A Systems-Approach to Addressing the US Rural Veterinarian Shortage Through Collaborative Problem-Solving Training and Education.

Veterinary Clinical PathologyVolume 31, Issue 4 p. 193-195 Intrathoracic Mass in a Cat Kimberly J. Caruso, Kimberly J. Caruso From the Department of Veterinary Pathobiology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, Okla (Caruso, Cowell, Dorsey, Meinkoth, Campbell).Search for more papers by this authorRick L. Cowell, Rick L. Cowell From the Department of Veterinary Pathobiology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, Okla (Caruso, Cowell, Dorsey, Meinkoth, Campbell).Search for more papers by this authorMelinda L. Upton, Melinda L. Upton Oncology/Internal Medicine Referral Clinic, Tulsa, Okla (Upton).Search for more papers by this authorKaren E. Dorsey, Karen E. Dorsey From the Department of Veterinary Pathobiology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, Okla (Caruso, Cowell, Dorsey, Meinkoth, Campbell).Search for more papers by this authorJames H. Meinkoth, James H. Meinkoth From the Department of Veterinary Pathobiology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, Okla (Caruso, Cowell, Dorsey, Meinkoth, Campbell).Search for more papers by this authorGregory A. Campbell, Gregory A. Campbell From the Department of Veterinary Pathobiology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, Okla (Caruso, Cowell, Dorsey, Meinkoth, Campbell).Search for more papers by this author Kimberly J. Caruso, Kimberly J. Caruso From the Department of Veterinary Pathobiology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, Okla (Caruso, Cowell, Dorsey, Meinkoth, Campbell).Search for more papers by this authorRick L. Cowell, Rick L. Cowell From the Department of Veterinary Pathobiology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, Okla (Caruso, Cowell, Dorsey, Meinkoth, Campbell).Search for more papers by this authorMelinda L. Upton, Melinda L. Upton Oncology/Internal Medicine Referral Clinic, Tulsa, Okla (Upton).Search for more papers by this authorKaren E. Dorsey, Karen E. Dorsey From the Department of Veterinary Pathobiology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, Okla (Caruso, Cowell, Dorsey, Meinkoth, Campbell).Search for more papers by this authorJames H. Meinkoth, James H. Meinkoth From the Department of Veterinary Pathobiology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, Okla (Caruso, Cowell, Dorsey, Meinkoth, Campbell).Search for more papers by this authorGregory A. Campbell, Gregory A. Campbell From the Department of Veterinary Pathobiology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, Okla (Caruso, Cowell, Dorsey, Meinkoth, Campbell).Search for more papers by this author First published: 05 March 2008 https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1939-165X.2002.tb00302.xCitations: 11 Corresponding author: Kimberly J. Caruso, DVM, University of California, Veterinary Medical Teaching Hospital, One Shields Avenue, Davis, CA 95616–8747 ([email protected]). Read the full textAboutPDF ToolsRequest permissionExport citationAdd to favoritesTrack citation ShareShare Give accessShare full text accessShare full-text accessPlease review our Terms and Conditions of Use and check box below to share full-text version of article.I have read and accept the Wiley Online Library Terms and Conditions of UseShareable LinkUse the link below to share a full-text version of this article with your friends and colleagues. Learn more.Copy URL Citing Literature Volume31, Issue4December 2002Pages 193-195 RelatedInformation

