'I wish I was someone else': complexities in identity formation and professional wellbeing in veterinary surgeons

Veterinarian-Chasing A Dream Job? A Comparative Survey on Wellbeing and Stress Levels among European Veterinarians between 2018 and 2023

Whilst recognizing the abundantly positive aspects within the different domains of the veterinary profession, the challenging socio-economic and cultural working climate has been identified as a source of veterinary mental wellbeing issues. This mixed methods study provides an overview of the mental state of veterinarians across Europe via two cross-sectional surveys in 2018/2019 (n = 14,559 veterinarians) and in 2022/2023 (n = 12,393 veterinarians). Mental wellbeing was assessed using 3 indicators: self-reported stress levels, the need for medical leave due to reduced mental wellbeing (22% and 23%, resp., in 2018/2019 and 2022/2023) and the seven-question Warwick-Edinburgh Mental Wellbeing Scale (2018/2019: 25, 2022/2023: 24.8). In both surveys, important differences were spotlighted between countries, but early-career veterinarians and female veterinarians were most at risk of decreased mental wellbeing all over Europe for all indicators. In conclusion, stress levels and need for medical leave due to reduced mental wellbeing remained at comparatively high levels across the two surveys and standardized mental wellbeing scores remained equally low. Notwithstanding the increased attention given to veterinary wellbeing in the last decade, our results underline that major efforts remain necessary, by creating more supportive and attractive workplaces that prioritize wellbeing, a good work/life balance, and providing job satisfaction.

Communicating without words: Measuring nonverbal communication between veterinarians and farmers during routine herd health consultations

Uptake of advice and the ability to facilitate change on-farm are key elements for successful veterinary practice. However, having the necessary clinical skills and knowledge is not enough to achieve this: effective communication skills are essential for veterinarians to realize their advisory role by exploring and understanding the farmer's worldview. Research of verbal aspects of veterinarian communication supports the use of a relationship-centered communication style; we next need to study how veterinarian-farmer nonverbal communication (NVC) can influence interactions and their outcomes, which has been examined in medical and companion animal practice. In this study, we considered which aspects of NVC should be measured, and how, to provide an essential first step toward understanding the significance of NVC for veterinarians working in dairy practice, which should be of interest to researchers, veterinary educators, and practitioners. Eleven video recordings of routine consultations in the UK were analyzed for farmer and veterinarian NVC. The NVC attributes with established links to positive patient and client outcomes from medical and social science studies were chosen, and a methodology developed for their measurement, by adapting measures typically used in NVC research. Each consultation was segmented into intervals defined by the main activity and location on farm: introduction, fertility examination, discussion, and closing. This approach allowed us to analyze the content more consistently, establish which aspects of NVC featured within each interval, and whether the activity and location influenced the observed NVC. We measured 12 NVC attributes, including body orientation, interpersonal distance, head position, and body lean, which have been shown to influence empathy, rapport, and trust: key components of relationship-centered communication. Future research should seek to establish the significance of NVC in effective communication between veterinarian and farmer, building on our findings that show it is possible to measure nonverbal attributes. Veterinarians may benefit from becoming skilled nonverbal communicators and have more effective conversations during routine consultations, motivating farmers to make changes and improve herd health.

Experience-based learning during the final year - quantitative content analyses of students' self-reports

PURPOSE

The final year offers students the opportunity to explore their future role as a physician in different environments. Learning success depends in large part on how students experience these assignments. The aim of this study is to analyze students' self-reported experiences to derive factors that promote experience-based learning in the transition phase during the final year of medical school in order to optimally prepare students for professional practice.

METHOD

Data were collected from 2013 to 2019 via written survey after each assignment in the final year. Students were asked to report their pleasant and unpleasant experiences in free-text fields. The text material was analyzed using quantitative content analysis.

RESULTS

The authors included 1762 questionnaires for analysis. They formed 12 main categories from the text material, equally covering pleasant and unpleasant experiences. Supervisors and teamwork played a central role in both questions, responsibility and working areas frequently led to positive experiences, and working conditions to negative ones.

