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Background The achievement goal theory defines two major foci of students’ learning goals (1) primarily interested in truly mastering a task (mastery orientation), and (2) striving to show ones competences to others (performance orientation). The present study is undertaken to better understand if and how health profession students’ goal orientations change during the undergraduate program and to what degree gender, academic achievement, and self-efficacy are associated with mastery and performance orientation between students and within students over time. Method By means of an online questionnaire, students of medical, pharmaceutical, and veterinary sciences (N = 2402) were asked to rate themselves on mastery orientation, performance orientation, and self-efficacy at the beginning of five consecutive semesters. Data on grades and gender were drawn from university’s files. Multilevel analyses were used for data analysis. Results Students’ goal orientations showed relative stability over time, but substantial fluctuations within individual students were found. These fluctuations were associated with fluctuations in self-efficacy. Students’ gender, high school grades, study grades, and self-efficacy were all associated with differences in mastery or performance orientation between students. Self-efficacy was the strongest predictor for mastery orientation and grades for performance orientation. Conclusions The relatively strong association between the goal orientations and students’ self-efficacy found in this study emphasizes the potential of enhancing self-efficacy in health profession students. Also, for educators and researchers, fluctuations of both goal orientations within individual students are important to consider.

Background The early years in professional practice are for many veterinary and medical professionals a period of great challenges and consequently increased stress levels. Personal resources appear to have a positive impact on the course of this transition period. Personal resources are defined as developable systems of positive beliefs about one’s self and the world that are generally linked to resilience. They are negatively related to burnout and positively and reciprocally to job resources, work engagement and job performance. With the aim of enhancing personal resources of recently graduated veterinarians, a 1 year multi-modular resources development programme was designed. This study was conducted to analyse:if and how the development programme affected participants’ personal resources, andif and how personal resources affected participants’ work characteristics and work engagement. Results ᅟ Quantitative study: Twenty-five participants and ten non-participants completed an online survey covering personal resources, job resources and work engagement at the start and finish of the programme. Results showed a significant increase of personal resources in participants for self-reported ratings of proactive behaviour (Effect Size =−0.4), self-efficacy (Effect Size =−0.6) and reflective behaviour (Effect Size =−0.6). Results of the control group were not significant, although some moderate effect sizes were found. Qualitative study: Additionally 16 semi-structured interviews with participants of the programme were taken 6 months after finishing the programme. Analysis of the interviews revealed that participants also developed other important personal resources namely self-acceptance, self-esteem, awareness of own influence and responsibility. The reflection process, which took place in the course of the programme, seemed to be a necessary step for the development of the other personal resources. According to participants of the resources development programme, the increase in personal resources also gave rise to an increase in job resources. Conclusion The multi-modular resources development programme seems to support development of participants’ personal resources. Because personal resources are beneficial in improving well-being irrespective of where an individual starts working, it is important to give them explicit attention in educational settings. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s12917-015-0627-y) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

Background: The achievement goal theory defines two major foci of students' learning goals (1) primarily interested in truly mastering a task (mastery orientation), and (2) striving to show ones competences to others (performance orientation). The present study is undertaken to better understand if and how health profession students' goal orientations change during the undergraduate program and to what degree gender, academic achievement, and self-efficacy are associated with mastery and performance orientation between students and within students over time.Method: By means of an online questionnaire, students of medical, pharmaceutical, and veterinary sciences (N = 2402) were asked to rate themselves on mastery orientation, performance orientation, and self-efficacy at the beginning of five consecutive semesters. Data on grades and gender were drawn from university's files. Multilevel analyses were used for data analysis.Results: Students' goal orientations showed relative stability over time, but substantial fluctuations within individual students were found. These fluctuations were associated with fluctuations in self-efficacy. Students' gender, high school grades, study grades, and self-efficacy were all associated with differences in mastery or performance orientation between students. Self-efficacy was the strongest predictor for mastery orientation and grades for performance orientation.Conclusions: The relatively strong association between the goal orientations and students' self-efficacy found in this study emphasizes the potential of enhancing self-efficacy in health profession students. Also, for educators and researchers, fluctuations of both goal orientations within individual students are important to consider.

