What should we be selecting for? A systematic approach for determining which personal characteristics to assess for during admissions

A Global Survey of the Views of Practicing Companion Animal Veterinarians on Their Undergraduate Curriculum and Their Access to Continuing Education Resources

A global survey was developed to gain insight into the opinion of companion animal veterinarians about their undergraduate education and their access to continuing education on the following topics: client communication, animal welfare, surgical techniques, human-animal bond, dentistry, animal behavior, and zoonotic disease/epidemiology. In 2016, the survey was distributed via SurveyMonkey® in five languages to companion animal veterinarians around the world. A total of 1,167 respondents returned to the survey. The distribution of survey responses differed by geographic region (number of respondents in parentheses; where respondents work/have been trained): Europa (including the Russian Federation, 359/423), Asia (311/205), North America (77/89), South America (24/16), Africa (46/41), and Oceania (147/167). The results were strongly influenced by a large number of respondents (in parentheses) who graduated in the Russian Federation (180/162), Australia (133/154), Israel (136/82), the Netherlands (64/64), the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland (36/46), and the United States of America (46/44). On the basis of the responses, all topics were poorly covered or not taught, except for surgical techniques and zoonotic disease/epidemiology, which were covered adequately or well. However, there were country and geographic regional differences. This was also true for continuing education resources, which were-in addition to countries and geographic regions-also influenced by the educational topic. As already stated by Dhein and Menon in 2003, time away from the practice, travel distance, and expense may be reasons why companion animal veterinarians do not follow continuing education. Online continuing education could fill in the gap and is more time and cost-efficient.

Investigating the Relationship between Multiple Mini-Interview Communication Skills Outcomes and First-Year Communication Skills Performance and Reflections in Students at the Ontario Veterinary College

An important outcome for veterinary education is ensuring that graduates can provide an appropriate level of care to patients and clients by demonstrating core competencies such as communication skills. In addition, accreditation requirements dictate the need to assess learning outcomes and may drive the motivation to incorporate relevant and appropriate methods of entry assessments for incoming students. Predicting the success of Doctor of Veterinary Medicine (DVM) students based on entry assessment performance has been scantly investigated and can be challenging. Specifically, no research presently exists on predicting DVM students' first-year performance in relation to communication skills at the time of program entry. Objectives of this exploratory study were to investigate (a) the relationship between communication skills outcomes from multiple mini-interview (MMI) data and first-year academic performance related to communication and (b) the relationship between communication skills outcomes from MMI data and self-reported first-year communication reflections. A retrospective single-class study was conducted. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, correlation statistics, regression models, and paired t-tests to identify relationships among variables. Paired t-tests showed that students felt more prepared to meet second-year expectations over first-year expectations. Spearman's correlation revealed an association between MMI communication scores and one pre-year 1 survey question related to professionalism. Noo relationships were observed between MMI communication scores and marks from a self-reflection assignment in a communications course, or grades from a clinical medicine course that included clinical communication. The merit for further exploration of the relationship between communication competencies and student performance is discussed.

The Impact of COVID-19 on Pre-Veterinary Opportunities and Recommendations for DVM Admissions

During the summer of 2020, a survey-based study was conducted at North Carolina State University, a land-grant university, to evaluate the impact of COVID-19 on pre-veterinary students' ability to gain experience hours for Doctor of Veterinary Medicine (DVM) admissions. Of the 286 respondents (47% of the respondent pool), 92% reported losing at least one animal, veterinary, research, extracurricular, or work opportunity due to COVID-19, and 59% were not able to find a replacement. Of the lost experiences, 74 (20.8%) were for academic credit, resulting in 131 total academic credit hours lost, while only 12 credit hours were gained via alternative experiences. Of respondents, 30% (29.7%) identified as applicants of the 2020-2021 Veterinary Medical College Application Service (VMCAS) cycle. More than half (52.6%) of the sample identified being concerned about the strength of their VMCAS experiences due to these lost opportunities. Many respondents reported considering delaying application submissions by taking a gap year (17.5%) or having had their intended graduation timeline affected (14.8%). Since the majority of veterinary colleges utilize a holistic review process, this study provides a basis for understanding the effects of COVID-19 on the duration, depth, and diversity of experiences gained by future DVM applicants. This article also provides recommendations for DVM admissions adaptations based on the outcomes of the data.

Assessing veterinary students using in-training evaluation scores: what is being assessed?

