Veterinary Medical Students Research Articles

Using Authentic Client Interactions in Communication Skills Training: Predictors of Proficiency

Communication training has become a focus of concern in recent years in veterinary medicine. Existing literature to date indicates that Colleges of Veterinary Medicine (CVMs) have implemented various communication training protocols. The present study focused on the evaluation of a communication training protocol implemented in 2007 at Kansas State University (KSU) in a sample of veterinary medical students (N=415) across five cohorts. The protocol includes video review of authentic client interactions, feedback from authentic clients, and small-group communication training. Findings indicate that targeted communication skills improved through video-review feedback and small-group communication training. Communication scores were particularly affected by students' attention to improving communication deficiencies during a second student-client video. Baseline scores from the first student-client video in four specific areas (using nonverbal communication, setting expectations, building rapport, and being able to clarify) were predictive of overall performance during the second evaluation. Based on the results of the present study, using videos of authentic client interactions is recommended as a valuable communication training teaching tool.

Reported Rabies Pre-exposure Immunization of Students at US Colleges of Veterinary Medicine

In 2008, the US experienced a disruption in human rabies vaccine supplies, leading public health authorities to prioritize vaccine release for post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP) and limit vaccine supplies for pre-exposure prophylaxis (PreEP) in high-risk groups. In 2008, the Association of American Veterinary Medical Colleges (AAVMC) surveyed its member institutions on rabies vaccination policies and practices. Senior administrators at Colleges of Veterinary Medicine (CVMs) and departments of veterinary science and comparative medicine were asked to identify the person most knowledgeable about their institution's student rabies vaccination program. Respondents were asked to describe their policies and procedures for administering PreEP to veterinary medical students and staff and to estimate the annual demand for student and staff PreEP vaccine. Twenty-one CVMs responded. Twenty (95%) reported requiring PreEP of veterinary medical students and 16 (80%) of those 20 required vaccination upon matriculation. An estimated 7,309 doses of vaccine were required for PreEP of an estimated 2,436 first-year US veterinary medical students. Seventy-two percent of respondents administered PreEP in August, September, and October, coinciding with the highest public demand for PEP. CVMs should consider altering the timing of rabies vaccine administration to veterinary medical students and staff to other months, thereby helping to ensure that PEP rabies vaccine will be available to people with validated rabies exposures and to ensure that supplies will be available for PreEP of students and staff. AAVMC may wish to identify and support a point of coordination to facilitate the purchase and distribution of human rabies vaccine among its US member CVMs.

Peer-Assisted Communication Training: Veterinary Students as Simulated Clients and Communication Skills Trainers

Mounting research supports the use of peer-assisted learning (PAL) as a teaching method in human and veterinary medicine. PAL can be a cost-efficient educational tool, saving both financial resources and faculty time. This article reviews a PAL model for teaching communication skills to veterinary medical students. In this model, junior veterinary students served as simulated clients for sophomore veterinary students. Details regarding methods of program delivery as well as evaluation data are presented. Differences between two student cohorts who participated in the PAL educational model and their subsequent evaluation results are discussed. Overall, veterinary medical students reported that this approach was beneficial and that the topic was critical to their success as veterinarians. Students also showed improvement in communication knowledge and reported that peer feedback was a strength of the program. Finally, future directions to assess and strengthen the use of PAL for communication training in veterinary medical education are proposed.

Veterinary Medical Student Well-being: Depression, Stress, and Personal Relationships

Existing research consistently connects higher relationship satisfaction with improved psychological and physical functioning. Investigations focusing on relational satisfaction within veterinary medicine have been sparse. This study evaluated 240 veterinary medical students at Kansas State University. Results indicate that students within higher-functioning relationships are more likely to report fewer depressive symptoms, lower stress associated with balancing their school and home lives, less relationship conflict, better physical health, and improved ability to cope with academic expectations, while at the same time experiencing more stress from being behind in studies. Based on these findings, Colleges of Veterinary Medicine (CVMs) are encouraged to institute policies and programs which foster relationship-building for students.