Equine Veterinary EducationVolume 9, Issue 3 p. 143-154 Balancing the normal foot: hoof preparation, shoe fit and shoe modification in the performance horse O. K. Balch, O. K. Balch Equine Sports Medicine Laboratory and Comparative Orthopaedic Research Laboratory, Department of Veterinary Medicine and Surgery, College of Veterinary Medicine, Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, Oklahoma 74078–0107 and Butler Publishing and Farrier Services, PO Box 1390, Laporte, Colorado 80535, USASearch for more papers by this authorD. Butler, D. Butler Equine Sports Medicine Laboratory and Comparative Orthopaedic Research Laboratory, Department of Veterinary Medicine and Surgery, College of Veterinary Medicine, Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, Oklahoma 74078–0107 and Butler Publishing and Farrier Services, PO Box 1390, Laporte, Colorado 80535, USASearch for more papers by this authorM. A. Collier, M. A. Collier Equine Sports Medicine Laboratory and Comparative Orthopaedic Research Laboratory, Department of Veterinary Medicine and Surgery, College of Veterinary Medicine, Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, Oklahoma 74078–0107 and Butler Publishing and Farrier Services, PO Box 1390, Laporte, Colorado 80535, USASearch for more papers by this author O. K. Balch, O. K. Balch Equine Sports Medicine Laboratory and Comparative Orthopaedic Research Laboratory, Department of Veterinary Medicine and Surgery, College of Veterinary Medicine, Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, Oklahoma 74078–0107 and Butler Publishing and Farrier Services, PO Box 1390, Laporte, Colorado 80535, USASearch for more papers by this authorD. Butler, D. Butler Equine Sports Medicine Laboratory and Comparative Orthopaedic Research Laboratory, Department of Veterinary Medicine and Surgery, College of Veterinary Medicine, Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, Oklahoma 74078–0107 and Butler Publishing and Farrier Services, PO Box 1390, Laporte, Colorado 80535, USASearch for more papers by this authorM. A. Collier, M. A. Collier Equine Sports Medicine Laboratory and Comparative Orthopaedic Research Laboratory, Department of Veterinary Medicine and Surgery, College of Veterinary Medicine, Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, Oklahoma 74078–0107 and Butler Publishing and Farrier Services, PO Box 1390, Laporte, Colorado 80535, USASearch for more papers by this author First published: 26 April 2010 https://doi.org/10.1111/j.2042-3292.1997.tb01295.xCitations: 33AboutPDF ToolsExport citationAdd to favoritesTrack citation ShareShare Give accessShare full text accessShare full-text accessPlease review our Terms and Conditions of Use and check box below to share full-text version of article.I have read and accept the Wiley Online Library Terms and Conditions of UseShareable LinkUse the link below to share a full-text version of this article with your friends and colleagues. Learn more.Copy URL Share a linkShare onFacebookTwitterLinkedInRedditWechat Citing Literature Volume9, Issue3June 1997Pages 143-154 RelatedInformation

Utilisation of veterinary professional staff in rural animal veterinary practice has long been anecdotally reported as poor in Aotearoa / New Zealand. Evidence shows that skill utilisation is poor, and this is likely impacted by the low ratios of non-veterinarian staff to each veterinarian in rural animal veterinary practice. This participative action research utilised focus groups with a range of staff practising in rural animal veterinary practice in Aotearoa / New Zealand, who self-selected as having experience with excellent utilisation. Participants were asked to imagine what a future with excellent utilisation in rural animal veterinary practice in Aotearoa / New Zealand would look like. This research clarifies role definitions of a veterinarian, rural animal veterinary technician and rural animal healthcare assistant, and documents examples of task allocation in an interprofessional team. The participants identified that the outcomes of achieving appropriate utilisation are likely to be beneficial to individuals, the team, animals, clients, and the business profitability, however, a significant number of barriers were identified that may prevent implementation of appropriate utilisation. These included a disconnect between the current rural animal veterinary technician qualifications and the requirement from veterinary clinical practice for specific skills, rather than a full qualification; the current veterinary training pathway not setting up veterinarians to be consultants; lack of regulation of allied veterinary professionals; current skills in the team; lack of trust in technicians from veterinarians; perception of client expectations that a vet will attend; willingness of veterinarians to relinquish control; lack of availability of technical staff; the requirement for veterinarians to provide 27/4 after-hours service; and the risk of technicians leaving after being trained up to go out on their own. Whilst overcoming some of these barriers requires industryled solutions, many can be resolved immediately within individual teams. Therefore, there is no need to wait for industry change to begin creating veterinary teams with excellent utilisation within individual rural animal veterinary practices.

Purpose The purpose of this study is to present an adaptive organisational leadership framework using systems thinking (ST) to address challenges within volatility, uncertainty, complexity and ambiguity (VUCA) environments. The framework is intended to guide leaders in improving organisational adaptability and resilience. Design/methodology/approach A systematic literature review was conducted alongside qualitative interviews with 16 experienced leaders from various sectors. A semi-structured interview format ensured robust validation of the proposed framework. The synthesis of primary and secondary data identified critical elements for effective adaptive leadership in a VUCA context. Findings The adaptive leadership framework consists of three core components: the leader, the followers and the organisational context. ST, future thinking, mental models and adaptive change management form the structural basis of the framework. Interviews with industry experts highlighted mental models’ critical role in adaptive change, highlighting their importance for decision-making. The findings demonstrate the framework’s potential for enhancing strategic responses to complex challenges. Practical implications The framework provides practical guidance for contemporary leaders, helping them to foster a culture of adaptability within their organisations to manage complex situations better. Originality/value This research introduces a novel framework integrating adaptive leadership qualities with ST principles. A systemigram illustrates how interconnected elements empower leaders to navigate dynamic environments effectively. The framework addresses current leadership model gaps by promoting resilience and agility.

