Information seeking and evaluation: a multi-institutional survey of veterinary students.

OBJECTIVE: To practice evidence-based medicine, clinicians must be competent in information literacy (IL). Few studies acknowledge the critical role that reading strategies play in IL instruction and assessment of health professional students. The purpose of this study was to understand the information-seeking and evaluation behaviors of doctor of veterinary medicine (DVM) students in regard to scientific papers. METHODS: The authors studied DVM student behaviors across eight programs in North America using a web-based survey of closed- and open-ended questions about finding and evaluating scientific papers, including a task to read a linked scientific paper and answer questions about it. RESULTS: A total of 226 individuals responded to the survey. The sections of a scientific paper that were most commonly read were the abstract, introduction, and conclusions. Students who reported reading a higher proportion of scientific papers were more likely to feel confident in their abilities to interpret them. A third of respondents answered open-ended questions after the paper reading task. Respondents felt the least amount of confidence with one of the final steps of evidence-based medicine, that of interpreting the significance of the paper to apply it in veterinary medicine. CONCLUSIONS: DVM students may lack the skills needed to evaluate scientific literature and need more practice and feedback in evaluating and interpreting scientific papers. Librarians who support DVM students can (1) help DVM students to efficiently evaluate scientific literature, (2) seek training opportunities in alternative modes of teaching and learning IL skills, and (3) partner with veterinary faculty and clinicians to provide students with practice and feedback in information evaluation.

OIE twinning programme for veterinary education.

Building capacity is synonymous with sustaining development. Both are required to fuel progress and propel efforts towards heightening health and security. The urgency to build capacity has been catalysed by an increasing number of sanitary crises, threats, and disease outbreaks that have spanned countries, regions and continents. Education has often bridged the gaps in learning, but it has also divided the ways in which learning is practised. Differing cultural, religious and political beliefs, together with alternate economic priorities, have meant that countries have been advocating for education to meet their own specific needs, and not necessarily those of the international community. The varying contents of veterinary curricula around the world do not always demonstrate that the initial education of veterinary students provides them with the necessary skill sets to fulfil their responsibilities as key actors in the private and public sectors of national Veterinary Services. This has resulted in discrepancies in the competencies acquired by veterinarians and their capacities to uphold good veterinary governance and practices. To address this educational imbalance, the World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE) has drafted recommendations and guidelines to assist Veterinary Education Establishments worldwide with improving the breadth and depth of their veterinary curricula in order to strengthen their national Veterinary Services. The OIE has, furthermore, developed a twinning programme for Veterinary Education Establishments, under which learning opportunities for teaching staff and students are created and shared. Twinning has, to date, proved to be an effective and powerful mechanism through which developments in veterinary education through mutual capacity and confidence-building can be sustained.

Le renforcement des capacités est synonyme de développement durable. L'un comme l'autre sont indispensables pour alimenter le progrès et canaliser les efforts vers un niveau optimal de santé et de sécurité. Le renforcement des capacités est devenu une nécessité urgente du fait du nombre croissant de crises sanitaires, de menaces et de foyers de maladies qui se propagent dans différents pays, régions et continents. L'offre éducative permet souvent de remédier à des savoirs lacunaires mais elle peut aussi créer des fractures quant aux manières d'apprendre. Les différentes croyances culturelles, religieuses et politiques mais aussi les priorités économiques successives ont souvent induit des politiques éducatives qui visent à répondre aux besoins spécifiques d'un pays plutôt qu'à satisfaire ceux de la communauté internationale. Les variations de contenu des programmes d'enseignement de la médecine vétérinaire dans le monde ne permettent pas toujours de garantir que la formation initiale des jeunes diplômés les dote des compétences requises pour exercer pleinement leurs responsabilités en tant qu'acteurs essentiels des composantes tant privées que publiques des Services vétérinaires. Cela se traduit par un écart entre les compétences acquises par les vétérinaires et les capacités requises pour soutenir une bonne gouvernance et des bonnes pratiques vétérinaires. Afin de remédier à cette disparité des contenus d'enseignement, l'Organisation mondiale de la santé animale (OIE) a préparé des projets de recommandations et de lignes directrices visant à aider les établissements d'enseignement de la médecine vétérinaire dans le monde à dispenser une formation plus étendue et approfondie, dans le but de renforcer les Services vétérinaires nationaux. En outre, le programme de jumelages entre établissements d'enseignement de la médecine vétérinaire mis en place par l'OIE offre de nouvelles perspectives pédagogiques, tant aux enseignants qu'aux étudiants. Le jumelage s'est révélé jusqu'à présent un mécanisme efficace et performant : par le renforcement mutuel des capacités et de la confiance qu'il induit, il pérennise dans les pays participants les effets de la modernisation de l'enseignement vétérinaire.

