Bayer HealthCare Animal Health is starting a scholarship program, the Bayer Excellence in Communication Award, to encourage students to develop better communication skills, the Shawnee, Kan.-based company reported today. Students from each of the eight veterinary schools initially participating in the program will be filmed interacting with a client in a clinical setting, and faculty judges will determine the school’s winner based on a standardized score sheet. One student from each school will receive $2,500, and the top scorer overall will receive $5,000. “The Bayer Excellence in Communication Award was created to focus attention on the importance of good communication between veterinarians and their clients,” said Ian Spinks, president and general manager of Bayer HealthCare Animal Health, North America. The award is part of the Bayer Communication Project, developed in 2001 with the Institute for Healthcare Communication. The partnership created a communication skills module that veterinary colleges can incorporate into their curriculum. The scholarship is available to juniors and seniors enrolled at: Colorado State University College of Veterinary Medicine & Biomedical Sciences Michigan State University College of Veterinary Medicine Ohio State University College of Veterinary Medicine Texas A&M University College of Veterinary Medicine & Biomedical Sciences University of California, Davis, School of Veterinary Medicine University of Georgia College of Veterinary Medicine University of Missouri College of Veterinary Medicine Washington State University College of Veterinary Medicine. The eight initial winners will be selected by March 1, 2013, and the national winner will be announced by May 1, 2013, the company reported. One faculty member from the top winner’s school will receive complimentary tuition and travel to attend Bayer’s “Train the Trainer” course, which prepares faculty to teach communication skills. <HOME>
