title: Veterinary students' understanding of a career in practice.
abstract: Lack of a clear perception of the realities of a career in veterinary medicine could adversely affect young graduates' satisfaction with the profession and their long-term commitment to it. Veterinary students' understanding of a career in practice were explored. Traditional-entry first-year and final-year students, as well as entry-level 'Gateway' (widening participation) students, were invited to complete a questionnaire exploring their pre-university experiences and their understandings of a career in general practice. Broadly speaking, the undergraduate students taking part in the survey (the majority of whom were entry-level students) had a realistic view of average weekly working hours, out-of-hours duties and the development of their remuneration packages over the course of their careers. The main attractions of the profession were working with animals and the perception of a rewarding job. The main concerns were making mistakes and balancing work and home life. The vast majority of students wanted to pursue a career in general practice, and other career opportunities did not appear to be well understood, particularly by entry-level students.
authors.affiliation: Royal Veterinary College, Hawkshead Lane, North Mymms, Hertfordshire AL9 7TA. jtomlin@rvc.ac.uk
authors.forename: J L
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Tomlin
authors.forename: D C
authors.initials: DC
authors.lastname: Brodbelt
authors.forename: S A
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: May
mesh_terms: D002321:Career Choice; D015331:Cohort Studies; D032882:Comprehension; D004520:Education, Veterinary; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D013336:Students, Health Occupations / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014730:Veterinary Medicine; D016526:Workload / Q000523:psychology*