Information and Computer Technology: Its Advantages In My Profession as A Practitioner and Educator
Brief History of Veterinary Medicine in the Philippines
According to Dr. Grace de Ocampo, one of the authors of “A Century of Veterinary Medicine in the
Philippines 1898-1998”, Veterinary
medicine in the Philippines existed as early as 17th century during
the Spanish colonialism. In may 31, 1828, the first royal decree for veterinarian in the Philippines was made. And in 1899, a veterinary department was
established under the Board of Health during the American occupation. By 1905, it was transferred to the Bureau of Agriculture of which is now the Bureau of
Animal Industry.
The
curriculum was previously a five-year degree program leading to Doctor of Veterinary Medicine;
however, in 1920 it was reduced to four-year course. It became a ladderized degree in 1926 by combining a Bachelor of Science in Agriculture and Doctor of Veterinary
Medicine and became a six-year course. A further revision of the curriculum in 1960 resulted in the current
status wherein the Bachelor of Science in Agriculture was dropped and the
Degree of Doctor of Veterinary Medicine was the sole degree endpoint but is
still a six- year course.
However, since then,
there have been many Vet schools that have been established and not all have
followed the present curriculum. There
are still some that follows the ladderized curriculum.
The Role of New Technology in Veterinary Profession
Nowadays one can see
technology in every aspect of human medicine and in the case of Veterinary Medicine,
animals too. Technology has contributed
many advances to make the job of veterinarians easier and faster. The ease of diagnosis is accelerated with the
help of tools now readily to vets worldwide. Information is literally at every vets fingertips at a click of a button. Even filing of patient records, treatments for individual patients, vaccination schedules, backup storage for the practice' data and efficiency of the clinic practice is easily obtained. Here are some of the technologies and software applications that help in
expediting the work of veterinarians both in the field and academe.
X-ray Machine
Toting bulky, heavy and complicated X-ray machine just to perform a radio graphic procedure is thing in the past. New innovations has produced portable machines which a Vet can carry especially in the field. since these portable versions are smaller (hence their portability) the controls are somewhat simplified without compromising the quality of result and function of the machine. Immediate result of the procedure is readily obtained and analyzed, leading to faster application of treatment, thus lessening further injury or damage to the affected part.
Ultrasound
Another great innovation in the Veterinary profession is the Ultrasound. As with the X-ray machine there are also portable ones which are easily carried whenever one has to do house calls. This is especially helpful with large animal patients that cannot be moved or is difficult to bring to the vet hospital.
And since the trend in medical equipment is the smaller the better, there are also versions of Ultrasound that can be used for small animals which will not overwhelm the size of the pet patient.
Magnetic Resonance Imaging
An additional great diagnostic tool that is being used in Veterinary medicine is the Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI). This is a more detailed diagnostic procedure The new innovations in both knowledge and technology can ease the service we provide for our fluffy, feathery and furry friends.compared to Ultrasound and X-ray. This offers comprehensive imaging technique especially when the disease includes multis- organ effect on the patient. This procedure can be done on both large and small animals which would help the Vet reach a better understanding of the patient's diagnosis. tu, there is no portable version of this machine but still the amount of assistance this equipment gives the profession is invaluable. As with human medicine, the leaps and bounds of technology is cascading down to the Veterinary profession and that makes it much easier for vets to help their animal patients particularly since animals cannot tell them what is wrong or how they feel. So every bit of assistance helps.
Last but not the least, are the many varieties of Veterinary software programs now available to help the Vet practitioners manage their database especially when it comes to patient records, treatments for patients, and such. A good example is ezyVet, Vetblue and Stringsoft to name a few. These software programs enable fast access to patient records, efficient organization of check- up schedules and storage of results from previous diagnostic procedures performed for diagnosis of each patient. that is only a few of the features these programs offer. However, it still depends on the needs of the practice on what software is a good match to get for a particular Animal hospital or clinic. Another great software is Epi Info. This software is particularly great in cases of an outbreak which are sometimes seasonally occurring.
Technology may bring about a lot of negative effects but it is balanced by the positive effects it generates particularly to those who are in need of it. Today, we have access to great information and technology at our fingertips. Let us use them to help animals. We can use any and all media to promote the welfare of animals. After all, Man is the greatest steward of all creatures great and small.The new innovations in both knowledge and technology can ease the service we provide for our fluffy, feathery and furry friends. As Vets, it is our sacred oath to help, care, and treat animals that need our services.
That being said, I am blessed I am in this profession.
