Determining the minimum deliberate practice time for fundoscopy proficiency on canine models

BACKGROUND: Direct and indirect fundoscopy are Day One skills for new veterinary graduates, yet limited evidence exists on the practice time needed to achieve competency. Our study aimed to determine the minimum deliberate practice time required to accurately identify normal and abnormal features of canine fundus simulators using both techniques. METHODS: Ninety-three students from Ross University School of Veterinary Medicine volunteered to train on canine simulation models for 12, 24 and 36 minutes following deliberate practice principles. Competency in identifying normal and abnormal fundic structures was evaluated through a self-guided objective structured clinical examination. RESULTS: Students demonstrated significant improvement in indirect fundoscopy skills after a 24-minute practice compared to a 12-minute practice (p = 0.01). In contrast, practice beyond 12 minutes did not significancy increase direct fundoscopy skills (p > 0.1). Students self-reported significant increases in comfort with the procedure post-intervention across all three timepoints for both techniques (p < 0.001). LIMITATIONS: This study assessed a limited number of time cohorts, which can be expanded in future studies. CONCLUSION: A minimum of 24 minutes of deliberate practice is required to develop indirect fundoscopy skills, whereas direct fundoscopy skills require less practice. Our study provides guidance to veterinary colleges on the practice time students need to develop fundoscopy skills.