Nonverbal Communication between Veterinary Students and their Teachers in Food Animal Practice

Among veterinary and medical educators it has been concluded that there are many gaps in the educators’ knowledge of effective clinical teaching practice and learning environments. The learning environment, important for the quality of education, contains integrating elements such as educational culture and instructional strategies, defining the behavior of the participants, the teaching behavior of teachers and the learning strategies adopted by students. Usually, the verbal dimension of communication is highlighted although it is demonstrated that in interaction situations the non-linguistic, nonverbal communication is far more effective. Nowadays, it is claimed that the students are clients in a professional relationship because in such circumstances they receive signals; a different set of expectations, responsibilities and a respect typical of their own profession. The main point explored is, the quality of nonverbal communication between veterinary medical students and their teachers, because it is believed to have an influence on learning. Ambulatory practice with food production animals was utilized, and the visual recording was included. A television program on everyday life in the University’s Animal Hospital in 2009 was taken as a ready source of communication. A Small distance between the participants’ bodies and faces and a minimal number of gestures and facial expressions are found. Instead, kinetic responses are well represented, either independently or as a response to the teacher’s gaze. For the students the rules of behavior were dictated by their teacher. There was an obvious professional-client relationship with closeness, familiarity and respect, but also a professional-client relationship in which the students had two basic tasks; to listen and to act. These characteristics have effects on learning and consequently, new hypotheses could be established, and the observed kinetic responses should be added to checking lists with only verbally defined categories, at least when the interaction in the veterinary context is involved.

A Study of Depression and Anxiety, General Health, and Academic Performance in Three Cohorts of Veterinary Medical Students across the First Three Semesters of Veterinary School

This study builds on previous research on predictors of depression and anxiety in veterinary medical students and reports data on three veterinary cohorts from two universities through their first three semesters of study. Across all three semesters, 49%, 65%, and 69% of the participants reported depression levels at or above the clinical cut-off, suggesting a remarkably high percentage of students experiencing significant levels of depression symptoms. Further, this study investigated the relationship between common stressors experienced by veterinary students and mental health, general health, and academic performance. A factor analysis revealed four factors among stressors common to veterinary students: academic stress, transitional stress, family-health stress, and relationship stress. The results indicated that both academic stress and transitional stress had a robust impact on veterinary medical students' well-being during their first three semesters of study. As well, academic stress negatively impacted students in the areas of depression and anxiety symptoms, life satisfaction, general health, perception of academic performance, and grade point average (GPA). Transitional stress predicted increased depression and anxiety symptoms and decreased life satisfaction. This study helped to further illuminate the magnitude of the problem of depression and anxiety symptoms in veterinary medical students and identified factors most predictive of poor outcomes in the areas of mental health, general health, and academic performance. The discussion provides recommendations for considering structural changes to veterinary educational curricula to reduce the magnitude of academic stressors. Concurrently, recommendations are suggested for mental health interventions to help increase students' resistance to environmental stressors.

Predictors of Anxiety and Depression in Veterinary Medicine Students: A Four-Year Cohort Examination

Mental health needs of veterinary medical students have become the focus of concern in recent years. Literature to date is scarce, but indicates a large number of veterinary medical students experience clinical levels of anxiety and depression. The present study focused on the prevalence of anxiety and depression in a sample of veterinary medical students (N=142) across four-year cohorts. Findings indicate elevated scores of anxiety and depression across the four-year cohorts. Students in their second and third years had the highest anxiety and depression scores. Perceived physical health, unclear expectations, difficulty fitting in, heavy workload, and homesickness were most relevant in explaining anxiety and depression symptom prevalence. Implications for practice and future research are addressed based on these findings.

Interprofessional Education

The past decade witnessed momentum toward redesigning the U.S. health care system with the intent to improve quality of care. To achieve and sustain this change, health professions education must likewise reform to prepare future practitioners to optimize their ability to participate in the new paradigm of health care delivery. Recognizing that interprofessional education (IPE) is gaining momentum as a crucial aspect of health care professions training, this article provides an introduction to IPE programs from three different academic health centers, which were developed and implemented to train health care practitioners who provide patient-centered, collaborative care. The three participating programs are briefly described, as well as the processes and some lessons learned that were critical in the process of adopting IPE programs in their respective institutions. Critical aspects of each program are described to allow comparison of the critical building blocks for developing an IPE program. Among those building blocks, the authors present information on the planning processes of the different institutions, the competencies that each program aims to instill in the graduates, the snapshot of the three curricular models, and the assessment strategies used by each institution. The authors conclude by providing details that may provide insight for academic institutions considering implementation of IPE programs.

