Exploring how end-of-life management is taught to Australasian veterinary students. Part 1: technical euthanasia.

Area of Science:

• Veterinary Education
• Animal Welfare
• End-of-Life Care

Background:

• Effective end-of-life management education is crucial for veterinary professionals.
• Current curricula may not adequately prepare students for euthanasia procedures.
• Understanding teaching methodologies is key to improving veterinary training.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the teaching of euthanasia techniques in Australasian veterinary schools.
• To identify differences in euthanasia education between preclinical and clinical years.
• To assess the availability of practical euthanasia experience for veterinary students.

Main Methods:

• A descriptive study utilizing a questionnaire-style interview guide.
• Structured interviews were conducted with educators across eight Australasian veterinary institutions.
• Snowball sampling was employed to recruit participants.

Main Results:

• Euthanasia techniques are predominantly taught during the clinical years of veterinary programs.
• Clinical teaching often depends on opportunistic cases, such as euthanasia consultations.
• Limited opportunities exist for students to practice euthanasia, primarily with livestock during consultations.

Conclusions:

• Competency in euthanasia techniques is a vital component of veterinary clinical practice.
• Findings highlight areas for improvement in veterinary curriculum design regarding euthanasia training.
• Enhanced practical training in euthanasia is recommended to better prepare future veterinarians.