In-training evaluations are commonly used for assessing veterinary students during clinical training, but are criticised for being unable to discriminate dimensions of performance. This study investigated scores on an in-training evaluation in use at one veterinary school to determine the dimensions being assessed and the influence of the dimensions on the overall score awarded. Common factor analysis and ordinal logistic regression were conducted on a retrospective sample of 3466 evaluations of 197 final year veterinary students. The findings suggested a higher-order dimensional structure, with one overarching factor and two to four subfactors, consistent with the complex construct of competency that thSAS Institute e assessment was intended to assess. In the four -factor model, all dimensions were significantly related to overall grade, with the effects of the professional attitude factor and the knowledge factor dependent on the placement. The professional attitude factor had the strongest effect on overall grade (β=2.71, P=0.0004). There was a significant effect of placement on overall grade (P=0.021). Neither academic status of the supervisor nor grade point average had significant effects on the overall grade (P>0.49), and a student's overall grade did not significantly differ over time (P=1). The results suggest that the complexity of supervisor judgement is effectively represented in evaluation scores.

Noncognitive Attributes in Physician Assistant Education

Physician assistant (PA) admissions processes have typically given more weight to cognitive attributes than to noncognitive ones, both because a high level of cognitive ability is needed for a career in medicine and because cognitive factors are easier to measure. However, there is a growing consensus across the health professions that noncognitive attributes such as emotional intelligence, empathy, and professionalism are important for success in clinical practice and optimal care of patients. There is also some evidence that a move toward more holistic admissions practices, including evaluation of noncognitive attributes, can have a positive effect on diversity. The need for these noncognitive attributes in clinicians is being reinforced by changes in the US health care system, including shifting patient demographics and a growing emphasis on team-based care and patient satisfaction, and the need for clinicians to help patients interpret complex medical information. The 2016 Physician Assistant Education Association Stakeholder Summit revealed certain behavioral and affective qualities that employers of PAs value and sometimes find lacking in new graduates. Although there are still gaps in the evidence base, some tools and technologies currently exist to more accurately measure noncognitive variables. We propose some possible strategies and tools that PA programs can use to formalize the way they select for noncognitive attributes. Since PA programs have, on average, only 27 months to educate students, programs may need to focus more resources on selecting for these attributes than teaching them.

Which professional (non-technical) competencies are most important to the success of graduate veterinarians? A Best Evidence Medical Education (BEME) systematic review: BEME Guide No. 38

BACKGROUND

Despite the growing prominence of professional (non-technical) competencies in veterinary education, the evidence to support their importance to veterinary graduates is unclear.

AIM

To summarize current evidence within the veterinary literature for the importance of professional competencies to graduate success.

METHODS

A systematic search of electronic databases was conducted (CAB Abstracts, Web of Science, PubMed, PsycINFO, ERIC, Australian and British Education Index, Dissertations & Theses) from 1988 to 2015 and limited to the veterinary discipline (veterinar* term required). Evidence was sought from consensus-based competence frameworks, surveys of stakeholder perceptions, and empirical evidence linked to relevant outcomes (e.g. employability, client satisfaction or compliance). Data extraction was completed by two independent reviewers and included a quality assessment of each source.

RESULTS

Fifty-two sources were included in the review, providing evidence from expert frameworks (10 sources), stakeholder perceptions (30 sources, including one from the previous category), and empirical research (13 sources). Communication skills were the only competency to be well-supported by all three categories of evidence. Other competencies supported by multiple sources of empirical evidence include empathy, relationship-centered care, self-efficacy, and business skills. Other competencies perceived to be relatively more important included awareness of limitations, professional values, critical thinking, collaboration, and resilience.

CONCLUSIONS

This review has highlighted the comparatively weak body of evidence supporting the importance of professional competencies for veterinary graduate success, with the exception of communication skills. However we stress this is more indicative of the scarcity of high-quality veterinary-based education research in the field, than of the true priority of these competencies.

