Behavioural Medicine with Dr Kersti Seksel

• Introduction
• Timetable for Modules
• Content of Modules
• Reading List
• Technical Requirements for Online Study
• Register for this Course
  

Key Benefits:

By participating in this course, you can expect to:

• Significantly improve your ability to help your clients better understand their pet's behaviour.
• Further your understanding in the basics of behaviour and the intimate relationship between behaviour and organic disease
  Learn how to diagnose behavioural problems.
• Develop your skills in differenting behaviour problems from problem behaviours, to ensure treatment success.
  Improve your awareness of psychotropic medication use when treating behavioural problems including when to use what medication and why.
• Gain exposure to the latest updates in behavioural medicine.
• Interact with other veterinarians who have similiar interests in animal behaviour.

Studying Behavioural Medicine

Thank you for your interest in the Behavioural Medicine program.

The Behavioural Medicine course, a part of the PGF Distance Education program, provides veterinarians with the opportunity to extend their skills and knowledge in a variety of animal behaviour topics, with the flexibility of studying via coordinated external learning. The majority of your study can be completed in your practice and at home, catering for the busy practitioner. This course is available to all veterinarians, regardless of their location, age or background, who have the desire to develop or refresh their knowledge of behavioural medicine.

Veterinarians in the past have chosen to study this course to challenge themselves, to gain important knowledge to help with preparations for membership exams to the Australian College of Veterinary Scientists, or to facilitate a high level of quality service to their clients. By completing this course, you can become a more confident and competent veterinarian.

Learning in this course comes from a number of sources. Each month, you will be expected to complete one module of course work. This will involve reading expertly prepared notes which can be accessed online via WebCT or mailed to you. You will also receive references to supplement this material. Although you will receive this information via the mail, additional resources will also be available online. You will be expected to complete various exercises including case studies and assignments. Upon their return to the PGF, they will be assessed by your tutor and returned to you. This expert feedback provides you with a tremendously valuable learning experience.

It is important for prospective participants to note that this course requires participants to undertake independent research in order to complete the assignments. Participants need to search online databases, review abstracts and undertake online research.

The behavioural medicine program is divided into ten modules. Each module covers a range of topics that a veterinary behavioural practitioner may anticipate encountering in the normal course of practice. Emphasis will be placed on canine and feline behavioural medicine, although avian and large animal behaviour will also be briefly covered. By the end of one year, you will have covered behavioural medicine relevant to practice fairly comprehensively.

Each module is divided into several sections and includes some or all of the following:

Required reading: refers to core reading material that is integral to the topic, central to the module.

Supplemental reading: consists of additional reference material, be they articles, article summaries or references, that the participant may wish to read now, or store as a reference library.

An assignment: must be completed and submitted for evaluation. The assignment generally has two parts. Part A is a formal assignment, completed by all participants. Part B is more flexible, requiring you to submit detailed case studies that meets certain prescribed objectives. In some modules, additional exercises have been included.

On completion of the Distance Education course you can expect to have:

• Assessed the ability of your practice to deliver an effective clinical and behavioural assessment of behaviour patients, for your clients.
• Reviewed the diagnostic techniques commonly used in behavioural medicine, as well as their interpretation and application.
• Reviewed effective use of medication in your patients.
• Reviewed neuroanatomy, neurophysiology and neuroendocrinology that is relevant to your behaviour cases.
• Reviewed common medical conditions encountered in practice that may present as behaviour problems.
• Completed at least ten assignments.
• Discussed and reported on at least ten case studies from your practice caseload.
• You will have been assessed ten times and will have received written feedback on completion of each module.

General

• The modules will contain notes, readings and other materials that you will work through. There will be regular assignments that you must complete and return to the PGF. Your tutor will assess these assignments and return them with valuable feedback. There are no traditional examinations or assessments for this subject.
  
  
• You may elect to submit assignments via the mail or email.
  
• WebCT is a user-friendly system that will give you access to course information as well as enabling you to communicate with the tutor and other course participants. You will be given an individual account once you register for this course and full assistance will be given if you encounter any difficulties. Computer requirements for this subject are contained later in this document.
  
  
• It is anticipated that you will need to spend around 8-10 hours per week studying the course material. You must be able to dedicate this amount of time to get the most out of the program.
  
  
• There will be two live workshops held during the year at a location most suitable to all course participants. This will give you the opportunity to meet the tutor and other course participants and also to raise any questions about the course content. These workshops are a valuable element of the course, however they are not compulsory.
  
  
• On completion of all ten modules, you will receive a certificate of completion from the Post Graduate Foundation that recognises your achievement.
  

Recommended Texts

1. Domestic Animal Behaviour for Veterinarians and Animal Scientists
Houpt, K A
Iowa State University Press 1998

2. Handbook of Behaviour Problems of the Dog and Cat
Landsberg, G, Hunthausen, W., Ackernman, L
Butterworth Heineman 1977

3. Clinical Behavioural Medicine for Small Animals
Overall, K
Mosby, St Louis 1997

4. BSAVA Manual of Canine and Feline Behavioural Medicine
Horwitz, DF; Mills, DS; Heath, S (Eds)
British Small Animal Veterinary Association, 2002

Additional Reading - good for the bookshelf

1. Animal Behaviour - An Evolutionary Approach
Alcock, J.
Sinauer Associates Inc, Massachusetts

2. Neuroscience-exploring the Brain
Bear, M, Connors, B, & Paradiso, M
Williams & Wilkins Baltimore

3. Psychopharmacology of Animal Behaviour Disorders
Dodman, N H, Shuster L
Blackwell Science 1998

4. Pet Behavior Protocols. What to Say, What to Do, When to Refer.
Hetts, S
AAHA Press Lakewood, Colorado, 1999

5. Handbook of Applied Dog Behavior and Training, Vol. 1: Adaptation and Learning.
Lindsay SR (2000).
Ames, IA: Iowa State University Press.

OR

6. An Introduction to Behavioural Endocrinology
Nelson, R
Sinauer Associates Inc, Massachusetts, 2000

7. Genetics and the Behaviour of Domestic Animals
Temple Grandin (Ed)
Academic Press,1998

8. The Domestic Dog, Its Evolution, Behaviour and Interactions with People
Serpell, J (Ed)
Cambridge, England: Cambridge University Press, 1995

9. Readings in Companion Animal Behaviour
Voith, V.L & Borchelt, P
Veterinary Learning Systems Trenton, New Jersey, 1996

10. Veterinary Clinics of North America - Small Animal Practice
Advances in Companion Animal Behaviour
Marder, A.R & Voith, V (Eds.), 21 (2), March, 1991

11. Veterinary Clinics of North America - Small Animal Practice
Progress in Companion Animal Behaviour
Houpt, K.A (Ed), 27 (3), May, 1997

12. The Domestic Cat
Turner, D.C & Bateson, P (Ed)
Cambridge University Press, 1990

13. The Behaviour of the Domestic Cat
Bradshaw, J.W.S
C A B International, 1992

14. Ain’t Misbehaving, Proceedings #340 (Now only available in CD-ROM format)
Post Graduate Foundation in Veterinary Science
University of Sydney, 2001

15. Animal Behaviour, Proceedings #214 (No longer in print)
Post Graduate Foundation in Veterinary Science.
University of Sydney, 1993

16. Lifelearn Behaviour Client Information Handouts
Seksel K (Ed)
Lifelearn

Publications 14-15, listed above, can be purchased from: Post Graduate Foundation in Veterinary Science
Tel: 02 9351 7979
Fax: 02 9351 7968
You can also purchase these publications at www.vetbookshop.com You can try to purchase the other publications from: