ORIGINAL RESEARCH article
Front. Vet. Sci.
Sec. Veterinary Humanities and Social Sciences
Volume 12 - 2025 | doi: 10.3389/fvets.2025.1601783
Clinical Training in Veterinary Medicine: Perspectives on Quality and the Role of Specialists
Provisionally accepted
- 1Center for Teaching, University of Veterinary Medicine Hannover, Germany, Germany
- 2Klinik für Kleintiere, Stiftung Tierärztliche Hochschule Hannover, Hannover, Germany
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The practical year represents the transition between studies and professional work for students and is therefore a significant phase of clinical undergraduate training in Germany. Veterinary educational establishments are obliged to obtain information on elective practical training in order to assess the quality of clinical training. Since the constant increase in knowledge makes it necessary in many cases for veterinarians to specialize as part of postgraduate training, the influence of these specializations on clinical training of undergraduates should be investigated using a mixed-method design. An online survey was created for students and veterinarians as part of the quantitative data collection. Qualitative data collection was carried out in the form of guided interviews using a mixed-method design, with questions based on preliminary, selected results from the questionnaires. The majority of students surveyed were satisfied with the quality of training and supervision during their practical year (73 %). The specialization of veterinarians was rated as "(very) important" by 52 % for choosing a work placement for practical training. Around 40 % of students felt that they received different levels of supervision from veterinarians with different qualifications. The veterinarians rated theoretical knowledge, communication skills and commitment of the students predominantly positively, but noted a deficit in practical skills. The specialization of veterinarians has an influence on theoretical education within the clinical training. The quality of training generally depends on the veterinarians' level of knowledge and professional experience. The practical year gives students the opportunity to improve their practical skills before entering the profession, however for better outcomes and increased satisfaction, the objectives for elective practical training should be defined in advance between the practical training provider and the student.
Keywords: Practical year, Clinical training, elective practical training, Day One Competences, Specialization
Received: 28 Mar 2025; Accepted: 03 Jun 2025.
Copyright: © 2025 Drzemalla, Kleinsorgen and Tipold. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) or licensor are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.
* Correspondence: Laura Drzemalla, Center for Teaching, University of Veterinary Medicine Hannover, Germany, Germany
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