Euthanasia Education in Veterinary Schools in the United States

Area of Science:

• Veterinary Medicine
• Animal Welfare
• Veterinary Education

Background:

• Animal euthanasia is a critical aspect of veterinary practice, impacting both professionals and clients.
• Humane euthanasia requires skilled application and knowledgeable personnel for optimal animal welfare.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess the preparedness of US veterinary medicine schools in training students for animal euthanasia.
• To identify current curricula and identify areas for improvement in euthanasia education.

Main Methods:

• A survey was electronically distributed to 30 US veterinary schools via the American Association of Veterinary Medical Colleges (AAVMC).
• The survey collected data on euthanasia training hours, methods taught, and perceived core competencies.

Main Results:

• The average instructional time dedicated to euthanasia methods and techniques was 2.8 hours.
• All responding schools considered euthanasia facilitation a core competency, despite varying student involvement.
• Commonly taught methods included intracardiac and intravenous injections across various animal species.

Conclusions:

• Current veterinary school curricula may provide inconsistent and potentially incomplete euthanasia training.
• There is a need for veterinary schools to integrate more advanced and comprehensive euthanasia training programs.