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- Author or Editor: Katherine Fogelberg x
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Abstract
OBJECTIVE
A qualitative study based on one-on-one interviews was conducted to better understand the role of the academic veterinary technician (AVT) and identify the motivations and challenges that AVTs face during their academic careers.
SAMPLE
34 AVTs from 12 accredited US colleges of veterinary medicine.
PROCEDURES
Virtual, semi-structured interviews were conducted between July and December 2020. Transcripts were analyzed using discourse analysis within the context of social identity theory.
RESULTS
Five themes and seven accompanying sub-themes emerged: one title but many roles and responsibilities (professional/work; other obligations); workplace culture (belonging/inclusivity, administrative/policies); unique challenges of being in the ivory tower (impostor syndrome, educator role, technical skills for academia); entry into the profession and career progression; and motivation.
CLINICAL RELEVANCE
AVTs have great passion for and dedication to their profession. Overwhelmingly, they want their voices to be heard and their skillsets to be both utilized and respected. Recognition of and consideration for the themes uncovered in this study may help to better support and retain technicians in their academic career paths.
Abstract
Objective—To examine the effect of various clinical tracks within the veterinary medical clinical curriculum at Texas A&M University on clinical diagnostic proficiency as determined by pre- and post-training assessment. We expected that the clinical track chosen by the student would impact their measured outcome with bias toward higher scores in their chosen field.
Design—Prospective cohort study.
Study Population—32 students from the College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences at Texas A&M University.
Procedures—By use of standardized, written case scenarios, clinical reasoning was assessed twice: once prior to the clinical (fourth) year of the curriculum and again at completion of the clinical year. Students demonstrated their abilities to collect and organize appropriate clinical data (history, physical examination, and laboratory findings), determine clinical diagnoses, and formulate and implement acceptable treatment modalities. Data from clinical assessments were compared for a given cohort and correlated with other measures (eg, grades, standardized test scores, and species-specific curricular track).
Results—Differences were detected in clinical diagnostic proficiency among students in different clinical tracks and for different species groups in the case scenarios. Tracking by species group in the clinical veterinary curriculum appeared to affect development of clinical reasoning and resulted in differential proficiency among cases for differing species groups.
Conclusions and Clinical Relevance—Differences in clinical experiences between small animal tracks and all other track opportunities (large animal, mixed animal, and alternative) influenced the development of clinical proficiency in fourth-year veterinary students during their clinical training period.