IntroductionThe shortage of rural veterinarians is a growing concern globally. This shortage increases the risk of significant negative impacts on livestock management, agriculture, and public health in rural and remote communities. To provide concrete solutions to sustain our rural veterinarian workforce, we examine motivations, incentives, and deterrents to rural veterinary practice (RVP). We do this through a qualitative study in Alberta, Canada, which is a geographically unique and understudied context.MethodsWe surveyed veterinary students and practicing veterinarians, obtaining 124 responses. Data were analyzed using thematic analysis.ResultsResults revealed key motivating factors that influence attraction and retention included personal and family considerations that require living in rural contexts, the nature of strong relationships that develop in rural communities, experiencing a range in work factors that enhances professional development, feeling fulfilled by rural veterinary work, and exposure during veterinary school leading to a strong interest in rural settings. Deterrents included limited resources and supports in rural contexts, personal and family needs that require living in urban settings, and challenges inherent to rural communities and environmental characteristics. Finally, key incentives included better salary and benefits, financial incentives, tuition/debt forgiveness, enhanced mentorship, fewer on-call duties, and tailored incentives.DiscussionStrong alignment between student and practicing veterinarian motivations, deterrents, and incentives was observed, extending previous findings that only look at the perceptions of a single group. The results corroborated previous findings, while revealing that the same motivations and deterrents remained important for students and PVs in Alberta’s geographically unique context. Finally, they provided key insights to inform policy, practice, and education developments to enhance attraction and retention rates of rural veterinarians, contributing to a path forward for addressing the rural shortage of veterinary services.

There is a paucity of research regarding veterinary students' attitudes toward the rural environment and rural veterinary practice and how these attitudes might change over the course of a veterinary medicine program that includes rural clinical experience. Using a 23-item questionnaire, attitudes toward rural lifestyle, rural work-life balance, opportunities for career and skill development in rural veterinary practice, and inter-professional teamwork in the rural environment were assessed at the beginning and completion of a four-year veterinary medicine program. Eighty-six students (74.4% female) were included in this Canadian study over a six-year period. Thirty-one participants (36.1%) were rural students. Overall, students' attitudes toward the rural lifestyle, rural work-life balance, and inter-professional teamwork in rural veterinary practice all significantly decreased (p<.001) over the course of the program. As compared to urban students, rural students had significantly higher rural lifestyle scores at both the beginning (p<.001) and end (p<.01) of the veterinary medicine program. A less positive attitude toward living and working in a rural environment could influence students to exclude rural veterinary practice as a career choice. Rural clinical experiences designed to sustain or increase veterinary student interest in rural practice may not be sufficient to support positive rural attitudes. Given the demand for rural veterinary services in developed countries, the implications of this study may extend beyond Canada.

Adaptive Leadership in Parents Caring for their Children Born with Life-Threatening Conditions

Effective provider and caregiver communication is central to quality care during treatment for life-threatening illnesses. The study aim was to analyze communication patterns between providers and a parent of an infant with a life-threatening disease using the Adaptive Leadership Framework, which is an activity that involves mobilizing others to adapt to a difficult situation. A secondary analysis was conducted on one case using 23 interviews with providers and mother of an infant diagnosed with Hurler's syndrome. The interviews focused on decision-making challenges in regard to the infant's treatment and were conducted over a 1-year period (pre-transplant, study entry, monthly, after a life-threatening event or substantial change in treatment and at 1-year post enrollment). Content analysis was used to identify and categorize communication patterns using concepts from the Adaptive Leadership Framework. Infant illness events and parent-provider caregiving were chronicled across a 1-year trajectory. Despite the life-threatening nature of Hurler's disease, the parent and providers did not discuss palliative care or end-of-life. The parent sought direction and answers from the providers. The Adaptive Leadership Framework suggested how communication approaches were often mismatched with the needs of the parent. The results of the study accentuate the need to improve communication between provider and parents about end-of-life for their child. Adaptive Leadership illuminates how providers can influence a parent's behavior when facing a challenging situation. This study suggests that Adaptive Leadership is a useful framework to guide research about healthcare communication in dealing with challenging issues.