Evaluation of an educational campaign to increase hand hygiene at a small animal veterinary teaching hospital

To establish baseline data on rates of hand hygiene behavior, evaluate the effectiveness of an educational intervention aimed at improving hand hygiene, and determine whether methods similar to those applied in human hospitals to improve hand hygiene can be successfully applied in a small animal veterinary hospital. Prospective observational study. 568 and 187 observations of interactions between small animal patients and veterinary health-care providers before and after, respectively, educational intervention. Proper hand hygiene practices were defined as use of antibacterial foam or hand washing before or after physical interactions between health-care providers (veterinary medical faculty members, residents, interns, students, and technicians) and patients or proper use of gloves. Data were collected by anonymous direct observation. After an initial observation period, a multimodal educational campaign promoted proper hand hygiene with specific attention to increasing use of antibacterial foam. Two months later, data on proper hand hygiene practices after intervention were collected. At baseline, 117 of 568 (20.6%) interactions met criteria for proper hand hygiene practices; after intervention, a significantly greater proportion (78/187 [41.7%]) of interactions met criteria for proper hand hygiene practices. Use of antibacterial foam significantly increased from 34 of 568 (6.0%) to 67 of 187 (35.8%) interactions. Health-care providers were 4.1 times as likely to wash their hands with soap and water or to use antibacterial foam on their hands after the intervention than before the intervention. Initial low rates of proper hand hygiene practices at baseline were improved substantially 2 months after implementing a low-cost multimodal educational campaign.

Influence of a Veterinary Curriculum on the Approaches and Study Skills of Veterinary Medical Students

The objectives of the present study were to evaluate first-, second-, third-, and fourth-year veterinary medical students' approaches to studying and learning as well as the factors within the curriculum that may influence these approaches. A questionnaire consisting of the short version of the Approaches and Study Skills Inventory for Students (ASSIST) was completed by 405 students, and it included questions relating to conceptions about learning, approaches to studying, and preferences for different types of courses and teaching. Descriptive statistics, factor analysis, Cronbach's alpha analysis, and log-linear analysis were performed on the data. Deep, strategic, and surface learning approaches emerged. There were a few differences between our findings and those presented in previous studies in terms of the correlation of the subscale monitoring effectiveness, which showed loading with both the deep and strategic learning approaches. In addition, the subscale alertness to assessment demands showed correlation with the surface learning approach. The perception of high workloads, the use of previous test files as a method for studying, and examinations that are based only on material provided in lecture notes were positively associated with the surface learning approach. Focusing on improving specific teaching and assessment methods that enhance deep learning is anticipated to enhance students' positive learning experience. These teaching methods include instructors who encourage students to be critical thinkers, the integration of course material in other disciplines, courses that encourage thinking and reading about the learning material, and books and articles that challenge students while providing explanations beyond lecture material.

Developing an Open-Access Antimicrobial Resistance Learning Site for Veterinary Medical Students

Recognizing the crucial role of veterinarians in mitigating antimicrobial resistance (AMR), the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has funded the development of a suite of educational materials to promote the responsible veterinary medical use of antimicrobials. An open-access, Web-based multimedia curriculum regarding antimicrobial resistance in veterinary practice was thus created. The antimicrobial-resistance learning site (AMRLS) for veterinary medical students was completed and made available for use in January 2011 (http://amrls.cvm.msu.edu/). Designed for integration into existing veterinary medical courses, the AMRLS is also a resource for continuing education for practicing veterinarians, animal scientists, and food-animal industry specialists. This Web site emphasizes the mechanisms by which AMR emerges and spreads, the significant role of veterinarians in mitigating AMR, and the need to preserve the efficacy of antibiotics for future generations.

Developing a clinical presentation curriculum in veterinary education: a cognitive perspective

There is a discrepancy between the knowledge of veterinary medicine graduates and professional and society expectations. The main reason for this discrepancy is the conventional curricula, which rely on backward reasoning or disease-centered medical education. The aim of the present study was to develop a scheme as the most important step in the creation of a full clinical presentation (CP) module. Vomiting was chosen in this study as a common CP in dogs. Three series of focused questions were developed. The physiological mechanisms (visceral, cortical, vestibular, metabolic, and chemical) were chosen to reconstruct the top layer of the scheme. To reconstruct the second and third layers of the scheme, anatomical concepts were applied to define the subcategories. To design the fourth layer, the disease classes which result in vomiting in each of the physiological schemes were considered. We believe that introducing “vomiting in dog” to veterinary medical students as a leading presentation meets the students' requirements because it uses clinical presentations as the organizing core structure.

