Senior Veterinary Students Research Articles

Design and Application of an Evaluation Tool to Assess World Organization for Animal Health Competencies for Graduating (Day 1) Veterinarians.

Graduating competent veterinarians with the appropriate knowledge and skills to support and strengthen their country's National Veterinary Services is a key priority for veterinary institutions globally. The World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH) developed a set of Day 1 Competencies that should be expected of every veterinary graduate. Veterinary schools need to be able to assess the coverage of these competencies in their curriculum and determine the level of proficiency of their graduates. This article describes the iterative design and development process used to create a semi-quantitative, competency-based assessment survey. The Evaluation Tool for WOAH Day 1 Graduating Veterinarian Competencies is used as part of a stepwise process to systematically assess a veterinary curriculum regarding these competencies. This tool was developed and tested at the University of Gondar College of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Sciences in Ethiopia. The Evaluation Tool was successful in systematically collecting, measuring, and analyzing the perceptions of faculty, senior veterinary students, recent graduates, and external stakeholders about the level of proficiency of graduates in all 19 WOAH Day 1 Competencies. It was specifically designed to be used in conjunction with curriculum mapping to provide a full picture of how effectively these competencies were taught and identify gaps that needed to be addressed. This tool, the supporting resources, and the methodology are now globally accessible to all veterinary institutions, enabling them to revise and update their curricula and, ultimately, improve the training of the future veterinary workforce to support veterinary services in their respective countries.

Leveraging Expert Knowledge for Mobile Livestock Care: Combining AHP and Naïve Bayes for Diagnosis, Treatment, and Management

This study successfully designed and developed a smartphone application for livestock disease diagnosis, treatment, and reporting. The agile development framework Extreme Programming (XP) ensured efficient iteration and adaptation based on user feedback. Additionally, the integration of the Analytical Hierarchy Process (AHP) with veterinary expert input facilitated the prioritization of disease possibilities within the app. Furthermore, the application of Naive Bayes probability allowed the system to rank diseases based on them likelihood, enhancing the accuracy of diagnoses. Workshops, field observations, group discussions, and interviews with senior veterinary experts were used as data collecting and final product assessment tools to ensure it met the original criteria. Purposive sampling was used to distribute the application to 90 smartphone users who work in veterinary clinics, including 49 senior veterinary medicine students. The proposed system offers benefits such as improved healthcare access, early disease detection, enhanced disease management, and strengthened livestock health surveillance. This multifaceted approach holds significant promise for improving livestock health management, particularly in resource-limited settings.

Stakeholder perspectives on veterinary student preparedness for workplace clinical training – a qualitative study

BackgroundThe success of workplace clinical training (WCT) is important given that veterinary students are licensed to work independently upon graduation. Considering this, it is perhaps surprising that there is limited published work describing what it means to be prepared for this educational experience, particularly given that the transition to WCT can be stressful for students. This paper reports the results of a qualitative study aiming to generate a rich understanding of veterinary student preparedness for WCT using emic, or insider, perspectives of key stakeholders.MethodsFrom a constructivist standpoint, homogenous online group interviews were held with final year veterinary students, recent student alumni, clinical supervisors, faculty, and academic educationalists to discuss what it means to be prepared for WCT. The data was analysed using a template analysis approach.ResultsA three-tier taxonomy to describe preparedness for WCT was constructed from the data. At the topmost level, there were seven themes to illuminate different aspects of preparedness: students should be prepared 1) for the transition to learning and working in a clinical and professional environment, 2) for self-directed and experiential learning whilst working, 3) with a growth mindset, 4) with intrinsic motivation and enthusiasm for learning and working, 5) for communication, consultation and clinical reasoning, 6) with the knowledge for work, and 7) with the practical competence and confidence for work.ConclusionsThis study provides a deeper understanding of the tools we can provide, and the attributes we can nurture in, senior veterinary students to facilitate their learning and working during WCT. This improved understanding is a necessary precursor to refining pedagogical support and curriculum design within veterinary schools.

Virtual Clinics: A Student-Led, Problem-Based Learning Approach to Supplement Veterinary Clinical Experiences.

