Implementing Online Training for “Animal Disease Detectives” in the Asia-Pacific Region: A Focus Group Study

There is an identified need to strengthen the field epidemiology workforce training in the Asia-Pacific region. In response, the Asia Pacific Consortium of Veterinary Epidemiology (APCOVE) developed an online training program consisting of 36 modules delivered asynchronously and synchronously across 6 months in 2022. We sought to explore the effectiveness of the program based on participant perception and knowledge acquisition. All participants (<i>n</i> = 139) were invited to participate in focus groups. Framework analysis was conducted using Biggs' 3P model as a conceptual framework. In total, 93/139 (67%) trainees completed all competencies (36 modules) and 74/139 (53%) trainees participated in one of 12 focus groups. Participants were from the Philippines (<i>n</i> = 28), Indonesia (<i>n</i> = 18), Vietnam (<i>n</i> = 16), Cambodia (<i>n</i> = 3), Papua New Guinea (<i>n</i> = 3), Laos (<i>n</i> = 3), and Timor-Leste (<i>n</i> = 3). They valued the interactivity of the modules, including online tools, calculators, and knowledge checks. Module content, including case scenarios, was relevant to the region and applicable to participants' workplaces. Suggestions for improvement included incorporating local face-to-face sessions to complement the online delivery. The median score for the end-of-competency assessment tasks ranged from 42.5 to 45 (out of 50), and the APCOVE online training program provided an effective and scalable framework to ensure access to up-to-date training resources across the Asia-Pacific region. To improve module access and increase engagement, asynchronous online modules are now available and downloadable in six languages. The provision of face-to-face sessions to complement asynchronous online delivery, and engagement from country partners as mentors, will increase effectiveness and sustainability.