Perceptions of veterinary admissions committee members of undergraduate credits earned from community colleges or online compared to traditional 4-year institutions

Veterinary admission committees are asked to create and implement a fair, reliable, and valid system to select the candidates most likely to succeed in veterinary school from a large pool of applicants. Although numerous studies have explored grade point average (GPA) as a predictive value of later academic success, there has been little attention paid to how and where an applicant acquires his/her undergraduate coursework. Quality of academic program is an important component of applicant files, and it is suggested that the source of a candidate's coursework might influence admissions committee decisions, perhaps even outside of the committee's immediate awareness. Options for undergraduate education include taking classes at a traditional four-year institution, a community college, or online. This study provides an overview of the current state of online courses and community colleges in the US as a foundation to explore the views of veterinary admissions committee members pertaining to coursework completed at traditional residential 4-year schools or at community colleges and whether they are delivered on campus or online (at either type of institution). Survey participants reported a pattern of preference for traditional four-year residential coursework compared to online or community college courses. These results are interesting given the exponential growth of students taking online courses and data showing community colleges are providing a successful gateway to obtaining a four-year degree. This also points to the need for admission committees to discuss potential biases since the information about type of school and/or course may not be consistently available for all applicants. Finally, at a time when admitting a diverse class of students is a goal of many programs, it is of special concern that there are potential biases against courses taken online or from community colleges - venues that tend to draw a more diverse population than traditional 4-year universities.

Performance of first-year health sciences students in a large, diverse, multidisciplinary, first-semester, physiology service module

Health Science students at the University of KwaZulu-Natal perform better in their professional modules compared with their physiology modules. The pass rates of physiology service modules have steadily declined over the years. While a system is in place to identify "at-risk" students, it is only activated after the first semester. As a result, it is only from the second semester of their first year studies onward that at-risk students can be formally assisted. The challenge is thus to devise an appropriate strategy to identify struggling students earlier in the semester. Using questionnaires, students were asked about attendance, financing of their studies, and relevance of physiology. After the first class test, failing students were invited to complete a second questionnaire. In addition, demographic data were also collected and analyzed. Correlation analyses were undertaken of performance indicators based on the demographical data collected. The 2011 class comprised mainly sport science students (57%). The pass rate of sport science students was lower than the pass rates of other students (42% vs. 70%, P < 0.001). Most students were positive about physiology and recognized its relevance. Key issues identified were problems understanding concepts and terminology, poor study environment and skills, and lack of matriculation biology. The results of the first class test and final module marks correlated well. It is clear from this study that student performance in the first class test is a valuable tool to identify struggling students and that appropriate testing should be held as early as possible.

Investigating personality and conceptualising allied health as person or technique oriented

OBJECTIVE

Allied health (AH) includes many diverse professions, each with a unique contribution to healthcare, making it possible to consider these professions as person oriented (PO) or technique oriented (TO). This paper explored the personality traits of AH professionals from the perspective of both the PO or TO orientation and the individual professions.

METHODS

AH professionals (n=562) provided demographic data and completed the Temperament and Character Inventory. Examination of the literature and a consultation process resulted in nine professions classified as PO and 10 classified as TO. Multivariate analyses compared levels of personality traits and demographic variables between the PO (n=492) and TO (n=70) groups, and the professions within the groups.

RESULTS

Professionals in the PO group showed significantly higher levels of traits that emphasise person orientation attributes, such as being sociable, empathic and cooperative, compared with AH professionals in professions with an emphasis on TO.

CONCLUSIONS

Trends in personality traits among AH professionals were congruent with the PO and TO aspects of their chosen profession. This supports the usefulness of the PO and TO concepts in describing AH professions and may provide new clues for policy aiming to enhance job satisfaction, retention and career development. WHAT IS KNOWN ABOUT THE TOPIC? The literature suggests that certain medical specialities can be classified as person (PO) or technique oriented (TO) and that individuals attracted to those specialties display traits that are similar to that orientation. There is scant information on the AH professions regarding similar person or technique orientations. WHAT DOES THIS PAPER ADD? The diversity of professions within AH allows a new approach to describing each profession as either PO (socially dependent, cooperative and relationship focused), or TO (focused on skills and procedures). The trend in personality traits of individuals in certain AH professions is compatible with the orientation of that profession. Findings suggest that individuals may be attracted to professions that favour a similar personality pattern to their own. WHAT ARE THE IMPLICATIONS FOR PRACTITIONERS? Gaining an improved understanding of the AH professions and individuals who are attracted to them in a climate of workforce shortage and increasing multidisciplinary service demand. The findings provide a new approach to understanding the characteristics of AH professions according to the personalities they attract. This information could guide recruitment and retention policy, and assist in career counselling by providing greater insight into personality profiles that are best suited to certain professions.