Refuerzo de capacidades es sinónimo de desarrollo sostenible. Ambos elementos son necesarios para alimentar el progreso e impulsar una labor que permita mejorar los niveles de salud y seguridad. El creciente número de crisis o amenazas sanitarias y de brotes infecciosos que se han extendido por países, regiones y continentes ha puesto de manifiesto que urge dotarse de más sólidos medios de acción. La enseñanza ha servido a menudo para aportar al alumno conocimientos que le faltaban, pero a la vez ha consagrado diferentes maneras de aprender. El distinto bagaje cultural, religioso y político y las dispares prioridades económicas de los países han llevado a una situación en que cada país apuesta por un tipo de enseñanza adaptado a sus propias necesidades específicas, y no necesariamente a las de la comunidad internacional. Los heterogéneos programas de estudios veterinarios que se siguen en el mundo no siempre sirven para que el estudiante de veterinaria salga de la facultad provisto del conjunto de aptitudes necesarias para cumplir la función que le incumbe como pieza básica de los Servicios Veterinarios nacionales, ya sea desde el sector privado o desde el público. Ello da lugar a una gran disparidad en cuanto a las competencias que adquieren los veterinarios y a su capacidad para secundar las buenas prácticas y el buen gobierno veterinarios. Con el objetivo de resolver estas discordancias en la enseñanza, la Organización Mundial de Sanidad Animal (OIE) ha elaborado recomendaciones y directrices que ayudan a establecimientos de formación veterinaria de todo el mundo a conferir más amplitud y profundidad a sus programas de estudios y, con ello, a fortalecer los Servicios Veterinarios de su país. La OIE, además, tiene formulado un programa de hermanamiento dirigido a dichos establecimientos, que ofrecen así a profesores y alumnos la posibilidad de formarse o de hacer intercambios. Por lo observado hasta la fecha, el hermanamiento constituye un potente y eficaz mecanismo con el que respaldar el desarrollo de la formación veterinaria, gracias a la creación de lazos de confianza y al refuerzo recíproco de capacidades.

Curriculum Review and Revision at the University of Minnesota College of Veterinary Medicine.

Curriculum review is an essential part of ongoing curriculum development, and is a mandate of the American Veterinary Medical Association Council on Education (AVMA COE), the accrediting body of all North American schools and colleges of veterinary medicine. This article describes the steps in curriculum review undertaken by the University of Minnesota College of Veterinary Medicine (UMN CVM) in response to this mandate from the COE and to a recommendation from a recent collegiate review that was part of a larger university-level strategic planning effort. The challenges of reviewing and revising the curriculum within a short time frame were met by appointing a dedicated curriculum review board and by engaging students and faculty groups, both as focus groups and as specific faculty work sections within disciplines. Faculty voting on the process was very valuable as it permitted the curriculum review board and faculty groups to move ahead knowing there was a process in place for reassessment if most faculty did not agree with recommendations. Consistent support from the dean of the college and other administrators was vital in helping maintain momentum for curriculum review.

A Novel Approach to Simulation-Based Education for Veterinary Medical Communication Training Over Eight Consecutive Pre-Clinical Quarters.

Experiential learning through the use of standardized patients (SPs) is the primary way by which human medical schools teach clinical communication. The profession of veterinary medicine has followed suit in response to new graduates' and their employers' concerns that veterinary interpersonal skills are weak and unsatisfactory. As a result, standardized clients (SCs) are increasingly relied upon as invaluable teaching tools within veterinary curricula to advance relationship-centered care in the context of a clinical scenario. However, there is little to no uniformity in the approach that various colleges of veterinary medicine take when designing simulation-based education (SBE). A further complication is that programs with pre-conceived curricula must now make room for training in clinical communication. Curricular time constraints challenge veterinary colleges to individually decide how best to utilize SCs in what time is available. Because it is a new program, Midwestern University College of Veterinary Medicine (MWU CVM) has had the flexibility and the freedom to prioritize an innovative approach to SBE. The author discusses the SBE that is currently underway at MWU CVM, which incorporates 27 standardized client encounters over eight consecutive pre-clinical quarters. Prior to entering clinical rotations, MWU CVM students are exposed to a variety of simulation formats, species, clients, settings, presenting complaints, and communication tasks. These represent key learning opportunities for students to practice clinical communication, develop self-awareness, and strategize their approach to future clinical experiences.

