Course in evidence-based veterinary medicine
17-18th of November 2023 | i3S

The practice of evidence-based veterinary medicine is one of the most important skills for a veterinarian. However, in Portugal, there is a lack of training capable of making veterinarians competent in collecting, interpreting, and evaluating the quality of scientific information. Furthermore, non-conventional therapies (NCTs) – such as acupuncture, traditional Chinese medicine, homeopathy, and osteopathy – have become increasingly popular in veterinary practice, despite a paucity of evidence on their effectiveness. This intensive 12-hour course is essentially aimed at veterinary professionals or postgraduate students dealing with clinical or fundamental research, or for anyone who wants to improve their skills in researching, evaluating, applying, and communicating scientific evidence in veterinary medicine.

Mais informação disponível na versão Portuguesa.

More information:
Events Management Unit | Rua Alfredo Allen 208 | 4200-135 Porto, Portugal
Email: events@i3s.up.pt | Tel: +351 226 074 900

Language: The course will be given in Portuguese.

The course will be held at i3S – Instituto de Investigação e Inovação em Saúde.

Rua Alfredo Allen, 208; 4200-135 Porto, Portugal

Tel: +351 226 074 900 | Site: http://www.i3s.up.pt/ | E-mail: events@i3s.up.pt

GPS coordinates: 41º 10’ 30.008’’ N, 8º 36’ 12.488’’ W.

November 17, 2023

9:00-9:30 Welcome

9:30-10:00 Presentations

10:00-10:30 Introduction to the course and the results of the EviEdVet project

10:30-11:00 Coffee break

11:00–11:30 Principles of Evidence-Based Medicine (MMS)

11:30-12:00 Preparing a search for scientific information in credible sources (MMS)

12:00-12:30 Distinguishing the concepts of conventional and unconventional therapies (MMS)

12:30-13:30 Lunch 13:30-14:00 Assess the criteria for quality and robustness of evidence (NHF)

14:00-14:30 Systematic reviews, meta-analyses and formulation of clinically relevant scientific questions. (NHF)

15:00-15:30 Coffee break

15:30-16:00 Applying evidence in companion animal clinic (MMS)

16:00-16:30 Case studies – quality and robustness of evidence

16:30-17:00 Discussion

November 18, 2023

9:00-9:30 Identifying cognitive biases and argumentative fallacies (DC)

9:30-10:00 Ethical issues and EBVM (NHF)

10:00-10:30 Case studies – evidence, ethics and deontology

10:30-11:00 Coffee break

11:00–11:30 What about when there is no scientific evidence available? Empirical knowledge, extrapolation and Expert Knowledge Elicitation (GS)

11:30-12:00 Applying evidence in farm animal clinic (GS)

12:00-12:30 Apply evidence in the exotic animals clinic (MMS)

12:30-13:30 Lunch

13:30-14:00 Communicating scientific evidence with colleagues and clients (MMS)

14:00-14:30 Preparing a research questionnaire (IR and DC)

15:00-15:30 Coffee break

15:30-16:00 Case study – Communicating scientific evidence with colleagues and clients

16:00-16:30 Formative assessment (interactive questionnaires)

16:30-17:00 Discussion and final evaluation of the course

Manuel Sant’Ana: Manuel Magalhães Sant’Ana is the PI of the EviEdVet project. He is a veterinarian and European specialist in animal welfare. He is a researcher in animal ethics and veterinary professional deontology at the Center for Interdisciplinary Research in Animal Health (CIISA) of the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine of the University of Lisbon and has, in recent years, dedicated himself to evidence-based medicine. He was a Newman Fellow in Veterinary Ethics, from the School of Veterinary Medicine, University College Dublin, Ireland and has been, since 2016, Vice-President of the Professional and Ethical Council of the Order of Veterinary Doctors.

Nuno Henrique Franco: Nuno Franco is co-PI of the EviEdVet project. He has degrees in both Biology and Geology teaching (2003) and in Animal Biology (2007), and a PhD in Biomedical Sciences (2012). He is a researcher at the i3S Laboratory Animal Science group in the field of animal welfare and assessment of methodological quality and reproducibility in animal experimentation, having also studied and published in such areas as the sociology of science, history of science, science teaching and animal ethics. He is the President of ETPLAS, coordinator of RedeORBEA, Vice-President of SPCAL and member of the board of Animal Research Tomorrow.

George Stilwell: George Stilwell graduated from the Escola Superior de Medicina Veterinária and is a PhD in Veterinary Sciences with a thesis on “Assessment and control of pain in cattle”. He graduated from the European College in Bovine Health and Management and practiced clinic of livestock species from 1986 to 2000. He is an Associate Professor at the FMV-ULisboa since 2000, where he teaches “Clinic of Livestock Species” and “Deontology and Bioethics”. He is a guest lecturer at Massey University (New Zealand) 2018-2019. He leads the Animal Behaviour and Welfare laboratory at CIISA-FMV, and is a founding member of the Portuguese Buiatrics Association. He is a Member of EFSA working groups on cattle welfare and health and member of the Board of Directors of the Order of Veterinary Doctors.

Isilda Rodrigues: Isilda Rodrigues is an Assistant Professor with tenure at the Department of Education and Psychology at UTAD. She graduated in Biology/Geology Teaching, having a Master in Health Promotion and Education, and a PhD in Education, being a tenured Assistant Professor in Science Didactics/Science Teaching since 2015. She is a researcher at the Center for Educational Research and Intervention (CIIE) of the Faculty of Educational Sciences and Psychology of the University of Porto. She researches in the areas of History of Science, Science Didactics and Health Education. She is Deputy director of the Basic Education Course at UTAD, and was appointed UTAD Student Ombudsperson from June 2021.

Daniel Costa: Daniel Costa is a researcher in Social Sciences and postdoc on the EviEdVet project. He has a master's degree in Social, Work and Organizational Psychology from the Faculty of Psychology and Educational Sciences of the University of Porto and a PhD in Sociology from the Faculty of Arts of the University of Porto. He has professional experience both in organizational environments and in research project contexts, having dedicated himself within the scope of EviEdVet to studying how scientific evidence is perceived by medical students and teachers.

Registration until November 2nd 2023 | Payment deadline: November 2nd

Fee: 30€ (lunch and coffee breaks included)

Registration form >>

More informations:

Events Management Unit | Rua Alfredo Allen 208 | 4200-135 Porto, Portugal
Email: events@i3s.up.pt | Tel: +351 226 074 900