Food animal clinical course evaluations are influenced by student career goals

Abstract

In response to concerns expressed by faculty members that the preponderance of students interested in small animal practice negatively impacts results of food animal course evaluations, a study was undertaken to examine the relationship between student career goals and student evaluations of courses and course content. All student evaluations available for a food animal medicine, surgery and production medicine clinical course taught at the University of Missouri College of Veterinary Medicine from January 23, 2002 to June 7, 2005 were compiled. One component of the survey was student perceptions of the course and course content. These perceptions were linked to student career goals. Median scores for course content differed significantly among students with small animal, mixed animal and large animal career goals (P=0.002). Specifically, the grade for course content differed among students with an expressed career in small animal practice and students with an expressed career in large animal practice (P<0.05). Median scores for the course in general also differed significantly among the three defined groups (P=0.044); however, none of the specific pair-wise comparisons were significant (P>0.05).