VetEd Down Under 2025, held in early July at James Cook University, highlighted the leadership of Murdoch University in advancing veterinary education.

Murdoch was well represented and presented a range of impactful initiatives that showcased our approach to blended hands-on learning, cultural inclusion, and student support.

Dr. Annett Annandale talked about how “Henryetta Moorni-Moorni McCowface,” SVM’s life-sized cow model with interactive feedback features, and a fabric-based equine gastrointestinal tract model is used to support anatomy, pathology and clinical teaching. SVM’s scaffolded approach to bovine transrectal palpation training was recognised as improving student confidence and animal welfare 

Associate Professor Martin Cake presented on employer perspectives of graduate confidence, emphasising the importance of balanced self-assurance and reflective learning. He also co-authored “The View from Wadjemup,” a call to action for Indigenous inclusion in veterinary education, a follow up from the last conference.

Associate Professor Melinda Bell presented SVM’s new admissions process, which integrates situational judgement testing and multi-rater interviews to track student development. She and Lynlea Polak presented on embedding psychology services within the veterinary school, addressing accessibility and contextual relevance for student mental health. 

Dr. Barb Hostalek presented the Waardong program and highlighted how it is a holistic learning pathway and encourages cultural engagement.

Dr Karina Jones presented on veterinary students’ transition from preclinical to clinical training. She highlighted this transition was accompanied by increased workload, and a shift in learning priorities. Students valued real patient contact as it assisted with knowledge retention.  

Broader Symposium Highlights

Other sessions featured innovative approaches to curriculum design, including the University of Queensland’s longitudinal integrated clerkship model and Massey University’s use of mechanistic diagrams to connect basic science with clinical reasoning. The University of Melbourne led workshops on wellbeing curriculum design and integrative simulations to deepen communication and teamwork skills.

Sustainability and cultural competence were key themes, with sessions on climate-conscious anaesthesia, net-zero strategies, and embedding Indigenous knowledge into veterinary curricula. 

Murdoch’s contributions were widely recognised, affirming our School’s leadership in shaping a more inclusive, innovative, and resilient future for veterinary education.