Extended-spectrum β-lactamase (ESBL)-producing bacteria causing clinical infections are often also multidrug-resistant (MDR; resistance to ≥3 antimicrobial drug classes), therefore treatment options may be limited. High carriage rates of these potentially zoonotic bacteria have been found in livestock and companion animals. Therefore, people working in veterinary hospitals may be a high-risk population for carriage. This is the first study to determine the prevalence and longitudinal carriage of antimicrobial-resistant (AMR) and ESBL-producing faecal Escherichia coli in veterinary hospital staff and students. Prevalence of faecal AMR and ESBL-producing E coli was determined in 84 staff members and students in three UK veterinary hospitals. Twenty-seven participants were followed for six weeks to investigate longitudinal carriage. Antimicrobial susceptibility and phenotypic ESBL production were determined and selected isolates were whole genome sequenced. ESBL-producing E coli were isolated from five participants (5.95 per cent; 95 per cent CI 0.89 to 11.0 per cent); two participants carried ESBL-producing E coli resistant to all antimicrobials tested. Carriage of MDR E coli was common (32.1 per cent; 95per cent CI 22.2 to 42.1 per cent) and there was a high prevalence of ciprofloxacin resistance (11.9 per cent; 95 per cent CI 4.98 to 18.8 per cent). ESBL-producing E coli were isolated from seven longitudinal participants (25.9 per cent; 95 per cent CI 9.40 to 42.5 per cent); two participants carried ESBL-producing E coli for the entire study period. Twenty-six participants (96.3 per cent; 95 per cent CI 89.2 to 100) carried ≥1 MDR E coli isolate during the six-week period, with seven participants (25.9 per cent) carrying ≥1 MDR isolate for at least five out of six weeks. The prevalence of faecal ESBL-producing E coli in cross-sectional participants is similar to asymptomatic general populations. However, much higher levels of carriage were observed longitudinally in participants. It is vital that veterinary hospitals implement gold-standard biosecurity to prevent transmission of MDR and ESBL-producing bacteria between patients and staff. Healthcare providers should be made aware that people working in veterinary hospitals are a high-risk population for carriage of MDR and ESBL-producing bacteria, and that this poses a risk to the carrier and for transmission of resistance throughout the wider community.

A portfolio with good reflective content can play a large role in learning and setting up the lifelong learning practice required by veterinary surgeons in practice or in research. The aim of this project was to investigate students’ experience with their reflective diaries within an electronic portfolio (e-portfolio). Focus groups were conducted with veterinary students at the University of Liverpool in years 1–4 to explore student perceptions of the e-portfolio, with an emphasis on reflection. Three themes emerged from the qualitative analysis: assessment, understanding the assignment (i.e., is it a useful and fair exercise?), and student well-being (i.e., stress, professional accountability, anxiety). Students had clear concerns about the assessment and did not see the relevance of the reflective diaries to their future career and learning. This has led the university’s School of Veterinary Science to restructure the reflections on professional skills in the portfolio.

Peer-assisted learning (PAL) is a potentially valuable teaching tool for students on veterinary and medical curricula, helping them to develop crucial learning, teaching and meta-adaptive skills (Lizzio & Wilson, 2004) which will serve them during their undergraduate studies and throughout their future careers. This reflective article describes experiences of PAL activities on a UK veterinary degree course, and discusses potential reasons for success and failure of such activities. Advice is given for anyone planning to implement, or reviewing their own experiences of PAL.

Of the 551 extended spectrum β-lactamase-producing isolates characterized, the MIC90 for Escherichia coli, Klebsiella spp., and Enterobacter spp. were in the susceptible range when tested against meropenem, but were in the resistant range for all other antimicrobials tested excluding E coli and Klebsiella spp. against ertapenem and ciprofloxacin, and for Enterobacter spp. against ciprofloxacin.

Team-based learning (TBL) was introduced to the Veterinary Science (BVSc) curriculum in 2013 as a method of aiding students in their integration of knowledge across multiple subjects using case-based scenarios. TBL is learner-centred and requires student accountability for learning within their team using an outcomes-based approach, and has been shown to increase medical student exam performance, particularly for lower performing students. The TBL format includes pre-reading, individual and group readiness assurance tests, instructor review, and team application, all of which are considered essential for the successful implementation of TBL. In this paper, we describe the use of TBL within the BVSc curriculum and discuss potential reasons for successes and failures related to student engagement and assessment, alongside considering enhancements required for future implementation.