This study examines the role of three personal resources (i.e., proactive behaviour, reflective behaviour, and self-efficacy) in the Job Demands-Resources (JD-R) model in order to predict self and other ratings of performance. The sample consisted of 860 Dutch veterinary professionals and 170 colleagues. We hypothesized and found that work engagement mediates the relationship between job as well as personal resources and extrarole performance and the relationship between job resources and work engagement. Although hypothesized, we found no support for the mediating role of exhaustion in the relationship between job demands as well as personal resources and inrole performance. Moreover personal resources were directly related to in- and extrarole performance. In conclusion, the study expands the JD-R model by integrating personal resources at a behavioural level and performance measures in the model, and shows that personal resources have a mediating and initiating role in explaining work engagement and performance in young veterinary professionals.

We examined the design of a course that aims to ease the transition from pre-clinical learning into clinical work. This course is based on the premise that many of the difficulties with which students are confronted in this transition result from a lack of experience in applying knowledge in real practice situations. It is focused on the development of competence in solving clinical problems; uses an instructional model with alternating clinical practicals, demonstrations, and tutorials; and extends throughout the last pre-clinical year. We used a “proof-of-concept” approach to establish whether the core principles of the course design are feasible with regard to achieving the intended results. With the learning functions and processes as a frame of reference, retrospective analysis of the course's design features shows that this design matches the conditions from theories of the development of competence in solving clinical problems and instructional design. Three areas of uncertainty in the design are identified: the quality of the cases (information, openness), effective teaching (student and teacher roles), and adjustment to the development of competence (progress, coherence).

Case-based learning formats, in which relevant case information is provided just in time, require teachers to combine their scaffolding role with an information-providing one. The objective of this study is to establish how this combination of roles affects teacher behavior and that, in turn, mediates students’ reasoning and problem solving. Data on actual behaviors, intentions, effects and appreciation were collected using observations of case discussions, interviews, and a questionnaire in a mixed method, concurrent nested design. Cross-case analysis of the observed discussions revealed two patterns of combining the provision of information with scaffolding. Although students commonly responded to scaffolding interventions as intended, the results from the observations and the questionnaire showed that a pattern with a high level of concurrent scaffolding and provision of information should be avoided.

Una cuidadosa evaluación de las necesidades nutricionales de perros y gatos debe considerarse para mantener una salud óptima, como parte del tratamiento de enfermedades o para maximizar la calidad de vida en todos los animales. Por este motivo, el objetivo de esta guía de WSAVA es que se realice una evaluación nutricional y una recomendación nutricional específica en cada paciente y en cada visita. Esto será reconocido como la 5ta evaluación vital (5VA por sus siglas en inglés), siguiendo a los otros signos vitales de temperatura, pulso, respiración y evaluación del dolor que ya se tienen en cuenta en cada visita con el paciente. Realizar una breve evaluación del estado nutricional de rutina cuando se hace la historia y el examen clínico puede hacerse como parte de la revisión del paciente. Los factores de riesgo nutricionales que pueden ser identificados fácilmente por la historia clínica y el examen físico incluyen: edad (en crecimiento o adultos mayores), índice de condición corporal sub-óptimo (sobrepeso o delgado), pérdida de masa muscular, dieta atípica o casera, condiciones médicas o cambios en el apetito. Deberá hacerse una evaluación más profunda si uno o más factores han sido identificados. Esta guía provee un criterio para evaluar al animal y la dieta, y también factores clave de alimentación y ambientales. Adicionalmente se incluyen recomendaciones para interpretación, análisis y acción para que se pueda instituir un plan para optimizar el estado nutricional del animal. El cumplimiento por el dueño de las recomendaciones nutricionales requiere un trabajo conjunto del veterinario, técnicos o enfermeros veterinarios y demás personal de la clínica. Utilizar esta guía nutricional de WSAVA trabajando con el equipo en la educación nutricional continua, realizando la implementación de los protocolos apropiados y enfocándose en la comunicación con el cliente son componentes clave para alcanzar el objetivo de la evaluación del 5to signo vital.

Real-life, complex problems often require that decisions are made despite limited information or insufficient time to explore all relevant aspects. Incorporating authentic uncertainties into an assessment, however, poses problems in establishing results and analysing its methodological qualities. This study aims at the development of a test on clinical decision making in veterinary medicine, and establishing its reliability and validity. The test is based on the Script Concordance Test format and covers a large sample of authentic cases and uncertainties. The answer key was compiled with reference to the professional judgements and decisions of a panel of experienced practitioners. From a substantive appraisal of the cases and items, analysis of the test results, and the responses from the experienced practitioners, it is concluded that this test validly represents the problems, decisions and uncertainties of clinical practice. In spite of the hindrances caused by the uncertainties included in the test, the reliability and validity of the test and its results could be evaluated and proved to meet measurement criteria.