Evaluation of companion animal behavior knowledge among first-year veterinary students before and after an introductory animal behavior course.

The research article explores the understanding of companion animal behavior amongst first-year veterinary students before and after an introductory animal behavior course. The study discovered a significant knowledge deficit at the start of their curriculum and saw improved understanding after the course.

Research Methodology

• The research involved 156 first-year veterinary students who were asked to participate in an anonymous electronic survey twice: before and after a semester-long, two-credit introductory animal behavior course.
• The survey evaluated demographic features, students’ self-assessed animal behavior knowledge, and the sources from where these students gained their earlier knowledge about this subject.
• The data collected were used to ascertain links between sources of prior knowledge, preclass survey knowledge scores, and correlations with the final examination scores as a measure of validity.

Research Results

• Initially, the pre-class knowledge scores were low (mean ± SD, 49 ± 12.7% with a sample size of 152) indicating a lack of knowledge about companion animal behavior among the students.
• An interesting correlation emerged about the sources of students’ prior knowledge. It was seen that incoming knowledge from peer-reviewed journal articles predicted a 9% higher score. Conversely, incoming knowledge from magazines or online pop-culture articles was associated with a 7.6% lower score on the preclass behavior knowledge test.
• There was no significant association between owning a companion animal and the preclass survey knowledge scores.
• Postclass knowledge scores were significantly improved (mean ± SD, 84.3 ± 8%), suggesting that the introductory course served its purpose effectively by enhancing the students’ understanding of companion animal behavior. Furthermore, these scores were found to be predictive of the students’ final examination scores.

Research Implications

• The research highlights an initial deficit in behavior knowledge among veterinary students and underscores the importance of studying a comprehensive behavior course in the curriculum.
• Interestingly, the sources of prior knowledge made a difference in the knowledge scores, implying that the credibility and authenticity of the information source should not be overlooked.
• The substantial improvement in postclass knowledge scores suggests that the introductory course was effective in bridging the knowledge gap and assisting students in better understanding of companion animal behavior. This supports the inclusion of such courses in the curriculum to ensure veterinary institutions graduate competent professionals capable of addressing animal behavior issues from day one.