabilities to compete successfully for extra-mural funding

Based on the School's mission, goals, and objectives and based on the needs we have identified, the activities to enhance the School's programmatic initiatives are outlined in Part 11.

PART II

ACTIVITY NARRATIVE

The Comprehensive Development Plan for the Tuskegee University School of Veterinary Medicine (TUSVM) is described in Part I of this application. The ultimate goal of the TUSVM is to develop and implement those activities or programs which will lead to full realization of this plan. To assist in this endeavor, continued federal funding is requested through the Title III Program to support the activities described in this narrative.

ACTIVITY I

Faculty Tutorials to Improve Student Academic Success

In recent years, there has been a nation-wide decline in the number of applicants to schools of veterinary medicine. As a consequence, there have been some students selected for admission who were less well-prepared to tackle the academic rigors of the professional curriculum than were students of former years. The TUSVM recognizes that these students have considerable academic potential despite their current level of scholastic achievement. Therefore, the School has developed programs designed to help these students to overcome their academic deficiencies. These programs involve special support mechanisms in the form of peer and faculty-driven tutorials and in the utilization of faculty especially sensitive to the needs of students. Under a previous grant, two faculty positions were created, one in anatomy and one in physiology. These added positions greatly strengthened the instructional programs of both departments. In addition, they permitted release time for existing as well as new faculty to actively participate in the tutorial program and other scholarly activities.

Since their inception at TUSVM, faculty-driven tutorial sessions have become invaluable in the reinforcement of the student learning process. The sessions have been designed to allow for discussion and review of information utilizing both didactic and applied instructional methodologies. For example, the utilization of specimens, enhanced laboratory procedures and hands-on equipment aid in reinforcing the learning process. The faculty-driven tutorial sessions have been available to all TUSVM students in the basic science courses. However, they were specifically designed to meet the needs of those students who desired or needed reinforcement of the material being studied. The help made available to them was beyond assistance that could be provided during regular classroom hours.

There is a critical need to continue and to expand the current program in the basic sciences and, also, to expand it to include tutorial assistance in the clinical courses of the TUSVM curriculum. Continual funding for the two basic science faculty positions supported by the previous Title III grant

is being requested in this application. In order to expand the faculty-driven tutorial program into the clinical aspects of the curriculum, funding is also being requested for the hiring of two additional faculty. These will include one individual in small animal medicine and surgery and one in large animal medicine and surgery. In each instance, individuals will be sought with demonstrated expertise in the application of problem- based learning methodology. By showing students the relationship between basic science information and clinical information, the new clinical faculty will share the responsibility of bridging the gap between basic and applied biomedical information.