Curricular Review and Renewal at Massey University: A Process to Implement Improved Learning Practices.

Curriculum managers of the Bachelor of Veterinary Science program at Massey University have undertaken major curricular review every 5-10 years and also made adjustments to the program as a result of student and other stakeholder feedback. New curricula introduced in 2003 and 2013 aimed to address specific stakeholder requirements in the veterinary, agricultural, and allied industries. The new curricula initially sought to strengthen clinical skills but more recently focused on the core professional skill of client communication, the integration of knowledge and clinical skills, and a better understanding of the effects of herd health interventions on farm economics. The need for greater emphasis on the veterinarian's role in One Health at the intersection of humans, animals, and the environment was also recognized. The most recent curricular review was preceded by faculty enlightenment and discussion about innovative models of medical education with a focus on student-centered and integrated learning. A new curriculum was introduced from 2013 that presented more material in its clinical context, attempted to manage curriculum overload through a focus on Day One Competences, implemented vertical and horizontal integration of subjects, and introduced more problem-based and student-centered learning. Regular reviews of student workload were needed to ensure that the objectives were achieved, but student feedback has generally been positive.

The Hidden Curriculum of Veterinary Education: Mediators and Moderators of Its Effects.

The "hidden curriculum" has long been supposed to have an effect on students' learning during their clinical education, and in particular in shaping their ideas of what it means to be a professional. Despite this, there has been little evidence linking specific changes in professional attitudes to the individual components of the hidden curriculum. This study aimed to recognize those components that led to a change in students' professional attitudes at a UK veterinary school, as well as to identify the attitudes most affected. Observations were made of 11 student groups across five clinical rotations, followed by semi-structured interviews with 23 students at the end of their rotation experience. Data were combined and analyzed thematically, taking both an inductive and deductive approach. Views about the importance of technical competence and communication skills were promoted as a result of students' interaction with the hidden curriculum, and tensions were revealed in relation to their attitudes toward compassion and empathy, autonomy and responsibility, and lifestyle ethic. The assessment processes of rotations and the clinical service organization served to communicate the messages of the hidden curriculum, bringing about changes in student professional attitudes, while student-selected role models and the student rotation groups moderated the effects of these influences.

Curriculum Redesign in Veterinary Medicine: Part I.

Curricular review is considered a necessary component for growth and enhancement of academic programs and requires time, energy, creativity, and persistence from both faculty and administration. At Texas A&M College of Veterinary Medicine & Biomedical Sciences (TAMU), the faculty and administration partnered with the university's Center for Teaching Excellence to create a faculty-driven, data-enhanced curricular redesign process. The 8-step process begins with the formation of a dedicated faculty curriculum design team to drive the redesign process and to support the college curriculum committee. The next steps include defining graduate outcomes and mapping the current curriculum to identify gaps and redundancies across the curriculum. Data are collected from internal and external stakeholders including veterinary students, faculty, alumni, and employers of graduates. Data collected through curriculum mapping and stakeholder engagement substantiate the curriculum redesign. The guidelines, supporting documents, and 8-step process developed at TAMU are provided to assist other veterinary schools in successful curricular redesign. This is the first of a two-part report that provides the background, context, and description of the process for charting the course for curricular change. The process involves defining expected learning outcomes for new graduates, conducting a curriculum mapping exercise, and collecting stakeholder data for curricular evaluation (steps 1-4). The second part of the report describes the development of rubrics that were applied to the graduate learning outcomes (steps 5-8) and engagement of faculty during the implementation phases of data-driven curriculum change.

Curricular Renewal at the Southern Tip of Africa: The 2016 Veterinary Curriculum at the University of Pretoria.

Four years after the institution of a new curriculum at the University of Pretoria's Faculty of Veterinary Science, a second major curricular renewal was initiated as a result of several pressing drivers, many of which were unique to the national and institutional context. During the project, South African higher education was disrupted by student protests prompted by financial pressures on students, the overt colonial structure of higher education, and the need to accelerate transformation of the sector. A structured curricular renewal process was followed, including the laying down of the principles, the structuring the macro-curriculum as a story, the design of a meso- and micro-curriculum, and the mapping of the curriculum to Day One outcomes. The resulting program is a 6-year bachelor's degree with a blend of discipline and species modules, with the first cohort graduating in 2016. There is a strong focus on skills embodied in a 62-week experiential component, managed using a unique custom-designed online platform for booking placements, documenting exposure, assessing competency, and providing feedback to students. The experiential training includes a large elective component. Several causes of loss of impetus during the process are discussed and proposals are made for avoiding these. The value of accreditation as a driver and a source of inputs is evident. The process has succeeded in producing a significantly reshaped curriculum that has been well received by external stakeholders.

