VOLUME 3 - ISSUE 2 - A SURVEY OF INTEGRATIVE PHYSIOLOGY/PHARMACOLOGY TEACHING UNDERTAKEN BY THE BPS AND THE PHYSIOLOGICAL SOCIETY

Whole animal in vivo research is a critical component in progressing biomedical advances, in utilising the data generated by the genome project and in developing new medicines and treatments for disease. It is important to ensure that the vital animal research that UK scientists need, and for which there is no alternative, is done to the best scientific and welfare standards. A study by the BPS in 1997 was one of the first to show a serious decline in the number of departments able to provide hands-on teaching programmes in this area. Whilst use of videos and computer simulations are commonplace and play an important role in biomedical sciences teaching, feedback from final year students cites the importance of relevant practical classes in influencing decisions on future careers.

This realisation led to the initiation of a collaborative project between the BPS and all the major pharmaceutical companies based in the UK, whereby ten departments teaching these skills received partial funding for consumables etc. Despite this, a survey undertaken by the Association of the British Pharmaceutical Industry (ABPI) in 2003 identified a significant skills shortage in graduates and postgraduates with whole animal skills.

More recent collaborations involving the Physiological Society and BPS have involved the setting up of vacation courses for students at universities where this teaching is not available. Most recently a well publicised BPS-Industrial Integrative Pharmacology Fund, where top-up awards are available to institutions receiving new blood lectureships, academic fellowships and PhD studentships in Physiology, Pharmacology and Toxicology has been initiated. However, there remains continuing concern that the number of graduates with whole animal skills is declining, and that even the current situation is not sustainable because the age of university lecturers able to teach these skills is increasing without adequate provision for replacement.

The two societies agreed to contact their respective Heads of Department Committees with a questionnaire to determine the current numbers of students who receive a hands-on education in animal research techniques, and the age profile of those able to deliver it. Replies were received from 43 universities. Approximately 25% of the universities offer in vivo training where undergraduate students hold their own licences. Of a total population of over 8,000 graduates of Physiology, Pharmacology, Biomedical or Biological Sciences in any one year, only about 120-150 per year will graduate with these skills having been taught as part of their degree course. In addition some exposure, either through demonstration classes, research projects which require students to obtain a personal licence or industrial placements is also available. The latter two options are available only to a small subset of graduates, and the number taking these options varies annually.

This means that an overwhelming majority of graduates in Pharmacology, Physiology or related subjects have no direct exposure at all to in vivo techniques.

Table of Survey Results

Universities were also asked for the age profile of academics and technicians qualified to teach or demonstrate in vivo skills. Over a quarter of academics falling into this category retire in the next 5 years, leaving less than 150 able to teach the next generation of scientists. Approximately the same percentage of technicians will also be retiring.

Institutions commented that the main problems associated with this type of teaching were bureaucracy and an inability to replace retiring staff who could teach in this area. Several stated that courses had been stopped within the last 10 years. The financial problems were broken down into the cost of facilities/animals for this type of work, the cost of obtaining a personal licence and the high teacher/student ratio required.

The BPS’s support of courses was referred to several times, with institutions commenting that without this support they would no longer be able to offer the courses. Specific quotes regarding bureaucracy referred to discouragement from individual Home Office Inspectors regarding the chance of obtaining an educational licence, and difficulties in persuading local ethics committees of the need for educational project licences.

Some institutions cited problems recruiting suitably qualified academics to fill these vacancies. One pointed to the change in emphasis towards research using reduced biological systems (e.g. cell-based studies) resulting in staff with these skills replacing whole-animal biologists. Therefore, even if a university intended to keep whole animal courses running, when the relevant teachers retire it might be impossible to replace them.

Recommendations
The BPS and Physiological Society suggest that urgent action is needed to prevent the steady decline in in vivo teaching and education and, in particular, the declining number of teachers. Industry, the learned societies, the research councils, biomedical charities and HEFC should work together to address this crisis:
1. The high costs of essential animal facilities and of obtaining Home Office Licences should be supported by HEFC and other University Funding agencies.
2. The Home Office should be made aware of the need for these skills among graduates, and be more receptive to educational licence applications.
3. A strategy should be developed to increase the awareness of in vivo techniques to undergraduates and to provide in vivo skills training to a greater number than currently receive this. This strategy will require the re-building of an in vivo teaching skills base and could include:

a. Grants for academics nearing retirement in order to pass on their skills

b. An increased number of “ring-fenced” in vivo research studentships and fellowships. Incentives such as enhanced stipends and consumables budgets for these

c. New academic positions to reverse the decline in teaching in vivo skills.

4. Universities should review the skill set of their Physiology/Pharmacology/Biomedical Sciences graduates, and explore means of providing some exposure to this area. This would require funding.
5. Results of this survey and earlier ABPI studies should feed into the current review of careers provision in schools. If school children obtain an improved understanding of the use of animals in medical research and possible careers in this area, they are more likely to choose universities able to provide this teaching.