The COVID-19 pandemic created an abrupt need for effective remote clinical experiences for senior clinical veterinary students. Subsequently, the authors created virtual clinics. This activity was derived from a problem-based learning (PBL) model wherein students designed clinical cases and participated through virtual role play as clients and clinicians. The purpose of this article is to describe virtual clinics and to report data from focus groups of participating students and faculty facilitators from two institutions regarding the positive and negative aspects of the shift in practice. A few common emerging themes included that case rounds were fun and engaging, students could learn at their own pace, and peer-to-peer learning opportunities had perceived value. Themes are reflected against the pedagogical literature to draw out areas that resonated. Students felt this activity was more engaging than listening to a discussion of a case they had no ownership of, and facilitators agreed that the peer-to-peer interactions added to student engagement. Additionally, students developed deeper knowledge about the underlying disease process and clinical presentation of their case, which required independent and self-directed learning, enabling students to think about a case from a client's perspective. By participating in these activities, students developed skills of classroom-to-clinic transitional value. While virtual clinics should not replace in-person clinical experiences, this activity might be useful to facilitate students' transition from a structured classroom setting to a less-structured clinical experience.

Does Food Safety Knowledge Affect Attitudes and Practices? A Preliminary Study of Turkish Veterinary Students.

This study aimed to evaluate effects of the food safety courses that veterinary medicine students take during their education at Kirikkale University, Turkey, on the students' food safety knowledge, attitudes, and practices. A questionnaire comprising demographic, knowledge, attitudes, and practices sections was developed, and eight experts performed the clarity test. The questionnaire was pilot-tested by 35 students. The final questionnaire was conducted among Kirikkale University first-year (freshmen) and fifth-year (senior) veterinary medicine students (n = 224). According to logistic regression analysis results, seniors were 2.8 times more likely than freshmen to have high-level knowledge. However, regardless of students' grades, knowledge level was not observed to correlate with students' behaviors. Additionally, no significant relation was found between knowledge level and gender, food safety career plan, or food poisoning experience (p > .05). Conspicuously, students who lived in a village before entering university were 5.3 times more likely to have high-level knowledge than those who lived in a city center. Overall, this study shows that food safety courses in the curriculum lead to an increase in students' level of food safety knowledge. However, although an increase in knowledge level positively influenced food safety attitudes, students had problems putting their knowledge and attitudes into practice. This may be overcome by focusing on practical courses that teach students how to apply learned knowledge in daily life.

Nonparticipant Student Observation of Faculty Classroom Teaching.

Student evaluations are commonly used to evaluate teaching effectiveness. Nonparticipant observation uses individuals who are not a part of the learning process but rather are observers who can formulate observations about the teaching encounter, possibly with less bias than student evaluators. The purpose of this article is to analyze reports by inexperienced nonparticipant observers of faculty classroom teaching episodes. The hypothesis was that veterinary faculty have common characteristics in their classroom teaching that are observable by nonparticipant observers and that these are similar to characteristics observed historically by student evaluators. This study is a qualitative document analysis of written observations made by senior veterinary students attending pre-clinical classroom lectures by a faculty member. Each written report was analyzed using thematic concept analysis, and the researchers met multiple times throughout the process to discuss the analysis and develop conclusions about themes that were encountered consistently among observations. Common emergent themes included information formats, PowerPoint presentations, timing, organization, student engagement, and delivery. Nonparticipant observers may contribute valuable data that may enhance faculty development in pedagogy. Observations may serve to augment data from student evaluations, self-reflection, and peer assessment.

Effects of an 8-Week Dairy Production Medicine Course on Veterinary Student Self-Confidence and Perceptions of Knowledge and Skills Used by Dairy Veterinarians.

