A cross-sectional study of conflict-handling modes among first-year veterinary students

Veterinary medical care requires communication and collaboration among members of the veterinary team. Coordinating the efforts of diverse team members can increase the potential for conflict, which can adversely impact team satisfaction and patient care when not managed productively. Awareness of conflict management styles and self-awareness of one's own preferred mode(s) of navigating conflict are imperative to enhancing a broader understanding of conflict. The purpose of this pilot study was to characterise first-year veterinary medical students' preferred modes of conflict management at a single institution.

Eighty-seven students (n = 87) completed the Thomas‒Kilmann Conflict Mode Instrument (TKI) and descriptive statistics were performed.

Results revealed that accommodating (n = 35/87; 40.2%) was the most common preferred conflict-handling mode, followed by avoiding (n = 29/87; 33.3%). Collaboration, a highly assertive and cooperative mode, was the least common preferred conflict mode (n = 7/87; 8.0%).

Our results are based on self-reported data at a single point in time and may not translate to real-world behaviour. Future research pursuits will focus on exploring how the conflict styles of veterinary students may change over time as they progress through their training and professional socialisation.

This research suggests an opportunity for additional training in how to navigate conflict, with specific instruction on assertive and cooperative approaches to resolution. Future educational interventions related to conflict management training should be explored and additional research is needed to evaluate the most effective ways in which to incorporate these skills into veterinary medical training.