In an era of rapidly evolving digital transformation, adaptive and flexible leadership development is becoming increasingly crucial to ensure organizational sustainability and resilience. Adaptive leadership allows leaders to face dynamic challenges with innovative strategies, while flexible leadership helps adapt management styles to different situations. This research aims to explore the concept of adaptive and flexible leadership and its strategies to increase organizational resilience in the face of rapid technological and market changes. This research was carried out through an in-depth literature study by analyzing relevant literature from various scientific sources and industry reports. The research approach used was a literature study, where data was collected from books, journal articles, industry reports and other reliable sources. The analysis process involved identifying key themes related to adaptive and flexible leadership and their implications for the organization. This method was chosen to gain a comprehensive understanding of the concepts discussed and their relevance in the context of digital transformation. The research results show that adaptive and flexible leadership has a significant positive impact on organizational resilience. Adaptive leaders are able to navigate change more effectively, manage uncertainty, and encourage innovation. Meanwhile, flexibility in leadership allows for quicker response to market changes and employee needs, which in turn improves overall organizational performance. This study also identified several key strategies for developing adaptive and flexible leadership, including continuous training, organizational learning approaches, and emotional skills development. However, this research also revealed several challenges in developing adaptive and flexible leadership, such as high uncertainty, resistance to change , and resource limitations. However, with the right approach, these challenges can be overcome, and organizations can take advantage of the long-term benefits of adaptive and flexible leadership. This research concludes that to remain competitive and resilient in the era of digital transformation, organizations must invest in the development of adaptive and flexible leadership . It is hoped that these findings can provide guidance for practitioners and academics in designing effective leadership development strategies to face future challenges.

This collaborative partnership aimed to enhance the quality of veterinary education at both Sokoine University of Agriculture (SUA), College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences (Tanzania), and Kansas State University (KSU), College of Veterinary Medicine (United States), by facilitating exchange of knowledge, experience, and ideas. One project objective was to integrate the World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE) Guidelines on Veterinary Education Core Curriculum into the SUA education program so veterinary graduates would be equipped with the minimum competencies needed to support their National Veterinary Services (OIE Day 1 Competencies). Curriculum mapping revealed that partners addressed different OIE Day 1 Competencies to varying degrees and they had complementary strengths and weaknesses. The partners' practical and educational experiences were also complementary, providing each opportunities to learn from the other and a solid basis for long-term mutually beneficial collaboration. Through structured exchanges, the collaboration allowed SUA and KSU students and faculty to broaden their perspectives by exposing them to veterinary medicine, culture, ecosystems, teaching environments, and farming systems in each other's country. Visiting faculties and students from both universities were exposed to different livestock systems, varying dynamics at the human-livestock-wildlife interface, different teaching systems, and a veterinary profession with a different culture and focus than that in their own country. Students and faculty learned about the relative social and economic importance of different types of animal production in each country and their influence on veterinary education priorities. Partnership outcomes include a continuing professional development course at SUA for private and public sector veterinarians and a clinical club to expose students at both colleges to a broader range of clinical cases and knowledge.

To describe key adaptive challenges and leadership behaviors to implement culture change for person-directed care. The study design was a qualitative, observational study of nursing home staff perceptions of the implementation of culture change in each of 3 nursing homes. We conducted 7 focus groups of licensed and unlicensed nursing staff, medical care providers, and administrators. Questions explored perceptions of facilitators and barriers to culture change. Using a template organizing style of analysis with immersion/crystallization, themes of barriers and facilitators were coded for adaptive challenges and leadership. Six key themes emerged, including relationships, standards and expectations, motivation and vision, workload, respect of personhood, and physical environment. Within each theme, participants identified barriers that were adaptive challenges and facilitators that were examples of adaptive leadership. Commonly identified challenges were how to provide person-directed care in the context of extant rules or policies or how to develop staff motivated to provide person-directed care. Implementing culture change requires the recognition of adaptive challenges for which there are no technical solutions, but which require reframing of norms and expectations, and the development of novel and flexible solutions. Managers and administrators seeking to implement person-directed care will need to consider the role of adaptive leadership to address these adaptive challenges.

