Veterinary Students Learn Lifesaving Skills during RECOVER BLS & ALS Certification Day
Students received hands-on practice for basic and advanced life support for small animals.
- AZ - Glendale
Veterinary students practice administering the learned techniques to the dog manikins.
Midwestern University veterinary students on the Glendale Campus had the opportunity to receive RECOVER (Reassessment Campaign on Veterinary Resuscitation) CPR certification for Basic Life Support (BLS) and Advanced Life Support (ALS) along with hands-on training for practice and additional certification on December 9 and 10. One of the learned skills for BLS includes maximizing the possibility of survival for cardiopulmonary arrest in small animals. In ALS, students use monitoring equipment and learn how to diagnose electrocardiogram (ECG) arrest rhythm. This experience came as a result of a partnership between the Midwestern University chapter of Student Veterinary Emergency and Critical Care Society (SVECCS) and United Veterinary Care. The training and certification were organized and planned by SVECCS for a period of about eight months.
Veterinary student Marissa Baird (AZCVM ’26) on behalf of SVECCS said, “As participants in the event ourselves, we gained an incredible amount of knowledge within the context of emergency medicine that is applicable regardless of our intended area of practice. We formed new friendships, networked, and we were able to be a part of a large collective student body engaging in medicine with smiles and open minds. It was a little intimidating, but we stepped out of our comfort zone and are better for it. Events like this should be standardized within the curriculum, because they support utilization of evidence-based medicine and promote better patient outcomes in clinical practice."
The SVECCS board hopes the event will be continued at Midwestern University due to the event’s success and the educational benefits for the students, including building a foundation for knowledge and clinical skills for their future healthcare careers. The veterinary students performed CPR on the dog mannikins, which prepares them to handle future situations of animal cardiopulmonary arrest. In addition to strengthening their healthcare skills and gaining experience of healthcare situations, the SVECCS also acquired experience working with campus operations and all the aspects that go into planning these types of events.
One of the central components to an education at Midwestern University is clinical training through hands-on experiences. The University offers these experiences and more through a variety of healthcare degree programs, including the Doctor of Veterinary Medicine (D.V.M.) degree program on the Glendale campus.
Learn more about the event on our Instagram page.
