A Prioritized List of Veterinary Clinical Presentations in Dogs, Cats, and Horses to Guide Curricular Content, Design, and Assessment.

Overview

• This study developed a prioritized list of common clinical presentations in dogs, cats, and horses to help guide veterinary education curricula and assessments.
• The list aligns with the competency-based veterinary education (CBVE) framework and is based on the frequency and importance of conditions reported by veterinarians.

Background

• The Association of American Veterinary Medical Colleges uses the CBVE framework to define the competencies veterinary graduates should have by Day One of clinical practice.
• While CBVE outlines desired outcomes, it does not specify the exact knowledge, skills, and attitudes needed to achieve these competencies.
• In human medicine, prioritized lists of clinical presentations help shape curricular content, focus teaching, and assessment based on practice relevance and frequency.
• Such a prioritized, evidence-based list was previously lacking in veterinary medicine, limiting efforts to tailor education optimally.

Objectives

• Create a prioritized, data-driven list of clinical presentations by veterinary species—specifically dogs, cats, and horses.
• Use this list to better align curriculum design and assessment with real-world clinical practice demands.

Methods

• A survey was conducted involving 1,706 practicing veterinarians.
• Participants were asked to rate the relative frequency and importance of 274 different clinical presentations.
• Statistical analysis ensured adequate power for assessing data related to dogs, cats, and horses separately.
• Clinical presentations included a broad range of common and relevant conditions encountered in these species.

Findings

• The survey yielded prioritized lists specific to each species based on combined frequency and importance ratings.
• These lists highlight which clinical problems veterinarians most frequently face and consider most critical in practice.

Applications

• The prioritized lists offer a practical, evidence-based framework to pinpoint curricular content that should be emphasized to prepare students effectively.
• Educators can integrate these lists alongside the CBVE competencies to guide:
  • Course content development
  • Clinical teaching priorities
  • Assessment design targeting the most relevant cases
• Ultimately, this approach aims to ensure new veterinary graduates are better prepared for the clinical demands they will encounter on Day One.

Importance of the Research

• Bridges a critical gap between competency frameworks and practical knowledge needs in veterinary education.
• Offers a scientifically derived tool for veterinary schools to prioritize teaching efforts based on actual clinical practice data.
• Facilitates more effective, relevant training that can improve veterinary graduate performance and animal patient outcomes.
• Supports ongoing curriculum review and evolution in response to changing clinical priorities identified through such surveys.