Assessing Readiness for Clinical Practice: Students’ Perspectives of their Veterinary Curriculum

Abstract

Studies describing the effectiveness of a veterinary curriculum from the student perspective are currently sparse. The overall purpose of this investigation was to describe students’ perceived preparedness for clinical practice. Three focus group meetings with fourth year veterinary students were conducted. Data were open-coded and categorized to identify themes. Four main themes emerged: Challenging communications, Un/appreciating curricular experiences, Documenting demands impede case involvement, and Hungering for timely, effective feedback. Overall students felt comfortable talking to clients about medicine but less comfortable discussing euthanasia or money; they appreciated the split clinical curriculum but questioned the value of the 1st/2nd year courses; they felt that paperwork on clinical rotations negatively impacted patient involvement; expressed the need for well-defined expectations regarding grading/assessment and autonomy on clinical rotations. Despite the reported issues, students expressed satisfaction with the split curriculum and readiness to enter their chosen field of study.

Comparing veterinary students’ and practitioners’ perceptions of communication in a bilingual context

“…The veterinarian clinicians also indicated that they should be patient and give clients time to digest bad news about their animals before prompting them to make decisions. However, they should show empathy in an honest manner that does not obscure the expectations of and understanding for the client, see quote 16.…”

“…[8][9][10][11][12][13] Despite the general recognition of the crucial nature of veterinarians' communication training, studies have still indicated that some students and practitioners require more preparation. 10,[14][15][16] Teaching communication skills is fundamental in veterinary clinical training; most veterinary practitioners believed that communication skills are important, and some would consider communication to be a clinical skill in part due to the significant impact of veterinarian's communication skills on the enhancement of accuracy and efficiency in veterinary practices. 2,5,6,17 Communication strategies and interpersonal skills are significant in building rapport with clients and achieving satisfying practitioner-client relationships.…”