The 8-week dairy production medicine course at the National Center of Excellence in Dairy Production Medicine Education for Veterinarians is designed to equip senior veterinary students with the knowledge and skills needed to serve the dairy industry. Course developers identified 59 topics of importance for dairy production medicine veterinarians. Students (N = 50) were surveyed before and after the course to determine their perceptions of (a)the importance of the 59 topics for their intended positions and (b) their knowledge and skill in those areas. We expected the course to affirm or strengthen perceptions of importance and increase confidence. Students rated 57 of the topics as moderately or very important before the course. Ratings were unchanged (56 topics) or increased (3 topics) after the course. Before the course, students believed they had a lot of knowledge and skill in just one area: animal behavior and handling. At the end of the course, students believed they had a lot of knowledge and skill in 21 areas; confidence ratings were higher for 47 of the 59 topics. Alumni were surveyed 1-2 years after graduation to determine the importance of the 59 topics to their positions, their impressions about how well the course prepared them in those areas, and whether they referred back to course materials. Feedback was used to adjust the course. The topics alumni rated as most important were similar to those students predicted would be most important. Seventy-five percent of alumni used the course website as a resource in practice.

Methods Used to Assess Student Performance and Course Outcomes atthe National Center of Excellence inDairy Production Medicine Education for Veterinarians.

Between 2012 and 2014, three cohorts of senior veterinary students participated in an 8-week dairy production medicine course created by the National Center of Excellence in Dairy Production Medicine Education for Veterinarians. One goal of this course is to better prepare veterinary students to serve the increasingly complex needs of the dairy industry. In this article, we describe the assessment methods and student performance outcomes of those first three cohorts. A combination of assessment methods was used, including pre- and post-testing; instructor observations and scores on individual and group projects, including a final integrative project; and peer evaluation. Student feedback, collected via anonymous survey, provided insight into students' perceptions about the course and their learning. Performance and feedback suggest that the course was successful in preparing students for careers using skills in dairy production medicine. Pre- and post-testing was conducted for most topic modules in the course. The mean (median) pre- and post-test scores were 47% (50% ) and 83% (88%), respectively. The mean improvement in score was significant (p < .002) for all modules and cohorts. Students indicated a moderate or high degree of confidence in performing dairy production medicine skills after each module. Of students in cohorts 1, 2, and 3, respectively, 55%, 75%, and 82% felt they could provide dairy production medicine services (e.g., records analysis, problem investigation, protocol and standard operating procedure design) either alone or with some mentoring, immediately after graduation. In addition, assessment results and student feedback enabled timely course modifications during these first three cohorts.

First Experimental Study in Turkey Teaches Veterinary Students How to Break Bad News.

The importance of communication skills in veterinary medicine has been increasing for a long time. The aim of this article is to investigate how theoretical training, role-playing, and standardized/simulated client (SC) methods improve senior (fifth-year) veterinary students' skills in breaking bad news. The study was carried out with 67 volunteer senior students. The research was designed from a pre-test and post-test control group pattern. All students encountered the SC. After pre-tests, theoretical training was given to Experimental Group A (EGA) and Experimental Group B (EGB). Then, only the students in EGA role-played together. Each student completed a checklist consisting of 10 basic items after pre-tests and post-tests. After post-tests, focus group interviews with open-ended questions were conducted. In the pairwise comparisons, EGA's and EGB's adjusted post-test mean scores were significantly higher than the control group's (p < .001). EGA's and EGB's post-test scores were found to be significantly higher than their pre-test scores. Women's empathy and eye contact scores were found to be statistically higher than men's scores. This study is the first of its kind in Turkey to use SCs and peer-to-peer learning with role-play simulations in training students about breaking bad news in veterinary medicine. These findings show that theoretical training and role-playing has an impact on senior veterinary students' skills in breaking bad news.

Prior Experience, Career Intentions, and Post-Graduate Positions of Veterinary Students Who Participated in an 8-week Dairy Production Medicine Course.

