Stakeholder consultation on tracking in UK veterinary degrees: part 2

Area of Science:

• Veterinary Education
• Animal Health Sciences

Background:

• Ongoing debate exists regarding species specialization (tracking) in veterinary undergraduate training.
• Stakeholder opinions on partial and full tracking models are crucial for curriculum development.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate UK stakeholder opinions on introducing partial and full tracking in veterinary education.
• To analyze qualitative data from surveys of practitioners, students, and university staff.

Main Methods:

• Qualitative data collected via surveys from 1061 UK veterinary stakeholders.
• Thematic framework analysis applied to free-text responses.
• Inductive coding to a hierarchical framework identifying key themes.

Main Results:

• Six major themes emerged: choice, flexibility, competency/knowledge, stakeholder implications, specialization, and defining 'a vet'.
• Most themes were relevant to both partial and full tracking, often more pronounced with full tracking.
• The theme of 'choice' is critical, particularly concerning student career aspirations.

Conclusions:

• Implementing veterinary student tracking necessitates proactive educational and career guidance from veterinary schools.
• Stakeholder input highlights the importance of student choice and flexibility in training models.
• Further consideration of 'what constitutes a vet' is needed in the context of specialized training.