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Veterinary record open2021; 8(1); e23; doi: 10.1002/vro2.23

The use of the roter interaction analysis system in assessing veterinary student clinical communication skills during equine wellness examinations in rural Kentucky, USA: A pilot study.

Abstract: Effective clinical communication can aid veterinarians in building good client relationships, increase adherence to recommendations and, ultimately, improve patient health and welfare. However, available information on veterinary communication in the equine context is limited. The objective of this study was to describe the communication of veterinary students in the equine environment who had previous communication training. Additionally, we assessed the suitability of the Roter Interaction Analysis System (RIAS) for the analysis of audio-video recordings of equine wellness consultations. Methods: Twenty-seven equine wellness consultations performed by second-year Ross University School of Veterinary Medicine students were recorded in rural Kentucky, United States of America. Recordings were submitted to a professional coder who applied the RIAS to the equine context by expanding or adjusting code definitions. Results: A substantial amount of utterances (i.e. segments of speech) were allocated to core communication skills including building rapport (30%), facilitation and client activation (24%) and education and counselling (23%). There was a large variation in utterances used among consultations of the same veterinary student and students; they did not appear anxious or nervous. Conclusions: Students made use of core communication skills, indicating that experiences from pre-clinical training could be transferred to equine practice. Furthermore, this study demonstrated that the RIAS could be considered for consecutive studies aiming to provide observational data on clinical communication in the equine context.
© 2021 The Authors. Veterinary Record Open published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of British Veterinary Association.
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Publication Date: 2021-11-24 PubMed ID: 34853697PubMed Central: PMC8612452DOI: 10.1002/vro2.23Google Scholar: Lookup
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Summary

This research summary has been generated with artificial intelligence and may contain errors and omissions. Refer to the original study to confirm details provided. Submit correction.

The research article discusses the analysis of communication skills among veterinary students during equine wellness examinations using the Roter Interaction Analysis System (RIAS). The study affirmed that students made optimal use of core communication skills and showed no signs of anxiety or nervousness.

Research Objective and Methodology

  • The primary objective of this pilot study was to assess the communication of veterinary students in the equine environment. Specifically, the research aimed at evaluating students who had already undergone communication training.
  • The researchers leveraged the Roter Interaction Analysis System (RIAS) to analyze audio-video recordings of equine wellness consultations. Places in rural Kentucky, USA, were chosen for consultation recordings.
  • A professional coder familiar with RIAS adjusted the code definitions to suit the equine context.
  • In total, 27 equine wellness consultations conducted by second-year students from Ross University School of Veterinary Medicine were recorded and analysed.

Results of the Study

  • The finding showed that a considerable amount of utterances were allocated to core communication skills like building rapport (30%), facilitation and client activation (24%), and education and counselling (23%).
  • An interesting observation was a significant variation in the use of utterances used among consultations by the same veterinary student.
  • The students seemed comfortable and did not appear anxious or nervous during the consultations, indicating a good transfer of experiences from their preclinical training to live practice in the equine context.

Conclusions of the Study

  • Through this study, it was proven that veterinary students were effectively making use of core communication skills in real-life equine practice. Their comfort during the consultations suggested the successful transfer of learning from their preclinical training.
  • Moreover, the study validated the use of the Roter Interaction Analysis System (RIAS) for analyzing clinical communication skills in the equine context, presenting it as a viable tool for future studies that seek observational data on veterinary clinical communication.

Cite This Article

APA
Pereira MM, Artemiou E, De Pedro P, Adams C, Ritter C. (2021). The use of the roter interaction analysis system in assessing veterinary student clinical communication skills during equine wellness examinations in rural Kentucky, USA: A pilot study. Vet Rec Open, 8(1), e23. https://doi.org/10.1002/vro2.23

Publication

Veterinary record open
ISSN: 2052-6113
NlmUniqueID: 101653671
Country: United States
Language: English
Volume: 8
Issue: 1
Pages: e23
PII: e23

Researcher Affiliations

Pereira, Mary Mauldin
  • Department of Clinical Sciences Ross University School of Veterinary Medicine Basseterre St. Kitts.
Artemiou, Elpida
  • Department of Clinical Sciences Ross University School of Veterinary Medicine Basseterre St. Kitts.
De Pedro, Pedro
  • Department of Biomedical Sciences Ross University School of Veterinary Medicine Basseterre St. Kitts.
Adams, Cindy
  • Department of Veterinary Clinical and Diagnostic Services Faculty of Veterinary Medicine University of Calgary Calgary Canada.
Ritter, Caroline
  • Department of Health Management Atlantic Veterinary College University of Prince Edward Island Charlottetown Canada.

Conflict of Interest Statement

The authors declare that they have no conflicts of interest.

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Citations

This article has been cited 2 times.
  1. López-López V, Poblete Hormazábal M, Cofré González S, Sepúlveda Pérez C, Muñoz Pérez C, Zapata Lamana R. Communication Skills Training in Veterinary Education: A Scoping Review of Programs and Practices. Vet Sci 2026 Jan 9;13(1).
    doi: 10.3390/vetsci13010063pubmed: 41600719google scholar: lookup
  2. Perez-Ecija A, Buzon-Cuevas A, De Las Heras A, Mendoza FJ. Hierarchically Structured Role-Playing Simulation as a Tool for Promoting Soft Skills in Veterinary Undergraduates. Animals (Basel) 2025 Jun 3;15(11).
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