Three cohorts of senior veterinary students (n = 50) from seven United States (US) colleges of veterinary medicine took an 8-week dairy production medicine course at the Dairy Center of Excellence in Production Medicine Education for Veterinarians (DCE) between 2012 and 2014. Participants completed a questionnaire before and after the course and 1 to 2 years after graduation. Objectives were to determine the prior academic training and livestock experience of course participants, to compare students' career aspirations before and after taking the course, and to identify factors associated with post-graduate position. Response rates were 58%-96%. Most students had taken undergraduate animal science courses (83%), worked (76%) and/or lived (52%) on a livestock operation, participated in youth livestock activities (63%), worked at a mixed practice (71%), taken production medicine-related elective courses (65%), taken other food animal rotations (91%), and/or done dairy externships (65%) before taking the DCE course. Students who were very likely to pursue a dairy-focused position before taking the course (36%) remained committed after the course, whereas students who were not likely initially (39%) were not further motivated by the course. Students who had worked with a dairy veterinarian were more likely to pursue a dairy-focused position than those who had not. Most course alumni accepted positions in mixed practice, with a ≥ 50% (54%) or < 50% (23%) dairy component, and post-graduate positions were consistent with students' predictions. Students who held an undergraduate degree or had worked for a dairy veterinarian were more likely to accept a dairy-focused practice position than those who did not.

VETERINARY STUDENTS' OPINIONS ON THEIR REQUIRED COMPETENCE IN DEALING WITH WELFARE AND ETHICS ISSUES PERTAINING TO WILDLIFE.

The aim of this research was to determine what veterinary students in Australia and New Zealand consider important for animal welfare and ethics (AWE) competence when dealing with wildlife, and to determine how these priorities correlate with gender and stage of study. These students were asked to state their gender and stage of veterinary education and to rank the importance of six AWE topics: (1) "disaster preparedness," (2) "veterinarians' duties to wild animals," (3) "methods and justification for wild animal use" (e.g., harvesting/ hunting, wildlife parks), (4) "tensions between animal-welfare concerns and environmental concerns," (5) "the nature and status of semiowned animals," and (6) "euthanasia," pertaining to wildlife for competence on the first day after their graduation. Data were then analyzed. Of 3,320 students invited to participate, 556 responded to questions about animals in the wild. The AWE topic ranked as the most important was "veterinarians' duties to wild animals," followed by "euthanasia." Senior students ranked "euthanasia" as the most important topic. The rankings of "methods and justification for wild animal use" and "tension between animal welfare and environmental concerns" were significantly less important for students in the later years of study than for those in early years. Male respondents ranked "euthanasia" as more important than female respondents did, especially in later years of study. Senior veterinary students ranked "euthanasia" as the most important AWE topic for day one competency.

Beliefs, Attitudes and Self-Efficacy of Australian Veterinary Students Regarding One Health and Zoonosis Management.

Simple SummaryThe One Health approach provides a model for educating students, trainees and professionals in a systems approach to providing improved patient care and promoting healthy environments that benefit all species. In the present study, we designed an online survey that was communicated to senior veterinary students in a number of Australian veterinary schools. The survey evaluated the willingness of future veterinary graduates to participate positively in zoonoses (diseases transmitted between animals and humans) management through the adoption of the One Health approach in their future career. All respondents were willing to assist physicians in the management of zoonotic cases involving both patients and clients. The veterinary students were equally concerned about ensuring the best care for both animals (patients) and humans (clients). Our results demonstrate that there is strong support for future Australian veterinarians in the field of One Health.This study aimed to explore the beliefs and attitudes of a group of senior veterinary students regarding One Health and to evaluate their levels of confidence in advising the general public on preventative health issues at the human–animal interface. An online survey was communicated to senior veterinary students who were in their last two years of study. The questionnaire covered beliefs and attitudes, issues concerning the animal–human interface and participants’ confidence in diagnosing zoonoses. In total, 175 students from five Australian veterinary schools/colleges completed the online survey. The majority (96%) of students considered it their duty to promote the One Health approach, but only 36% believed there were sufficient practical frameworks for Australian veterinarian graduates to promote One Health. Interestingly, 81% (142/175) of respondents believed that veterinarians were more knowledgeable than physicians in managing zoonotic cases. Of the final-year students (n = 77), only 39% and 36% were confident in their ability to diagnose zoonoses in common companion animals and production animals, respectively. However, the number of those confident to diagnose zoonoses transmitted from wildlife was notably lower (22% (17/77)). Next-generation Australian veterinarians are keen to embrace their role in interprofessional collaboration; however, training efforts are required to reassure future veterinarians on aspects of zoonoses and One Health.

