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Farm animal careers and perception of ‘fit’ in undergraduate veterinary students: A mixed methods study
Author(s) -
Payne Emily,
Morton Emily,
Lally Christopher,
Remnant John
Publication year - 2022
Publication title -
veterinary record
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.261
H-Index - 99
eISSN - 2042-7670
pISSN - 0042-4900
DOI - 10.1002/vetr.2339
Subject(s) - thematic analysis , perception , focus group , irish , medical education , veterinary medicine , qualitative property , work (physics) , psychology , qualitative research , medicine , sociology , social science , engineering , machine learning , linguistics , philosophy , neuroscience , anthropology , computer science , mechanical engineering
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.