Curricular Revision and Reform: The Process, What Was Important, and Lessons Learned.

Beginning in 2005, the Doctor of Veterinary Medicine program at the University of California underwent major curricular review and reform. To provide information for others that follow, we have documented our process and commented on factors that were critical to success, as well as factors we found surprising, difficult, or problematic. The review and reform were initiated by the Executive Committee, who led the process and commissioned the committees. The planning stage took 6 years and involved four faculty committees, while the implementation stage took 5 years and was led by the Curriculum Committee. We are now in year 2 of the institutionalizing stage and no longer refer to our reform as the "new curriculum." The change was driven by a desire to improve the curriculum and the learning environment of the students by aligning the delivery of information with current teaching methodologies and implementing adult learning strategies. We moved from a department- and discipline-based curriculum to a school-wide integrated block curriculum that emphasized student-centered, inquiry-based learning. A limit was placed on in-class time to allow students to apply classroom knowledge by solving problems and cases. We found the journey long and arduous, requiring tremendous commitment and effort. In the change process, we learned the importance of adequate planning, leadership, communication, and a reward structure for those doing the "heavy lifting." Specific to our curricular design, we learned the importance of the block leader role, of setting clear expectations for students, and of partnering with students on the journey.

Encouraging Critical Clinical Thinking (CCT) Skills in First-Year Veterinary Students.

First-year didactic course instructors at the University of Illinois College of Veterinary Medicine leverage earlier clinical rotation experiences with weekly "Clinical Correlations" exercises to provide early exposure to critical clinical thinking (CCT). This study evaluated the efficacy of individual and paired group exercises on CCT development. Before and after instruction, the Cornell Critical Thinking Test (Level Z) (CCTTZ) was administered. Based on the hypothesis that students with higher scores would coach lower-scoring colleagues during group exercises, heterogeneous groups with similar mean scores were established for the year. Students completed 14 individual and paired group exercises over 6 months. Exercises were designed to increase in complexity and decline in scaffolding. Seven of the exercises were cases using the Applied Learning Platform (ALP) at http://www.whenknowingmatters.com . Student analyses were scored according to a six-category critical-thinking rubric using a 5-point scale. Consistent with our hypothesis, individual and group rubric scores increased significantly, plateauing near the end of the year. Contrary to our hypothesis, mean overall CCTTZ scores did not change, but there was a small statistically significant increase in the ability to assess the validity of an argument. Student attitudes were mixed. Positive comments focused on reinforcement of prior didactic instruction, while negative comments focused on preparation time needed to conduct research on clinical concepts, and on a lack of explicit evaluation by summative examinations. Nonetheless, end-of-year GPAs correlated linearly with cumulative individual rubric scores. In summary, the value of early curriculum CCT training was confirmed when discipline-specific criteria were applied.

Veterinary Curriculum Transformation at the University of Illinois, 2006-2016.

The organization and delivery of a curriculum is the responsibility of the faculty in educational institutions. Curricular revision is often a hotly debated topic in any college faculty. At the University of Illinois, a 2006 mandate for curriculum modernization from the American Veterinary Medical Association Council on Education provided impetus for a long-discussed curricular revision. After two iterations and a lengthy development process, a new curriculum was gradually implemented at Illinois with the August 2009 matriculation of the Class of 2013. The goals of the revision included earlier clinical exposure for veterinary students through introductions to clinical rotations in years 1 to 3 and an integrated body systems approach in lecture/laboratory courses. A new Clinical Skills Learning Center facilitates development of clinical skills earlier in the curriculum and promotes the development of those skills throughout all 4 years of the curriculum. New outcomes assessments include comprehensive written examinations and Objective Structured Clinical Examinations (OSCEs) in years 2 and 3. Curriculum management, including grading of clinical rotations in all 4 years, is achieved through a commercially available software package. For the past 5 years, when candidates were asked why they chose to apply to Illinois, the new curriculum (27.4%) was the most common answer given during interviews. The Illinois revision has resulted in measurably increased veterinary student self-confidence (p<.001) at graduation.