Problem Identification in a Dairy Herd

This report is the work of four senior veterinary students. Their assignment was to identify and prioritize the production problems on a dairy using the "Goal Form" from the Bovine Practitioner, No. 26, September 1991, pages 21 to 28.

Problem Identification in a Dairy Herd

This report is the work of three senior veterinary students. Their assignment was to identify and prioritize the production problems on a dairy using the "Goal Form" from the Bovine Practitioner, No. 26, September 1991, pages 21 to 28.

Effect of Catheter Gauge on the Success of Intravenous Catheter Placement by Veterinary Students.

The purposes of this study were to determine if senior veterinary students find it easier to place a smaller-bore catheter, and to relate patient variables with student success in catheter placement. For dogs between 10kg and 20kg, the catheter size options were 20gauge or 22gauge. For dogs larger than 20kg, the catheter size options were 18gauge or 20gauge. Variables recorded included time for catheter placement, number of catheterization attempts, number of catheters used, number of legs used, difficulty of catheterization, student success, and patient characteristics including signalment, weight, body condition score, premedication drugs given, tentative diagnosis, and procedure. If the student could not place an IV catheter after three attempts, it was graded as a student catheter placement failure. For the 55 students participating in the study over 28 months, we recorded 192 individual catheterization attempts. In small patients, students were successful in 19/20 attempts with 22-gauge catheters and in 24/30 with 20-gauge catheters. In large patients, students were successful in 59/68 attempts with 20-gauge catheters and 61/74 with 18-gauge catheters. The overall success rate was 164/192 (85%). Students were more likely to be successful when attempting placement in those dogs receiving acepromazine than in those not receiving acepromazine (p=.02). There were no significant differences among any of the other variables for difficulty, placement time, number of attempts, or student success. Clinicians and educators may select a size catheter for the patient without concern for the effects on student catheter placement success.

Rates of intraoperative complications and conversion to laparotomy during laparoscopic ovariectomy performed by veterinary students: 161 cases (2010-2014).

OBJECTIVE To assess rates of intraoperative complications and conversion to laparotomy associated with supervised veterinary students performing laparoscopic ovariectomy in dogs. DESIGN Retrospective case series. ANIMALS 161 female shelter dogs for which elective laparoscopic ovariectomy had been performed by supervised senior (fourth-year) veterinary students from 2010 through 2014. PROCEDURES Medical records of all dogs were reviewed and data collected regarding duration of surgery, surgical complications and other characteristics, and whether conversion to laparotomy was required. RESULTS Laparoscopic ovariectomy was performed with a 2-cannula technique and a 10-mm vessel-sealing device for hemostasis in all dogs. A Veress needle was used for initial insufflation in 144 (89.4%) dogs; method of insufflation was not reported for the remaining 17 (10.6%) dogs. Mean ± SD duration of surgery was 114.90 ± 33.40 minutes. Surgical complications, all classified as minor blood loss, occurred in 24 (14.9%) dogs. These included splenic puncture during insertion of the Veress needle (n = 20 [12.4%]) and minor bleeding from the ovarian pedicle (4 [2.5%]). Splenic puncture required no intervention, and ovarian pedicle bleeding required application of the vessel-sealing device an additional time to control the bleeding. Two ovaries were dropped in the abdominal cavity at the time of removal. Both were retrieved without complication. Conversion to laparotomy was not required for any dog. All dogs were discharged from the hospital within 24 hours after surgery. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE Laparoscopic ovariectomy in dogs was performed safely by closely supervised novice surgeons, with only minor intraoperative complications encountered and no need for conversion to laparotomy.

Evaluating Checklist Use in Companion Animal Wellness Visits in a Veterinary Teaching Hospital: A Preliminary Study.