The Role of Veterinary Medical Librarians in Teaching Information Literacy

This qualitative study seeks to determine the nature of the instruction librarians provide to veterinary medical students at all 28 United States veterinary colleges. A secondary goal of the study was to determine in what ways and to what extent librarians participated in other instructional activities at their colleges. Over half of the librarians formally taught in one or more courses, predominantly in the first two years of the veterinary curriculum. One presentation per course was most common. Over half of the librarians interviewed stated that evidence-based veterinary medicine was taught at their colleges, and about half of these librarians collaborated with veterinary faculty in this instruction. Many librarians participated in orientation for first-year veterinary students. The librarians also taught instructional sessions for residents, interns, faculty, graduate students, and practicing veterinarians. This study found that librarians teach information literacy skills both formally and informally, but, in general, instruction by librarians was not well integrated into the curriculum. This study advances several recommendations to help veterinary students develop information literacy skills. These include: encourage veterinary faculty and administrators to collaborate more closely with librarians, incorporate a broader array of information literacy skills into assignments, and add a literature evaluation course to the curriculum.

Three-dimensional computed tomographic volume rendering imaging as a teaching tool in veterinary radiology instruction

The educational value of three-dimensional computed tomography (3D CT) volume rendering imaging was compared to conventional plain radiographic instruction in a veterinary radiology class. Veterinary radiology is an important subject in veterinary medicine and has been well-recognized as a primary diagnostic method. Many junior and senior students have difficulty interpreting two dimensional radiographs that depict three-dimensional organs. A total of 158 junior veterinary students with knowledge of anatomy, pathology, physiology, and other basic subjects were divided into two groups; Group 1 (n = 45) received conventional radiographic instruction using normal and representative abnormal canine thoracic and abdominal radiographs followed by repetition of the same one week later, while Group 2 (n = 113) received plain radiograph instruction as in Group 1 followed by volume-rendered 3D CT images from the same canine patient one week later. The evaluations were performed at the end of each instruction. In Group 1, the majority did not understand the radiographic signs and no significant improvement was observed. In Group 2, 13% and 20% of the students learned only from radiographs, and understood the thoracic and abdominal radiographic alterations, respectively. After studying the 3D CT images, more than 94% of the students deduced the reasons for the radiographic alterations on the radiographs (P < 0.001). These results strongly suggest that 3D CT imaging is an effective tool for teaching radiographic anatomy to veterinary medical students.

Effects of a Pilot Training Program on Veterinary Students' Pain Knowledge, Attitude, and Assessment Skills

The prevention and management of pain is fundamental to the practice of both human and veterinary medicine. The recognition and treatment of pain represents an important indicator of the quality of care delivered in human hospitals and veterinary hospitals. Yet, both human and veterinary health care professionals have cited inadequate knowledge as a significant barrier to effective pain management. The aims of this pilot study were twofold: (1) to gauge veterinary medical students' current attitudes regarding their training in pain management and (2) to assess the impact of training and practice on the use of a canine acute pain assessment teaching tool. Participants, third-year professional veterinary medical students, completed a 16-item survey questionnaire before a 30-minute training session on pain assessment using the teaching tool and completed it again after training and a one-week practice period. Questions related to canine pain, assessment of canine pain, pain management education in the professional veterinary curriculum, and an example case presentation (video) were included in the survey. The analysis of survey results indicated that professional veterinary medicine students find value in didactic and clinical training in canine pain assessment. Additionally, use of the canine acute pain teaching tool in conjunction with a training program improved students' knowledge and skill in assessment while pointing out the importance of further training. Differences with regard to gender and tracking were found and warrant further exploration.

Learning-Style Profiles of 150 Veterinary Medical Students

Awareness of student learning-style preferences is important for several reasons. Understanding differences in learning styles permits instructors to design course materials that allow all types of learners to absorb and process information. Students who know their own learning style are better able to help themselves in courses taught in a non-preferred method by developing study strategies in line with their preferred learning method. We used the Felder and Solomon Index of Learning Styles to assess the learning-style profiles of 150 veterinary students in three consecutive years. Students were predominantly active (56.7%), sensing (79.3%), visual (76.7%), and sequential (69.3%). Most were balanced on the active-reflective (59.3%) and global-sequential (50%) dimensions, and 61.3% and 54% were moderately to strongly sensing and visual, respectively. Small but significant numbers of students were moderately to strongly intuitive (8.7%), verbal (13%), and global (12%). The most common patterns were active-sensing-visual-sequential (26%), reflective-sensing-visual-sequential (19.3%), active-sensing-visual-global (8.7%), and active-sensing-verbal-sequential (8.7%). Although most students (65.3%) were balanced on one to two dimensions, 77.3% had one or more strong preferences. Our results show that although people have dominant learning-style preference and patterns, they have significant minor preferences and patterns across all dimensions with moderate to strong preferences on each scale. These results indicate that a balanced approach to teaching is essential to allow all students to learn optimally.

