Research Summary - 4
Predictors of veterinary students for interest in a career in food animal veterinary practice – a survey study
| Date/Time: |
9/13/2025
16:00
|
| Author: |
Gabriele U Maier |
| Clinic: |
University of California Davis |
| City, State, ZIP: |
Davis, CA 95616 |
A.R.S. Oliveira, DVM, MS
1
;
R.V. Pereira, DVM, PhD
1
;
I. Dohoo, DVM, PhD FCAHS
2
;
J. Angelos, DVM, PhD DACVIM
3
;
G. VanHoy , DVM, MS, DACVIM
3
;
M.C. Barr , DVM, PhD
4
;
D. Williams, DVM, MPVM, DACVPM
1
;
G. Maier , DVM, MPVM, PhD, DACVPM
1
;
1Department of Population Health & Reproduction, University of California, Davis, CA, 95616
2Centre for Veterinary Epidemiological Research, University of Prince Edward Island, Charlottetown, PEI, Canada
3Department of Medicine and Epidemiology, University of California, Davis, CA, 95616
4College of Veterinary Medicine, Western University of Health Sciences, Pomona, CA, 91766
Introduction:
The recruitment
of future veterinarians with an interest in food animal veterinary medicine
(FAVM) is essential to increase and maintain a stable livestock veterinary
workforce. However, according to a report from the Johns Hopkins Center for a
Livable Future, less than 2% of veterinarians are working exclusively with food
animals in the U.S. Analysis
of data from multiple programs, including the Veterinary Medical Loan Repayment
Program and the USDA National Veterinary Accreditation Program revealed shortages
in food animal veterinary services in about a quarter of all counties in the
U.S. Therefore,
there is a need to better understand root causes for the shortages in FAVM to
inform veterinary colleges more effectively in recruiting and educating
individuals who will choose a career in FAVM. The objective of this study was to develop and
validate a survey tool for veterinary students to explore their attitudes
towards careers in FAVM.
Materials and methods:
A preliminary
survey was conducted among veterinary students at the University of California
Davis (UCD) in the spring of 2023 asking students for five terms each that describe
what attracts and deters them from pursuing a career in FAVM. Results of the
preliminary survey helped identify latent constructs or terms that cannot be
measured directly but are associated with students’ attitudes towards FAVM.
A questionnaire
containing multiple items (scales) per construct was developed and distributed
to all veterinary students at Kansas State University (KSU) in March 2024 for
validation. After adjustments based on responses and feedback from students at
KSU, the questionnaire was given to UCD and Western University of Health
Sciences (WU) veterinary students in the spring of 2024. Graded-response Item
Response Theory (IRT) models were used to evaluate and validate the construct
scales in the form of Likert-type answers, from strongly disagree to strongly
agree. The model parameter theta
represents an individual’s attitude within a latent construct, i.e. it assigns a numerical value
to where a survey respondent’s responses fall on the spectrum of possible
attitudes within a construct. After initial analysis, constructs 1 through 4 were split into a)
importance of construct to oneself (motivation) and b) how FAVM is viewed with
respect to the construct (perception). Logistic regression models were fitted for
each school to explore the relationship between theta for each construct and
interest versus no interest in a career in FAVM as the binary outcome,
controlling for demographic confounders.
Results:
The initial five latent constructs were: 1) income, job security, and job opportunities; 2) lifestyle, work conditions, clients, and industry; 3) ethics, e.g. improving animal care/welfare, client education, purpose, and public opinion; 4) interest in population medicine/epidemiology and species; and 5) experience, exposures, and mentoring.
We received a total of 491 usable responses. Results indicated that higher odds of interest in a career in FAVM were associated at all three schools with a favorable perception of the lifestyle and work conditions of food animal veterinarians (KSU, P = 0.001, UCD, P < 0.001, WSVM, P = 0.005), feeling well educated in FAVM (WU, P = 0.003), prior experience with livestock after high school (KSU, P = 0.0002), and year in veterinary school with students in years 2 or 3 having higher odds compared to those in year 1 of veterinary school, while those in year 4 had lower odds of interest in FAVM (WU, P = 0.03, KSU, P = 0.04).
Significance:
The motivation and perceptions of veterinary students towards FAVM are shaped by prior experiences, their view of the lifestyle and work conditions of food animal veterinarians, and how they assess their education in FAVM. The results of this study should be considered by veterinary colleges in student recruitment and admissions to address the current shortage of food animal veterinarians in the U.S.
