Preparing Veterinary Students for Extramural Clinical Placement Training: Issues Identified and a Possible Solution

Abstract

Extramural clinical placement training is an important part of many veterinary degree programs and provides students with valuable learning experiences in private practice, often focusing on the management of typical first-opinion cases. In the United Kingdom, the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons (RCVS) has a mandatory requirement that students take 26 weeks of clinical placement or extramural studies (EMS) before graduation. However, if students are to maximize their learning opportunities during these placements, it is important that they be adequately prepared. In response to recent topical issues surrounding EMS in the United Kingdom, the current project undertook an iterative consultation process with key stakeholders, including students and placement providers, to identify key issues associated with students attending placements. These findings then informed the development and content of a computer-aided learning (CAL) package titled "The EMS Driving Licence" that aimed to improve the preparation of students for placements. The CAL package included sections covering the main identified areas of concern: Preparation (including what to take), Working With People (staff and clients), Professionalism (including confidentiality), Frequently Asked Questions (from students), and Top Tips (from practitioners). The CAL package was evaluated by students, and feedback was gathered by means of a questionnaire. Students recognized that the content addressed many of their concerns, and all reported that they would recommend the package to others. The CAL package has been made available to all UK veterinary schools and has received backing from the RCVS as part of their current recommendations on EMS to the UK veterinary profession.

Stakeholder perspectives on veterinary student preparedness for workplace clinical training – a qualitative study

“…The results of this study expand on the findings of a survey-based, single-stakeholder study that willingness, knowledge and understanding, professionalism, interpersonal skills and personal attributes are important in terms of student preparedness for veterinary WCT [43]. There is some published work answering related research questions from which important aspects of student preparation for WCT can be inferred such as animal handling and physical exam skills [31,55,56], trustworthiness [56], respect [57,58], communication [31,55,56,59], wearing the correct uniform [57,58], time management [57], enthusiasm [31,56,58], timeliness [58], decision making [59], intellectual curiosity [57], filling knowledge gaps [31], confidence [59], animal advocacy [56] and teamwork [56]. These aspects of preparedness were recognised as important by participants in the interviews reported here.…”

Attitudes of UK veterinary students towards careers in the production animal sector: A mixed methods approach

“…This is supported in Baguley 16 when 37% of surveyed final year students found EMS of most value for obtaining insight into career options. Preparation for EMS (by the student) has been identified as key to a successful placement 17 ; however, it is also acknowledged that teaching animal handling to students in a university setting requires considerable staffing, time, amenities and suitable animals 18 . Expectations must be managed for both parties (practicing veterinary surgeon, undergraduate on placement).…”

Challenges and Issues in the Evaluation of Teaching Quality: How Does it Affect Teachers' Professional Practice? A UK Perspective

“…Clinical academics may spend a large part of their time interacting with and training students in the workplace; for some pre-clinical academics, teaching may be a relatively small part of their academic role. Consideration must also be given to the important teaching role of veterinarians in general practice with responsibility for mentoring students on placements, whether in the context of a distributed model of teaching 16 , or on extramural studies (EMS) placements 17 . For any veterinarian assuming teaching responsibilities, it is likely that their "teacher identity" will be at a comparatively early stage of development.…”