Education

OULAC organizes laboratory animal courses for researchers, laboratory animal personnel, students and laboratory animal care takers. The contencts of the education is described in the EU guidelines: A working document on the development of a common education and training framework fo fulil the requirements under the Directive. Courses in OULAC follow these guidelines.

Course for those carrying out procedures

• Annually in English
• Includes a theoretical part and practical training
• For the competence, you need to participate in the species and procedure specific practical training and show later your competence
• About 30 lectures
• Hands-on exercises  (Mice )

Course for those designing projects

• Together with a proper university degree gives the competence to design and conduct animal experiments
• Preliminary attendance in the course for those carrying out procedures is mandatory
• Participant must have appropriate studies for 180 credits
• Course includes lectures and discussions; and preparation of an individual project plan

Animal care takers acquire their professional skills in the daily work, and participating in the education for animal care takers. The skills are shown in the examination for further vocational qualification. Further education and competence can be shown in the higher level examination, giving the specialist vocational qualification. Ammattiopisto Livia is organising this education.

Continuing education in laboratory animal science and practical training is offered in national and international training events and meetings.

Several universities also organize, in addition to the qualifying course for researchers, course days in the laboratory animal field for maintaining and updating competence. The courses are usually announced separately on the University Laboratory Animal Centre website.

Finnish laboratory animal associations FinLAS (Suomen koe-eläintieteen yhdistys),  FALAV (Finnish Association for Laboratory Animal Veterinarians) and KATY (An association for laboratory animal technicians and employees) organize seminars and training days in the laboratory animal field. The events are announced on the FinLAS website and they are usually open for all employees in the field.

Scand-LAS (Scandinavian Society for Laboratory Animal Science) organizes training days once a year. The language used during the three-day training days is English, and the program includes both scientific presentations as well as those related to practical work, demonstrations and workshops. 

The European umbrella organisation FELASA (Federation of European Laboratory Animal Science Associations)  organiszes a congress every three years. The congress is the biggest convention in the field organised in Europe, and experts and researchers in laboratory animal science from all over the world participate in it.

Continuing education for veterinarians in particular is offered by ESLAV (European Society of Laboratory Animal Veterinarians) during its annual meetings.

It is possible to specialise in laboratory animal science by completing the Master of Laboratory Animal Science degree programme at the University of Copenhagen, for example.

European College of Laboratory Animal Medicine, ECLAM offers veterinarians the possibility to specialise in laboratory animal science. A veterinarian can become a specialized veterinarian in laboratory animal science in Europe (ECLAM diplomate) by completing a training program approved by ECLAM and passing the final examination.

Introduction to the course spring 2023.pdf

•  Registration to spring digital laboratory animal course is open between 6 March and 30 April 2023
• Course Moodle Platform is open from 15 March 2023 till 31 May 2023.

Aim of the course: This course is for those who are planning to carry out procedures or euthanize animals in scientific projects. Everyone who is working with laboratory animals, must have adequate education and training before the work can start.

Contents of the course: The contents are based on the Consensus document of the EU education and training framework for the Function A: Persons carrying out procedures on animals and Function D: Killing animals.  

The digital Moodle course is module-based. Modules include self-study material, lectures, videos, and exercises. The course also includes a written examination. The estimated time needed to go through the course theory is about 45-50 hours.

Course Moodle Platform will be open from the 15th March 2023 till the 31stMay 2023. You need to pass the course theory during that time. Hands-on training can be done also later.

There will be four examination dates and it is possible to re-take examination twice. The examination must be passed before the course platform is closed. Examination dates will be:

• Monday 3.4. at 9.00-11.00
• Monday 17.4. at 9.00-11.00
• Monday 15.5. at 9.00-11.00
• Wednesday 31.5. at 9.00-11.00

After passing the course theory, you can do the practical hands-on training in OULAC. At the moment, practical training is possible only with mice. Hands-on training is possible also after May, and it is arranged personally with OULAC research technicians.

You can find more information regarding the competencies, examinations, and hands-on training in an introductory PowerPoint-presentation.

Course language: English.

Credits: The course theory (040911S) gives 2 ECTS and the hands-on training 0,5 ECTS.

Registration between 6 March and 30 April 2023: Fill in the separate registration form (a separate file) and email it to Eija Nissinen, email: Eija.Nissinen(at)oulu.fi and cc. Hanna-Marja.Voipio(at)oulu.fi
Registration_form_2023.xlsx

(Notice: registration in Peppi is not possible.)

More information:

Hanna-Marja Voipio, email: Hanna-Marja.Voipio(at)oulu.fi

Sakari Laaksonen, email: Sakari.Laaksonen(at)oulu.fi

NOTICE: Competence to do procedures on animals

A person who has passed this course, has a possibility to gain a species- and procedure-specific competence by participating in the training sessions organised by OULAC (KEKS). Training will be arranged only for those who will need the competence in their work, to avoid unnecessary use of animals. You can practice the procedures on mice. You will get a procedure-specific certificate after showing a successful performance. After this preliminary training, you still need to practice your skills more under the supervision of an experienced researcher before the final competence for working with animals can be approved. Only a competent person is allowed to do procedures on animals independently.

EU Modules included in Functions A & D (carrying out procedures and killing animals):

Theory:

Module 1: National legislation
Module 2: Ethics, animal welfare and the Three Rs (level 1)
Module 3.1: Basic and appropriate biology – species specific (theory)
Module 4: Animal care, health and management – species specific (theory)
Module 5: Recognition of pain, suffering and distress – species specific
Module 6.1: Humane methods of killing - species specific (theory)
Module 7: Minimally invasive procedures without anaesthesia – species specific (theory)
Module 10: Design of procedures and projects (level 1)
Module 20: Anaesthesia for minor procedures
Module 21: Advanced anaesthesia for surgical or prolonged procedures
Module 22: Principles of surgery
 

Hands-on training:
Basic
Module 3.2: Basic and appropriate biology – species specific (practical)
Procedures, on request
Module 6.2: Humane methods of killing - species specific (skills)
Module 8: Minimally invasive procedures without anaesthesia – species specific (skills)