Understanding competency development of the management workforce in veterinary clinical practice: A scoping review

The historical challenges facing veterinary care have been exacerbated by the surge in pet ownership and demand for services following the COVID-19 pandemic. Managers in veterinary services are essential in navigating these challenges while ensuring the provision of quality animal care. Evidence from human healthcare highlights the importance of developing and supporting managers to thrive in their management roles. However, there is currently no established management competency framework to guide development of managers working in veterinary care.

A two-step approach was used to explore the existing efforts to develop a competent veterinary management workforce. A scoping review of Web of Science, PubMed and Scopus databases was conducted using the Arksey and O'Malley framework. This review aimed to identify both the key management challenges in veterinary services and specific competencies required by veterinary managers. A supplementary web-based search of professional institutions and postgraduate programmes relevant to veterinary leadership and management was also completed.

Fourteen articles met the inclusion criteria with only five of them published after 2011. The literature identified key challenges in managing veterinary services and revealed a limited recognition of skills and competencies for veterinary managers, especially when compared with the human healthcare sector. Several professional institutions and educational programmes supporting veterinary leaders were identified.

Findings confirm that current approaches to management competency identification and development in veterinary care are insufficient. A validated, comprehensive framework to build management capability in veterinary care is urgently needed to support managers in fulfilling their roles and to promote sustainable veterinary service delivery.