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

Abstract

A global survey was developed to gain insight into the opinion of companionãnimal veterinariansãbout their undergraduate educationãnd theirãccess to continuing education on the following topics: client communication,ãnimal welfare, surgical techniques, human-animal bond, dentistry,ãnimal behavior,ãnd zoonotic disease/epidemiology. In 2016, the survey was distributed via SurveyMonkey® in five languages to companionãnimal veterinariansãround the world. A total of 1,167 respondents returned 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),ãnd Oceania (147/167). The results were strongly influenced byã 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 Britainãnd Northern Ireland (36/46),ãnd the United States of America (46/44). On the basis of the responses,ãll topics were poorly covered or not taught, except for surgical techniquesãnd zoonotic disease/epidemiology, which were coveredãdequately or well. However, there were countryãnd geographic regional differences. This wasãlso true for continuing education resources, which were-inãddition to countriesãnd geographic regions-also influenced by the educational topic. Asãlready stated by Dheinãnd Menon in 2003, timeãway from the practice, travel distance,ãnd expense may be reasons why companionãnimal veterinarians do not follow continuing education. Online continuing education could fill in the gapãnd is more timeãnd cost-efficient.