Employability as a Guiding Outcome in Veterinary Education: Findings of the VetSet2Go Project

Abstract

This paper presents a mini-review of employability as a guiding outcome in veterinary education—its conceptualisation, utility, core elements and dimensions, and pedagogical approaches—through a summary of the findings of a major international project with the same aims (the VetSet2Go project). Guided by a conception of the successful veterinary professional as one capable of navigating and sustainably balancing the (sometimes competing) needs and expectations of multiple stakeholders, the project integrated multiple sources of evidence to derive an employability framework representing the dimensions and capabilities most important to veterinary professional success. This framework provides a useful complement to those based in narrower views of competency and professionalism. One notable difference is its added emphasis on broad success outcomes of satisfaction and sustainability as well as task-oriented efficacy, thus inserting “the self” as a major stakeholder and bringing attention to resilience and sustainable well-being. The framework contains 18 key capabilities consistently identified as important to employability in the veterinary context, aligned to five broad, overlapping domains: veterinary capabilities (task-oriented work performance), effective relationships (approaches to others), professional commitment (approaches to work and the broader professional “mission”), psychological resources (approaches to self), plus a central process of reflective self-awareness and identity formation. A summary of evidence supporting these is presented, as well as recommendations for situating, developing, and accessing these as learning outcomes within veterinary curricula. Though developed within the specific context of veterinarian transition-to-practise, this framework would be readily adaptable to other professions, particularly in other health disciplines.

Engage and enjoy–investigating predictors of employee engagement and work satisfaction in equine veterinary professionals

“…Work satisfaction in terms of Team culture and Learning possibilities was higher in participants from the UK compared to the other countries. Research by Cake et al demonstrated that, when setting out in their career, veterinary graduates are motivated not only by affiliations with animals, but are also attracted by the prospect of intellectual challenges and being able to interact with others ( 45 ). It stands to reason, therefore, that whenever veterinary practices actively promote professional development opportunities and foster an atmosphere of social support, they are being rewarded with veterinary professionals who are more satisfied.…”

“…It stands to reason, therefore, that whenever veterinary practices actively promote professional development opportunities and foster an atmosphere of social support, they are being rewarded with veterinary professionals who are more satisfied. In the UK, veterinary practices have been actively encouraging veterinary staff programs, focusing on the development of both technical and “soft” skills ( 45 ). Additional research should determine whether these types of programs might be more effective than professional development programs in other countries in terms of enhancing levels of work satisfaction.…”

WSAVA professional wellness guidelines

“…For example, Murdoch University Veterinary School in Australia has integrated a course into the veterinary undergraduate curriculum called Veterinary Professional Life (VPL), which trains students in self‐awareness, psychology and communications skills (Mills et al ., 2006). One of the designers of this programme, Martin Cake, has also written on the importance of these skills in the employability of veterinary graduates (Cake et al ., 2019). The VPL programme was in part derived from, and partnered with, the Veterinary Leadership Experience (Veterinary Leadership Institute, n.d.) which has been used by the Washington State University College of Veterinary Medicine since 2002.…”

Utilizing Stakeholder Consultations to Identify Context-Specific Professional Skills for Veterinary Graduates in Bangladesh

“…The most cited professional skills needed to be a successful veterinarian are: effective communication, ethics and law, leadership and teamwork, business and finance, personal management, lifelong learning, and employability. 1,5,6,9,14,21,[24][25][26][27][28][29][30][31][32][33][34][35][36][37][38][39] Research on developing veterinary professional skills curricula is limited, but there is research about specific professional skills, the value of teaching them, how to effectively teach and assess them, and the different perspectives on which skills are important. 9,26,27,30,[36][37][38]40,41 Much of the research has been in a North American, European, and Australasian context.…”

“…1,5,6,9,14,21,[24][25][26][27][28][29][30][31][32][33][34][35][36][37][38][39] Research on developing veterinary professional skills curricula is limited, but there is research about specific professional skills, the value of teaching them, how to effectively teach and assess them, and the different perspectives on which skills are important. 9,26,27,30,[36][37][38]40,41 Much of the research has been in a North American, European, and Australasian context. 6,9,14,23,[42][43][44] However, some argue that specifically because professional skills are dependent on the context, time, culture and societal needs, a single shared definition is not appropriate, 1,4,22,32,45 and professional skills have been found to vary across geographic, cultural and societal contexts.…”