Adaptive leadership is one approach to enhance the experience of people living and working in long-term care (LTC) residential environments. Adaptive leadership is comprised of a set of strategies aimed at enabling care teams to work together, or create organisational capacity to support culture changes, to accomplish person-centred environments. The defining feature of adaptive leadership is the separation of technical solutions (i.e., applying existing knowledge/techniques to problems) and adaptive solutions (i.e., a shift in how people work together not just what they do). Our aim is to describe and illustrate adaptive leadership behaviours in LTC and the potential benefit for the processes and outcomes of care. We conducted a documentary analysis of (publicly available) UK regulatory inspection reports. Twenty reports, judged as providing outstanding quality were purposively sampled to represent variations in ownership, size, and geographical location. Data were initially analysed using content analysis. Heitz’s adaptive leadership framework was used to frame the data. Adaptive leadership behaviours helped to engage, empower, and energise the workforce to accomplish meaningful change. These behaviours included accepting everyone’s unique perspective on how to solve problems, a willingness to learn lessons, an openness to feedback, embrace diversity, a fair and inclusive workplace, continuous growth, innovation and emotional intelligence. Key structural components enabling adaptive leadership included organisational support, ‘in house’ operational support, peer support and training. Our work highlights the benefit of recognising adaptive challenges in LTC and empowering teams to apply the most appropriate problem-solving solutions, and in particular applying adaptive solutions when merited.

: On 25 May 2001, the U.S. Army Training and Leader Development Panel (ATLDP) released a report on the results of extensive research concerning the future direction of training and leader development. As part of the findings, conclusions and recommendations, the ATLDP recommended a new leader development model and three additional leadership competencies; self-awareness, adaptability and life-long learning. As an overarching theme of their recommendations, developing the new meta-competencies in leaders serves a partial contributor to the transformation endstate of a trained and ready force for the nation and self-aware and adaptive leaders. This monograph answers the research question: Is the Army s self-development model capable of contributing to the endstate of providing self-aware, adaptive and life-long learning leaders for the future force?. This monograph focuses on leader self-development due to the ATLDP s assertion that self-development will serve as the link between the institutional and operational pillars of leader development. Additionally, future self-development programs and processes will contribute to developing self-aware, adaptive and life-long learning leaders. This monograph addresses this issue through the construct of history, theory and doctrine and concludes with a survey element designed to assess the effects of training and education on leader development.

To describe the current composition, characteristics, and perceptions of department leaders at colleges of veterinary medicine in North America. This was a survey-based observational study. The study population was composed of department leaders of academic departments at colleges of veterinary medicine in North America. A questionnaire was distributed electronically to record demographic data as well as the respondents' perceptions of rewards, challenges, and desired competencies. The data collection period was from January 6, 2025, through March 15, 2025. Data were summarized and compared to evaluate differences in responses based upon the sex of the respondent as well as the type of department that they represented (ie, clinical vs basic science). 118 surveys were distributed, with 63 responses (54%). The mean respondent age was 56.4 years, and they had served for an average of 5.1 years. Of respondents, 28 were female and 27 male, 4 declined to respond, and 78% identified as Caucasian. Female respondents were younger (55.4 vs 62.4 years) than male respondents. There were no differences based upon whether one led a clinical or basic science department. Little difference was found in the demographics of department leaders, or in their preparation or satisfaction of or their role based upon sex or type of department they led. While satisfaction with the role was high, substantial challenges were noted, particularly related to human resources and budgetary and time management. The importance of good communication skills, empathy, and emotional intelligence was highlighted. The findings inform skill development and performance of academic leaders in colleges of veterinary medicine.

Japan's growth has plummeted due to adaptive challenges including the COVID-19 pandemic. Japanese corporations need to transform their organizational culture to be more collaborative and adaptive to thrive in uncertainty. Kabuki, a classical Japanese theater, and two Japanese corporate cases have strong connections to adaptive leadership. Using kabuki, the authors designed and implemented an adaptive leadership development intervention for executives in a Japanese firm with a hierarchical collectivist culture. The intervention used the adaptive leadership framework and agile cycles of immunity-to-change based on adult developmental theory. The Subject-Object Interview and the Culture Evaluation Tool were employed pre and post-intervention. Analysis of the results demonstrated how the intervention shifted the mindset of the Japanese executives and the corporate culture and its implications.