CONCLUSION

This study confirms the great importance of supervision. Above all, successful collaboration serves as a door opener into a feeling of security which students need to take on responsibility. The authors adapted Dornan's model of experience-based learning to the transition phase to help medical schools establish tailored conditions for students' successful entry into professional practice.

As if you were hiring a new employee: on pig veterinarians' perceptions of professional roles and relationships in the context of smart sensing technologies in pig husbandry in the Netherlands and Germany

Veterinarians are increasingly confronted with new technologies, such as Precision Livestock Farming (PLF), which allows for automated animal monitoring on commercial farms. At the same time, we lack information on how veterinarians, as stakeholders who may play a mediating role in the public debate on livestock farming, perceive the use and the impact of such technologies. This study explores the meaning veterinarians attribute to the application of PLF in the context of public concerns related to pig production. Semi-structured interviews were carried out with pig veterinarians located in the Netherlands and Germany. By using an inductive and semantic approach to reflexive thematic analysis, we developed four main themes from the interview data: (1) the advisory role of the veterinarian, which is characterized by a diverse scope, including advice on PLF, generally positive evaluations and financial dependencies; (2) the delineation of PLF technologies as supporting tools, which are seen as an addition to human animal care; (3) the relationship between veterinarian and farmer, which is context-related, ranging from taking sides with to distancing oneself from farmers; and (4) the distance between agriculture and society, in the context of which PLF has both a mitigating and reinforcing potential. The present findings indicate that veterinarians play an active role in the emerging field of PLF in livestock farming. They are aware of and reflect on competing interests of different groups in society and share positions with different stakeholders. However, the extent to which they are able to mediate between stakeholder groups in practice seems to be constrained by external factors, such as financial dependencies.

Supplementary Information

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s10460-023-10450-6.

Veterinary Curriculum Leaders: Motivators, Barriers, and Attributes

Curriculum leaders (individuals with responsibility for an institution's veterinary curriculum) play a vital role in driving local curriculum priorities, development, and accreditation. This study aimed to describe the career paths of curriculum leaders, and identify what motivates them, the barriers they face, and the knowledge, skills, and attributes they perceive as essential for the role. Self-determination theory was used to identify tensions experienced within the role. An international online survey targeted at those identifying as curriculum leaders was completed by 45 participants. 91% of participants held a doctoral level qualification and/or clinical Boards; 82% had additional training in leadership; 38% had additional formal training in education. Motivators included a desire to make a difference, personal satisfaction with teaching and working with students, and social influences. Participants experienced barriers relating to self-development and achievement of their curriculum goals; participants described essential knowledge (of the profession, educational theory, and wider higher education context) and skills (leading teams, change management, and communication). Attributes considered important related both to self (open-minded, patient, resilient, able to see the big picture as well as detail) and relationships with others (approachable, listener, respectful and respected, supportive, credible). Tensions arose in participants' need for autonomy (experiencing barriers to achieving their goals), in their social relatedness (achieving curriculum goals while working with colleagues with conflicting priorities), and in perceptions of necessary competence (a need, but lack of opportunity, for advanced training in educational theory). The findings may help institutions more effectively support and train current and future curriculum leaders.

Farm animal careers and perception of 'fit' in undergraduate veterinary students: A mixed methods study

BACKGROUND

Recruitment and retention of farm veterinarians have been the focus of recent research. Previous work suggests that a feeling of 'fit' is important for students to consider a farm career. The aim of this study was to identify whether students feel that they 'fit' in farm practice and reasons for their answer.

METHODS

An online survey was distributed to students at all British and Irish veterinary schools. A mixed methods approach was considered, with thematic analysis on free text answers and regression analysis on demographic variables.

RESULTS

Thematic analysis identified six themes: career opportunities, nature of farm veterinary work, relationships and interactions, individual experiences, expectations and perceptions, and no perceived barriers. Females, marginalised ethnic groups and those from an urban/suburban background were all identified as having significantly (p < 0.05) less agreement with the statement 'I feel able to pursue a career in farm practice'.

LIMITATIONS

Survey limitations include those with a clear bias being likely to respond. However, alignment of the qualitative and quantitative results increased confidence in the findings of this mixed methods approach.

