Calling authors

Re: Calling authors

Rob Loxley — Sat, 31 Dec 2011 10:57:51 GMT

[quote user="bob lehner"]I'm sure on-line CPD will sound the death knell for a lot of the traditional meetings and conferences[/quote]

I think it has done already: in the last year I don't think I've been invited to any non-online drug company meeting/talk/presentation.
The only 'physical' ones have been at referral centres who are keen to build relationships with practices and show off their facilities (no problem, I add); Congresses though I do wonder why I don't sit at home and watch/listen to them online with a beer (maybe the trade show still has value as a physical event); and practical wet-lab type CPD (which IMHO has always been the only value-for-money CPD the large commercial companies have really offered).

As for the OP, unfortunately I'd suggest that such a book would have limited 'widespread appeal' and sales to make it prohibitively expensive. I'd suggest a subscription to something like VIN might be a better investment?

Re: Calling authors

bob lehner — Sat, 31 Dec 2011 10:50:05 GMT

[quote user="Clive Ansell"] Most of the CPD run by companies is prohibitively expensive.[/quote]

I agree . Since 'retiring' I have had to fund my own CPD and find there is plenty of very good quality stuff on line and often free - e.g. the Virbac series on the Webinar Vet and the Idexx website. I have logged 50-plus hours this year at minimal cost.

I also wonder how the London Vet show manages to be so much cheaper than virtually any other commercial CPD provider.

Of course commercial CPD providers are businesses and exist to make a profit - but if I was a 'Dragon' I certainly wouldn't be investing in one now as I'm sure on-line CPD will sound the death knell for a lot of the traditional meetings and conferences.

Re: Calling authors

Julian Earl — Fri, 30 Dec 2011 19:12:16 GMT

Two questions: why are you concerned about calcinosis circumscripta? Was it not mentioned at college?

Secondly: does anyone note the time they spend on this site as CPD?

Re: Calling authors

Richard Fox — Fri, 30 Dec 2011 14:08:40 GMT

Hmm - work in a pathology lab - then you get a really skewed opinion of what is common, uncommon, rare or never been described! Makes it interesting and frustrating at the same time

Re: Calling authors

patrick murphy — Fri, 30 Dec 2011 13:45:34 GMT

it is funny how this 105 over 3 years has so insidiously crept in. first they gave us cards, then they advised, and now they say that although not required, it would in fact have some bearing in a court or disiplinary case. although I have to list to maintain my registration in Ontario, it really peeves me that like security at airports, it has become an industry in itself. attendance at lecture oriented CPD is in no way an indication of one's willingness to learn and work things out, by forums, reading and talking cases over with colleagues and smart guys is the referral areas.

Re: Calling authors

Clive Ansell — Thu, 29 Dec 2011 17:42:46 GMT

I've exceeded the CPD requiremment for this year, about 50 hours I think, at no expense. All free evening seminars, webinars, and documented reading. Also includes of course 10 hours general reading and time on vetsurgeon.org. Most of the CPD run by companies is prohibitively expensive.

I might go to BSAVA congress next year, but saying that the last time I went I wasn't that impressed and it is expensive.

Re: Calling authors

Martin Atkinson — Thu, 29 Dec 2011 16:56:25 GMT

[quote user="Lorna McHardy"]

Me, I get next to nothing from traditional CPD these days; I fall asleep in lectures and resent paying three-figure sums for at most, 2-3 nuggets of durable information. And that's before I've had to find somebody to look after the dog, the cats, and the hens, book a hotel, fill the car with expensive fuel, etc. etc. etc.

The on-line stuff on the other hand can be done from home in your own time, gives you the option of forums not dissimilar to these, and access via those forums to experts on the subject for up to six weeks... so you don't get home with loads of unanswered questions, either. It's the first time in years that any CPD has changed the way I think, and work. Cannot recommend highly enough.

The only downside is that it's expensive, and getting more so by the year. It's not that it isn't worth the money, just that they're getting very close to pricing me out of the market.

[/quote]

I get the impression that some CPD providers are creating a market for themselves out of the fear of failing to get the required 35 hours in. I've achieved my requirement this year with absolutely minimal expense. There is plenty of good quality free CPD to be had both sponsored by drug companies and referral clinics, in journals that I already pay for or are free, and on-line, or via BSAVA regions at a token cost.. Unless you're studying for a certificate all you need to know is available from these sources. I will only pay for a CPD course if it involves a tax deductible holiday eg SPVS Snowscene.

Re: Calling authors

Lorna McHardy — Thu, 29 Dec 2011 16:49:42 GMT

[quote user="Evelyn Barbour-Hill"]

Lecture-only (or lecture-dominated) courses are a complete waste of time and money. What is the point of them?