Social Interactions Between Veterinary Medical Students and Their Teachers in an Ambulatory Clinic Setting in Finland

In this study, the social interactions between students and their teachers in an ambulatory clinic setting were investigated using Bales's interaction process analysis framework. Observational data were collected during five small-group sessions. The observations were quantified, and the behaviors of students and teachers were compared statistically. This study demonstrated that the interaction between students and their teachers was for the most part equal and could be characterized as "positively task oriented." The study has implications for veterinary educators wishing to use social psychology frameworks to assess the quality of learning in small-group clinical setting.

Utilizing Filmed Authentic Student–Client Interactions as a Communication Teaching Tool

In the past decade, communication training within veterinary medical training programs has received extensive publicity. Now, training programs are utilizing large-group lecturing, small-group discussions, and simulated client programs to address the need for veterinarians to effectively communicate with their clients. This paper presents a communication training protocol utilized at Kansas State University. The principle focus of this protocol is utilizing filmed student interactions with authentic veterinary medical clients. All veterinary medical students are required to film two interactions with hospital clientele. After each filmed session, students attend feedback sessions where communication strengths and weaknesses are discussed. Specific communication goals are identified for future interactions. A detailed description of the protocol follows, with preliminary impressions from students and instructors noted. As a promising tool for teaching communication skills, future directions for filmed authentic interactions are discussed.

Food animal medicine in crisis

JAVMA, Vol 235, No. 4, August 15, 2009 A dearth of veterinary professionals are engaged in food animal medicine. According to the AVMA’s 2008 market research statistics, 10,736 (13.5%) AVMA members, reporting practice type by species category, were in practices related to food animal medicine. This void was originally acknowledged as many as 20 years ago, but until recently, it has undergone little scrutiny regarding origins and possible resolutions. Recent events have heightened political, public, and professional awareness of the threat of global bioterrorism and resulted in > 30 published manuscripts and reports addressing the scarcity of veterinarians interested in food animal medicine. Reports published by organizations such as the AAVMC have identified potential causes for these shortages, including a skewed focus in the veterinary curriculum, challenges in recruitment, lack of mentorship while a veterinary medical student and after graduation, and insufficient remuneration and retention. Although all of the aforementioned causes are important for creating the void, solutions are lacking because the professional purpose of FAVs has become increasingly diverse. Indeed, a review of the literature reveals that veterinary medicine has a lack of FAVs that has been compounded by an identity crisis in FAVs within the veterinary profession. The identity crisis stems from inconsistent terms, including food supply veterinarians, food systems veterinarians, and veterinarians in food animal production medicine, used to describe FAVs. Such inconsistencies dilute attempts to fill the FAV void and render such attempts ineffectual because the void or voids veterinary colleges are trying to fill have yet to be clearly defined. The information provided here is intended to include a brief history of the foundations of veterinary medicine, its primary obligations, and societal forces that have expanded these obligations, which are necessary to provide an adequate background for understanding the problems facing the veterinary profession. In addition, it is intended to explore many of the challenges contributing to the void in FAVs and proposed changes in veterinary medical education and outreach. Finally, I hope to define the contributors to the FAV identity crisis within veterinary medicine and the resulting need for a new taxonomy of veterinary scientists who are able to adapt veterinary education for the future. Food animal medicine in crisis

An Admissions System to Select Veterinary Medical Students with an Interest in Food Animals and Veterinary Public Health

Interest in the areas of food animals (FA) and veterinary public health (VPH) appears to be declining among prospective students of veterinary medicine. To address the expected shortage of veterinarians in these areas, the Utrecht Faculty of Veterinary Medicine has developed an admissions procedure to select undergraduates whose aptitude and interests are suited to these areas. A study using expert meetings, open interviews, and document analysis identified personal characteristics that distinguished veterinarians working in the areas of FA and VPH from their colleagues who specialized in companion animals (CA) and equine medicine (E). The outcomes were used to create a written selection tool. We validated this tool in a study among undergraduate veterinary students in their final (sixth) year before graduation. The applicability of the tool was verified in a study among first-year students who had opted to pursue either FA/VPH or CA/E. The tool revealed statistically significant differences with acceptable effect sizes between the two student groups. Because the written selection tool did not cover all of the differences between the veterinarians who specialized in FA/VPH and those who specialized in CA/E, we developed a prestructured panel interview and added it to the questionnaire. The evaluation of the written component showed that it was suitable for selecting those students who were most likely to succeed in the FA/VPH track.