CONCLUSION

This study confirms that biases that exist within wider society do have an influence on veterinary undergraduates' intentions to pursue a farm animal career. This is vital to consider both at a university level and when considering students' experiences on placements. Urgent action is required to improve inclusivity in the farm animal veterinary sector.

Perceptions of the impact of the RCVS Certificate in Advanced Veterinary Practice on the careers of its graduates

BACKGROUND

This study aimed to investigate the perceived effect of the RCVS Certificate in Advanced Veterinary Practice (CertAVP) on its graduates, with respect to career advancement, professional practice and contentment with work in the veterinary industry.

METHODS

A cross-sectional online survey of CertAVP graduates was performed, utilising descriptive analysis of Likert scales, logistic regression of demographic variable associations with key outcomes and free-text analysis.

RESULTS

The majority (89%) of the 103 respondents felt that the CertAVP led to improvements in professional practice, 56% felt it had helped advance their career and 55% stated it had improved their contentment with work in the veterinary industry. The CertAVP was perceived to improve evidence-based practice, clinical governance, intellectual satisfaction and encourage lifelong learning, but was not perceived to improve work-life balance.

LIMITATION

Due to potential response bias, this study may not represent the wider population.

CONCLUSION

Despite respondents reporting career advancement, this was only reflected in mentorship and managing more complex cases; respondents neither felt that the CertAVP resulted in promotion, a pay rise or new leadership roles, nor did it afford greater flexibility in their working schedule.

Professional Identity of Pakistani Veterinary Students: Conceptualization and Negotiation

Most work on the professional identity of veterinary and medical professionals has been conceptualized in the USA and Europe. It reports professional identity formation to be highly individualized, triggered by experiences of identity distress, and identity negotiation strategies to be generally focused around personal reflection. However, within Asia, important sociocultural differences exist that might influence professional identity and its development. Societal values may take precedence over individual ones, and some cultures consider the veterinary profession as stigmatized. With this background, we seek to understand professional identity and its construction in Pakistani veterinary students. We selected five students through purposive sampling and invited them for narrative interviews. Social identity theory and Maslow's theory of hierarchy of needs predominantly contributed to the theoretical framework, which together with principles of social phenomenology and narrative analysis informed qualitative analysis of the transcribed interviews using an in-depth approach. We found that students' professional identity was predominantly socially constructed, though their sense of their identity was not very well developed. Role models, social stigma, professional socialization in clinical settings, gender, and to some extent, cultural interpretations of religious messages seemed to mediate professional identity development. Students responded differently to their understanding of professional stigma, making sense of stigma through strategies such as denial or internalization. Since Pakistani veterinary students experience social and personal values differently compared to those from predominantly individualistic cultures, identity formation through reflecting on personal values may be less effective than strategies that emphasize social learning and beliefs.

Student Experience and Ethnic Diversity: The Experiences of Underrepresented Minority Students at a Veterinary University in the United Kingdom

Despite a lack of diversity, studies on the experience of ethnically diverse (ED) students have not focused on veterinary education. This study used focus groups to explore the experience of ED veterinary students, their challenges, and their sources of support in this setting. Focus groups were held using two formats: a traditional, in-person approach, and online, via a social media group. Recruitment was by invitation and focus group allocation according to participant preference. Conversations were transcribed or downloaded, anonymized, and analyzed using a two-part narrative analysis, the aim of which was to understand the experiences of ED veterinary students at an in-depth level. Students experienced identity conflicts at multiple levels (self, others, profession), which appeared to relate to their ethnicity. Conflict between self and others resulted in a feeling of otherness arising from a White student majority, both within the university and on external placements, and professional identity conflicts arose between students' personal cultural values and their values as a veterinarian. Internal conflicts arose when students felt a wish to integrate but also perceived a need to segregate with similar others to obtain support and a sense of belonging to a group. These challenges have potential implications for mental well-being and career opportunities. For veterinary medicine to adapt to changing client demographics in an increasingly globalized world, a deeper understanding of the ED student experience may offer advantages in areas such as recruitment and profession retention, which will eventually support greater diversity within the professional population.