The number of companion animal wellness visits in private practice has been decreasing, and one important factor cited is the lack of effective communication between veterinarians and pet owners regarding the importance of preventive care. Checklists have been widely used in many fields and are especially useful in areas where a complex task must be completed with multiple small steps, or when cognitive fatigue is evident. The use of checklists in veterinary medical education has not yet been thoroughly evaluated as a potential strategy to improve communication with pet owners regarding preventive care. The authors explored whether the use of a checklist based on the American Animal Hospital Association/American Veterinary Medical Association canine and feline preventive care guidelines would benefit senior veterinary students in accomplishing more complete canine and feline wellness visits. A group of students using provided checklists was compared to a control group of students who did not use checklists on the basis of their medical record notes from the visits. The students using the checklists were routinely more complete in several areas of a wellness visit vs. those who did not use the checklists. However, neither group of students routinely discussed follow-up care recommendations such as frequency or timing of follow-up visits. The study authors recommend considering checklist use for teaching and implementing wellness in companion animal primary care veterinary clinical teaching settings.

Slaughter of pregnant cattle in German abattoirs--current situation and prevalence: a cross-sectional study.

BackgroundThe slaughter of pregnant cattle and the fate of the foetuses are relatively new subjects in the field of animal welfare. The Scientific Committee on Veterinary Measures relating to Public Health (SCVPH), however, does not believe this topic to be a critical issue because of the hitherto supposed rare occurrence of this practice. Some previous studies though, contradict this assessment, emphasising its relevance to animal welfare. With regard to the heterogeneous study design of previous investigations, the objective of this study is to evaluate the current situation concerning the slaughter of pregnant cattle in different German abattoirs. Additionally, the prevalence was assessed semi-quantitatively on the basis of a cross-sectional, voluntary and anonymous survey that was conducted amongst senior veterinary students of the University of Leipzig from 2010 until 2013.ResultsOf 255 evaluable questionnaires, 157 (63.6 %) mention the slaughter of pregnant cattle, corresponding to 76.9 % of all visited abattoirs. Slaughter of pregnant cattle is reported often (>10 % of females) in 6 (3.8 %), frequently (1–10 % of females) in 56 (35.7 %), and rarely (<1 % of females) in 95 (60.5 %) of all cases (n = 157) respectively. About 50 % of these animals were reported to be in the second or third stage of gestation. 15 (10.6 %) of 142 questionnaires providing information about the foetus, state that the foetus showed visible vital signs after the death of the mother, but in one case the foetus was euthanized subsequently.ConclusionsThe results show that the slaughter of pregnant cattle is a common and widespread practice in German abattoirs. The SCVPH’s assumption that pregnant cattle are only slaughtered in rare exceptional cases can no longer be maintained. The high proportion of foetuses in the second and third gestational stage must also be considered. In this context the implementation of suitable studies and detailed analysis of the current situation is indispensable to ensure the high standards in animal welfare in Germany and Europe.

Anatomical knowledge in veterinary medical students in Chile

IntroductionAnatomy is considered a cornerstone in human and veterinary medical education, as this basic science discipline provides a vital foundation on which to build the knowledge of the clinical practice of medicine. ObjectiveThe aims of this study were: 1) to collect information on first year veterinary student preference, and use of supportive educational tools, and 2) to assess long-term knowledge retention in senior veterinary students who successfully completed the bovine anatomy course. MethodA survey was administered to first-year veterinary students in order to identify their learning tools of choice, and a diagnostic examination was designed to reflect highly relevant basic anatomy knowledge was administered to senior veterinary students. ResultsBesides the regular cadaver-dissection laboratories, textbooks were the tool used most frequently by first-year students to learn bovine anatomy. Computer technology was used by only 12.2% of the students. When evaluating knowledge retention of bovine anatomy by fourth year (senior) students, only 33.2% of the questions were answered correctly in the fourth year examination. ConclusionsThese results were interpreted as a low long-term retention of knowledge in Chilean veterinary medical students.

From History to Histology: The Case Correlation Assignment

This report describes novel uses of a writing assignment in which senior veterinary students incorporate general pathology, histology, and anatomy to explain clinical data from a deceased, previously hospitalized veterinary case. The resulting papers generated by the senior students have been used to help teach veterinary students in preclinical, didactic courses. The use of these papers continues to evolve.