Approaches and Study Skills of Veterinary Medical Students: Effects of a Curricular Revision.

The objective of this study was to determine if a revised, recently implemented curriculum, embracing an integrated block design with a focus on student-centered, inquiry-based learning, had a different effect on veterinary medical students' approaches to studying than the previous curriculum. A total of 577 students completed a questionnaire consisting of the short version of the Approaches and Study Skills Inventory for Students (ASSIST). It included questions relating to conceptions about learning, approaches to studying, and preferences for different types of courses and teaching. In addition, students were asked to respond to general questions regarding the design of the revised curriculum. The scores for the deep and strategic learning approaches were higher for students studying under the previous curriculum compared to the revised curriculum, despite the fact that the revised curriculum was specifically designed to foster deep learning. The scores for the surface learning approach were lower in the students studying the revised curriculum compared to students studying under the previous curriculum. We identified the following factors affecting student learning: alteration of learning activities, such as problem-based learning, from the recommended models; a lack of instructor support for the revised curriculum; assessments that were not aligned to encourage critical thinking; and directed self-learning activities that were too comprehensive to complete in the allotted time. The results of this study can be used to improve the implementation of student-centered and inquiry-based curricula by identifying potential problems that could prevent a deep learning approach in veterinary medical students.

Veterinary Curricula Today: Curricular Management and Renewal at AAVMC Member Institutions.

Renewing a veterinary curriculum is challenging work and its impact is difficult to measure. Academic leaders are charged with regular review and updating of their curricula, but have few resources available to guide their efforts. Due to the paucity of published veterinary reports, most turn to colleagues at other veterinary schools for insider advice, while a few undertake the task of adapting information from the educational literature to suit the needs of the veterinary profession. In response to this paucity, we proposed a theme issue on curricular renewal and surveyed academic leaders regarding curricular challenges and major renewal efforts underway. We compiled the results of this survey (with respondents from 38 veterinary colleges) as well as publicly available information to create a digest of curricular activities at AAVMC member institutions. This introductory article summarizes the key survey findings, describes the methods used to create the curricular digest, and presents information about key aspects of selected programs. Our overarching research questions were as follows: (1) What was the extent and nature of curricular change at AAVMC-accredited veterinary colleges over the past 5 years? and (2) How are curricula and curricular changes managed at AAVMC accredited veterinary colleges? The appended curricular digests provide selected details of current DVM curricula at participating institutions. Additional articles in this issue report on institutional change efforts in more detail. It is our hope that this issue will help to pave the way for future curricular development, research, and peer-to-peer collaboration.

Comparing Tolerance of Ambiguity in Veterinary and Medical Students.

Current guidelines suggest that educators in both medical and veterinary professions should do more to ensure that students can tolerate ambiguity. Designing curricula to achieve this requires the ability to measure and understand differences in ambiguity tolerance among and within professional groups. Although scales have been developed to measure tolerance of ambiguity in both medical and veterinary professions, no comparative studies have been reported. We compared the tolerance of ambiguity of medical and veterinary students, hypothesizing that veterinary students would have higher tolerance of ambiguity, given the greater patient diversity and less well-established evidence base underpinning practice. We conducted a secondary analysis of questionnaire data from first- to fourth-year medical and veterinary students. Tolerance of ambiguity scores were calculated and compared using the TAMSAD scale (29 items validated for the medical student population), the TAVS scale (27 items validated for the veterinary student population), and a scale comprising the 22 items common to both scales. Using the TAMSAD and TAVS scales, medical students had a significantly higher mean tolerance of ambiguity score than veterinary students (56.1 vs. 54.1, p<.001 and 60.4 vs. 58.5, p=.002, respectively) but no difference was seen when only the 22 shared items were compared (56.1 vs. 57.2, p=.513). The results do not support our hypothesis and highlight that different findings can result when different tools are used. Medical students may have slightly higher tolerance of ambiguity than veterinary students, although this depends on the scale used.

Association of American Veterinary Medical Colleges (AAVMC): 50 Years of History and Service.