[/quote]

I'm wondering whether it's an age thing... for my first 5 year or so in practice, they were great. Then I started going off them!

Re: Calling authors

Evelyn Barbour-Hill — Thu, 29 Dec 2011 16:28:46 GMT

[quote user="Lorna McHardy"]

[quote user="karen jones"]

Are text books becoming obsolete with info from google (or possibly subscription to vetstream).

[/quote]

Noooooooo.... textbooks still my look-up method of choice nearly all of the time. I carry a travelling library in my car. Far too much faff to go find a computer, turn on the internet, separate the wheat from the chaff... no. Give me a decent textbook any day. <old-fashioned mode off>

[/quote]

Seconded.

[quote user="Lorna McHardy"]

[quote user="karen jones"]

I've spent several hundred pounds recently attending cpd courses where I have gained one or 2 practical tips but otherwise could have saved the money as things don't really change with time.

[/quote]

Lecture-only (or lecture-dominated) courses are a complete waste of time and money. What is the point of them?

Re: Calling authors

Lorna McHardy — Thu, 29 Dec 2011 00:21:59 GMT

[quote user="karen jones"]

Are text books becoming obsolete with info from google (or possibly subscription to vetstream).

[/quote]

[quote user="karen jones"]

I've spent several hundred pounds recently attending cpd courses where I have gained one or 2 practical tips but otherwise could have saved the money as things don't really change with time.

[/quote]

May I recommend on-line CPD? The RVC for instance have some excellent courses, which I discovered a year or so back. I believe they developed them in collaboration with the OU, which would explain why they're so good.

The only downside is that it's expensive, and getting more so by the year. It's not that it isn't worth the money, just that they're getting very close to pricing me out of the market.

Re: Calling authors

Lorna McHardy — Thu, 29 Dec 2011 00:12:04 GMT

[quote user="Rachael Winder"]

Yea Lorna- you made it! Can we include SLE in cats please?!

[/quote]

Hi Rachael

By all means. Go on, authors... you'd be onto a winner here...

Re: Calling authors

Neil Wheadon — Wed, 28 Dec 2011 23:51:39 GMT

I've used this forum for 5 months and enjoy the clinical discussion. I've often contemplated that if a vet sees a rare condition once a year then that's 10.000 cases nationwide a year, not so rare then. A forum like this should be perfect for this kind of discussion to share cases. Vets Now have a system called Moodle where cases are posted and discussed between clinical teams, this works well and I feel that this forum is ideal for this.

Re: Calling authors

karen jones — Wed, 28 Dec 2011 21:01:37 GMT

New disease never heard of before, now will add in differential after using the great "google". Are text books becoming obsolete with info from google (or possibly subscription to vetstream). I've spent several hundred pounds recently attending cpd courses where I have gained one or 2 practical tips but otherwise could have saved the money as things don't really change with time. As a mature member of the profession, I find that medical cpd has often moved on more than the surgical. I know that there has been a lot of debate on fixing cruciates but I think that if there are lots of methods, then no one had yet come up with the definite method and so stick with what works for you.

Re: Calling authors

Rachael Winder — Wed, 28 Dec 2011 20:12:11 GMT

Yea Lorna- you made it! Can we include SLE in cats please?!

Re: Calling authors

Lorna McHardy — Wed, 28 Dec 2011 18:26:02 GMT

[quote user="Niall Taylor"]

It's all relative really - are diseases uncommon or are we just not looking for them? I remember being told by my old boss that Addison's disease "wasn't one of his diseases"!

[/quote]

you have a point! On the other hand, it's not difficult to find reams of information on Addison's disease in standard reference works.

[quote user="Niall Taylor"]

What diseases would you like to see included? Conn's disease would be fairly high on my list for inclusion.

Cheers,

Niall

[/quote]

What triggered the thought was a colleague asking about calcinosis circumscripta. I checked 12 books (admittedly I was scraping the barrel a bit with, for instance, the histopath book I used in college), and the most meaningful reference I found was about 3 lines in Praktikum der Hundeklinik, which I bought over 20 years ago, before I qualified. The gist was that the disease is rare, which didn't help my colleague much!

I suppose what I mean is anything I see or am asked about, that can't be found in the combination of standard works in your average vet's library.

yep, include that

Re: Calling authors

Niall Taylor — Wed, 28 Dec 2011 15:43:13 GMT

It's all relative really - are diseases uncommon or are we just not looking for them? I remember being told by my old boss that Addison's disease "wasn't one of his diseases"!

What diseases would you like to see included? Conn's disease would be fairly high on my list for inclusion.

Cheers,

Niall