Connection and conflict: influence of the hidden curriculum on veterinary residents' professional identities within the specialty of laboratory animal medicine

OBJECTIVE

To explore the role of the hidden curriculum in residents' development of professional identity during postgraduate training in laboratory animal medicine.

SAMPLE

24 residents enrolled in 1 of 7 laboratory animal medicine training programs in the eastern US.

PROCEDURE

24 qualitative, semistructured interviews were conducted and recorded. Deidentified transcriptions were analyzed by each author using open and axial coding. Constant comparative methodology was used to develop themes and subthemes. Member checks were performed to verify trustability of the conclusions drawn.

RESULTS

3 themes and their related subthemes emerged from the qualitative analysis: 1) building relationships through competent communication (building rapport, practicing clinical empathy, overcoming language barriers, communicating in the "authorized" way, and navigating email limitations), 2) tension within the process of identity formation (acting as the middleman among stakeholders, overcoming the stigma of the policing role, experiencing a lack of power to impact change, and managing a culture of conditional value of veterinary knowledge), and 3) outlets for tension in identity formation (reliance on residency mates, limitations of venting).

EDUCATIONAL RELEVANCE

Our findings suggest that residents are navigating professional identity formation under challenging circumstances that include conflicting stakeholder needs, conditional value of veterinary knowledge, and lack of power to influence change. Residents have limited outlets for relieving the discord between their ideal professional role and their lived experiences. These results provide an important background for refining curricula and creating effective support systems for residents.

Qualitative Research in Veterinary Medical Education: Part 2-Carrying Out Research Projects

This is the second of two articles that together comprise an orientation and introduction to qualitative research for veterinary medical educators who may be new to research, or for those whose research experience is based on the quantitative traditions of biomedicine. In the first article (Part 1-Principles of Qualitative Design), we explored the types of research interests and goals suited to qualitative inquiry and introduced the concepts of research paradigms and methodologies. In this second article, we move to the strategies and actions involved in conducting a qualitative study, including selection and sampling of research sites and participants, data collection and analysis. We introduce some guidelines for reporting qualitative research and explore the ways in which qualitative research is evaluated and the findings applied. Throughout, we provide illustrative examples from veterinary and human medical education and suggest useful resources for further reading. Taken together, the two articles build an understanding of qualitative research, outline how it may be conducted, and equip readers with an improved capacity to appraise its value.

Challenges to exotic disease preparedness in Great Britain: The frontline veterinarian's perspective

BACKGROUND

Exotic diseases pose a significant risk to horse health and welfare. Several stakeholder groups, including primary care veterinarians, share responsibility for maintaining freedom from pathogens that cause exotic diseases. However, little is known about the current state of exotic disease preparedness within the British horse industry.

OBJECTIVES

The aim of this study was to explore equine veterinarians' experiences of, and attitudes towards, exotic disease preparedness in Great Britain.

STUDY DESIGN

This is a qualitative interview-based study.

METHODS

Semistructured interviews were conducted with 14 primary care equine veterinarians in Great Britain. Participants were purposively selected to include perspectives across varying levels of experience, clientele and location. All interviews were recorded, transcribed verbatim and analysed using thematic analysis.

RESULTS

Three themes were developed: (a) the reactive generalist, relating to participants' self-concept of their role as primary care practitioners; (b) working within the bounds of influence, encompassing participants' perceived inability to influence their clients' knowledge and behaviours and (c) a fragmented horse industry, illustrating the wider culture in which participants worked, characterised by a lack of cohesion amongst its members.

MAIN LIMITATIONS

Only veterinarians' perspectives have been captured, so viewpoints from other stakeholders, such as horse owners and government officials, should be used to triangulate these findings.

CONCLUSIONS

The findings suggest that improvements are required before an optimal level of exotic disease preparedness can be achieved. Additional support provided to frontline veterinarians, such as skills-based training (ie, clinical reasoning and collaborative relationship building), accessible and trusted emergency support networks and clear expectations and responsibilities during an outbreak are recommended to optimise exotic disease preparedness.