Abstract
Background
Newly qualified vets are expected to attend an emergency, e.g. a cow calving, but clinical exposure before graduation may be limited. This study aimed to investigate what affects veterinary student confidence and their attitudes regarding calving cows.
Methods
Paper questionnaires were distributed to veterinary students in their 3rd (n=240, 2016/17 and 2017/18) and 4th year (n=347, 2016/17, 2017/18 and 2018/19) at one UK university, to ascertain their demographic data, confidence ratings (scale 1-5) and free text answers to questions probing their concerns and suggestions.
Results
Responses were received from 156 and 300 consenting 3rd and 4th year students, respectively. The mean total calving confidence score was higher in 4th year (34.3/65) than 3rd year (30.8/65, p < 0.05), and students from both years rarely rated themselves as being ‘confident’ or ‘very confident’ in 13 individual calving tasks. Having some experience (odds ratio OR 3.34), intending to work with cows (OR 3.25), being from Europe (OR 3) or North America (OR 2.72) and in 4th year (OR 2.3), increased the odds (p < 0.01) of having some calving confidence. Four main concerns were identified, myself, the task, animal and farmer, and students requested real-life, practical exposure to improve their confidence.
Limitations
Students were only from one UK vet school and the study relied on self-reported confidence levels.
Conclusion
Students overall lack confidence in calving cows and are concerned about many aspects of this high-stakes clinical scenario. Veterinary faculty and
EMS providers need to collaborate to develop student confidence before graduation.
Newly qualified vets are expected to attend an emergency, e.g. a cow calving, but clinical exposure before graduation may be limited. This study aimed to investigate what affects veterinary student confidence and their attitudes regarding calving cows.
Methods
Paper questionnaires were distributed to veterinary students in their 3rd (n=240, 2016/17 and 2017/18) and 4th year (n=347, 2016/17, 2017/18 and 2018/19) at one UK university, to ascertain their demographic data, confidence ratings (scale 1-5) and free text answers to questions probing their concerns and suggestions.
Results
Responses were received from 156 and 300 consenting 3rd and 4th year students, respectively. The mean total calving confidence score was higher in 4th year (34.3/65) than 3rd year (30.8/65, p < 0.05), and students from both years rarely rated themselves as being ‘confident’ or ‘very confident’ in 13 individual calving tasks. Having some experience (odds ratio OR 3.34), intending to work with cows (OR 3.25), being from Europe (OR 3) or North America (OR 2.72) and in 4th year (OR 2.3), increased the odds (p < 0.01) of having some calving confidence. Four main concerns were identified, myself, the task, animal and farmer, and students requested real-life, practical exposure to improve their confidence.
Limitations
Students were only from one UK vet school and the study relied on self-reported confidence levels.
Conclusion
Students overall lack confidence in calving cows and are concerned about many aspects of this high-stakes clinical scenario. Veterinary faculty and
EMS providers need to collaborate to develop student confidence before graduation.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Article number | e4964 |
| Journal | Veterinary Record |
| Early online date | 26 Dec 2024 |
| DOIs | |
| Publication status | E-pub ahead of print - 26 Dec 2024 |