New graduates’ conceptions of and approaches to veterinary professional practice, and relationships to achievement during an undergraduate internship programme

Abstract

New graduate veterinarians report differing experiences of the transition to practice. Some make a rapid transition to professional autonomy while others require prolonged and extensive support from their colleagues. Factors contributing to this variation are unclear. This study used phenomenography to analyse the conceptions of and approaches to veterinary professional practice (VPP) reported by new graduates in semi-structured interviews (n = 22). Quantitative statistical analysis was used to investigate links between the quality of graduates' experiences and their achievement during a comprehensive final year internship programme. Strong associations were identified between the quality of graduates' conceptions of and approaches to VPP. Links were also established between the quality of graduates' conceptions of VPP and their performance in practice prior to graduation. The outcomes of this research can be used to improve teaching and assessment during final year internships and enhance graduate attribute statements for professional degree programmes. The results also indicate that student learning research methodologies can be used to evaluate the quality of graduates' experiences in the workplace. This has implications for career outcomes research in a range of healthcare professions.

Supervisor descriptions of veterinary student performance in the clinical workplace: a qualitative interview study

“…In one study, Dornan and others (2007) found that medical students’ own level of confidence and competency contributed to their motivation to participate in the clinical workplace. In another series of studies, Matthew and others (2010, 2011) have shown that engagement was among the behaviours that promote success in clinical practice as new veterinary graduates. Thus, the contribution of a student's engagement to the impressions formed of them by supervisors may be construct‐relevant and appropriate.…”

Learning to interact and interacting to learn: a grounded theory of clinical workplace learning for diverse cohorts

“…Kolb (1984) and Schon (1987) both made significant theoretical contributions to how CWL was organised, taught and assessed, with the fostering of selfreflection considered to be integral to an attitude of lifelong learning. The incorporation of reflective portfolios into assessment programmes (David, Davis, Harden, Howie, Ker & Rippard, 2001) and empirical research identifying associations between reflective practices and the quality of clinical learning represent uptake of this discourse by the HSER community (Matthew, Ellis, & Taylor, 2011).…”