The mission of the Association of American Veterinary Medical Colleges (AAVMC) is to advance the quality of academic veterinary medicine. Founded in 1966 by the 18 US colleges of veterinary medicine and 3 Canadian colleges of veterinary medicine then in existence, the AAVMC is celebrating 50 years of public service. Initially, the AAVMC comprised the Council of Deans, the Council of Educators, and the Council of Chairs. In 1984, the tri-cameral structure was abandoned and a new governing structure with a board of directors was created. In 1997, the AAVMC was incorporated in Washington, DC and a common application service was created. Matters such as workforce issues and the cost of veterinary medical education have persisted for decades. The AAVMC is a champion of diversity in the veterinary profession and a strong advocate for One Health. The AAVMC has adopted a global perspective as more international colleges of veterinary medicine have earned COE accreditation and become members.

Distributive veterinary clinical education: a model of clinical-site selection.

The distributive model at the Western University of Health Sciences College of Veterinary Medicine (WesternU-CVM) utilizes third-party clinical sites rather than a traditional on-campus teaching hospital during years 3 and 4 of the curriculum. All veterinary schools are required by the American Veterinary Medical Association's accreditation standards to ensure that students are exposed to a diverse case load of sufficient number with active participation in the diagnostic work-up and treatment of patients. With one centralized teaching hospital, monitoring this aspect of the student experience is relatively straightforward. The distributive model of clinical veterinary education poses several challenges not encountered in a teaching hospital due to the number of clinical sites involved in delivering the curriculum. This article describes a clinical-site and preceptor selection process and the guidelines currently used to evaluate whether clinical sites and preceptors are suitable for initial inclusion in the program at WesternU-CVM. Outcomes data regarding the number and variety of student case exposures, student involvement in case management, and student evaluations of clinical experience are presented. These data suggest that the recruitment and selection process described here results in diverse and ample case-load exposure opportunities in a distributive model of veterinary education.

Programmatic assessment of competency-based workplace learning: when theory meets practice.

BACKGROUND: In competency-based medical education emphasis has shifted towards outcomes, capabilities, and learner-centeredness. Together with a focus on sustained evidence of professional competence this calls for new methods of teaching and assessment. Recently, medical educators advocated the use of a holistic, programmatic approach towards assessment. Besides maximum facilitation of learning it should improve the validity and reliability of measurements and documentation of competence development. We explored how, in a competency-based curriculum, current theories on programmatic assessment interacted with educational practice. METHODS: In a development study including evaluation, we investigated the implementation of a theory-based programme of assessment. Between April 2011 and May 2012 quantitative evaluation data were collected and used to guide group interviews that explored the experiences of students and clinical supervisors with the assessment programme. We coded the transcripts and emerging topics were organised into a list of lessons learned. RESULTS: The programme mainly focuses on the integration of learning and assessment by motivating and supporting students to seek and accumulate feedback. The assessment instruments were aligned to cover predefined competencies to enable aggregation of information in a structured and meaningful way. Assessments that were designed as formative learning experiences were increasingly perceived as summative by students. Peer feedback was experienced as a valuable method for formative feedback. Social interaction and external guidance seemed to be of crucial importance to scaffold self-directed learning. Aggregating data from individual assessments into a holistic portfolio judgement required expertise and extensive training and supervision of judges. CONCLUSIONS: A programme of assessment with low-stakes assessments providing simultaneously formative feedback and input for summative decisions proved not easy to implement. Careful preparation and guidance of the implementation process was crucial. Assessment for learning requires meaningful feedback with each assessment. Special attention should be paid to the quality of feedback at individual assessment moments. Comprehensive attention for faculty development and training for students is essential for the successful implementation of an assessment programme.

Identifying the needs of veterinary students and recent alumni in establishing a student service center.

Quality service for students has been identified as an important theme of higher education. In pursuing the aim of service quality, educational providers have long recognized that perceptions of service transcend the area of quality teaching and encompass the students' overall experience within the university. This article investigates the types of services that would be most beneficial to students, from the perspective of both current students and recent alumni. A cross-sectional survey of all students was conducted using an online survey. A separate survey was also conducted of alumni from the last five graduating classes. From these surveys, 94.0% of student respondents and 91.9% of alumni respondents strongly agreed with the statement "It is important for the OSU CVM (Ohio State University College of Veterinary Medicine) to provide on-site comprehensive student services." Both groups ranked job postings for post-graduation employment, fourth-year off-site rotation opportunities, and financial planning/budgeting among their top ranked preferred services. In addition, requests for continued or enhanced interviewing/communication skills training; individual mental, emotional, and spiritual counseling; and individual and group tutoring were predominant themes identified from the qualitative data as well as the Likert-scale questions. The findings from the study sheds light on the need for comprehensive services for veterinary students beyond those services traditionally provided in an academic setting, such as tutoring and course advising.