Students in the Advanced Vocational Education Cycle in Livestock and Animal Health Assistance Program at the C.I. Agroforestal Vocational Education Center visited Navarrabiomed yesterday, May 25, to get a close look at the animal facilities and experimental operating theater platform. The visit formed part of the complementary activities of the first-year subject Organization and Control of Animal Breeding and Reproduction. 

Leticia San José, the Head of the platform, was in charge of giving a presentation on the operating theater’s equipment and installations, including two surgical stations, housing for large animals and the microsurgery room. Also participating in the presentation was Nerea Díez, an alumni of the Agroforestry Vocational Education Center and currently a technician in the Navarrabiomed animal facilities. She described her work experience in her first year. 

Training is provided at the animal facilities for professionals in different medical specialties of the Navarre Health Service: residential medical interns (RMI) and attending physicians. These attending physicians take courses on complex surgical procedures requiring prior training, as well as innovative techniques the hospital aims to implement in the near future. In all courses, the surgical procedures are simulated using animals models with the aim of helping students acquire the skills they need to participate in hospital operating room surgeries. 

The visiting students also learned about the different ex vivo and in vivo animal models used depending on the type of procedure performed during training while complying with current quality standards and legislation at all times. In fact, Navarrabiomed recently adhered to the Agreement on Transparency in Animal Testing promoted by the Federation of Scientific Societies of Spain (COSCE) with the collaboration of the European Animal Research Association (EARA). The aims of the COSCE agreement include encouraging adhered centers to organize information-sharing initiatives such as open house events to raise public awareness and increase understanding of the use of animals in scientific research.

Navarrabiomed organized this visit in accordance with COVID-19 safety protocols and regulations in effect in Navarre.