Assessing Moral Judgements in Veterinary Students: An Exploratory Mixed-Methods Study from Germany

Area of Science:

• Veterinary Education
• Bioethics
• Moral Psychology

Background:

• Veterinary ethics education is mandated by the European Association of Establishments for Veterinary Education (EAEVE).
• There is a scarcity of knowledge regarding the impact of ethics teaching and validated tools for assessing moral judgment in veterinary students.
• Existing assessment methods for moral reasoning in this field are limited.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop and apply an innovative mixed-methods tool to evaluate the moral judgment of veterinary medical students.
• To investigate potential differences in ethical reasoning between veterinary students with and without formal ethics education.
• To explore the diversity in students' perceptions of morally relevant factors and professional roles in veterinary practice.

Main Methods:

• A mixed-methods approach was employed, utilizing a questionnaire with three ethical case scenarios.
• The questionnaire included both open-ended and closed questions, administered to two groups of veterinary students (ethics-trained vs. non-ethics-trained).
• Qualitative analysis focused on argumentation patterns, while quantitative analysis assessed students' approval of various veterinary roles and attitudes.

Main Results:

• No major differences in moral judgment or ethical reasoning were found between the two student groups.
• Analysis revealed significant diversity among students in their perception of morally relevant factors and the veterinary profession.
• Students from both groups demonstrated awareness of ethically challenging aspects inherent in veterinary practice.

Conclusions:

• The study successfully demonstrated the application of a novel mixed-methods tool for assessing moral judgment in veterinary students.
• The findings highlight the heterogeneity of ethical perspectives within veterinary student populations, irrespective of formal ethics training.
• Further research is warranted to refine assessment tools and understand the nuances of ethical development in veterinary education.