Veterinary Pharmaceutical Safety Competencies for New Graduates: Description of an Interprofessional Simulated Learning Activity.

Abstract

The misuse and abuse of veterinary anesthetic and analgesic agents pose significant public health risks, particularly with the growing presence of ultrapotent opioids and other anesthetics in the illicit drug trade. In response, there is increasing emphasis on incorporating medication safety training into veterinary curricula. This paper has two main objectives: first, to describe an evidence-based, interprofessional simulation activity designed to raise awareness about the diversion and misuse of veterinary opioids and alpha-2 agonists, while also developing basic life support skills for responding to accidental exposure; second, to propose three veterinary medication safety education sub-competencies aligned with CBVE Domain 4 and proposed discipline-level pharmacology competencies. These are aimed at equipping veterinary students to mitigate human health risks arising from exposure to veterinary medications, especially ultrapotent opioids and alpha-2 agonists.