RESUMEN
BACKGROUND: Producing graduates for a breadth of sectors is a priority for veterinary science programs. Undergraduate career intentions represent de-facto 'outcome' measures of admissions policy and curricula design, as intentions are strong predictors of eventual behaviour. Informed by Ajzen's Theory of Planned Behaviour, this study aimed to identify if contextually relevant attitudes and self-ratings affect student intentions for veterinary career sectors. RESULTS: Survey responses from 844 students enrolled in five Australian veterinary programs in 2014 were analysed. Intention was measured for biomedical research/academia, industry, laboratory animal medicine, public health/government/diagnostic laboratory services, mixed practice, intensive animal production, companion animal practice, not work in the veterinary profession, and business/entrepreneurship. Hierarchical multiple linear regression analysis enabled comparison of explanation of variance in intent by demographics, animal handling experience, species preference, and attitudes to aspects of veterinary work. Career sector intentions were highest for mixed or companion animal clinical practice, then business/entrepreneurship, then non-clinical sectors. Overall, intent was explained to a greater extent by species preferences than by animal experience, attitudes to aspects of veterinary work and demographics (with the exception of mixed practice intent) with gender having no significant effect. Several variables exerted negative effects on career intent for less popular career sectors. CONCLUSION: Ajzen's Theory of Planned Behaviour (TPB) provides a framework to increase understanding of and predict career sector intentions. Incorporation of attitude and self-efficacy measures in our study revealed preference for species types contributes greatly to career sector intentions for veterinary students, particularly for the more popular practice based sectors. Importantly, specific species preferences and other attitudes can have a negative effect on intent for non-aligned veterinary sectors. Further research is required to identify additional attitudes and/or beliefs to better explain variance in intent for less popular career sectors. Veterinary admissions processes may benefit from utilising the TPB framework. Identified effects revealed by this study may stimulate innovation in marketing, recruitment, admissions and curricular design, such as timing and role modelling, to utilise positive effects and mitigate against negative effects identified for sectors requiring greater representation of career intent in the student body.
Asunto(s)
Selección de Profesión , Medicina Veterinaria , Actitud , Australia , Estudios Transversales , Demografía , Femenino , Humanos , Masculino , Medicina Veterinaria/tendencias , Recursos HumanosRESUMEN
OBJECTIVE: To report initial career experiences and graduate employment destinations 1 and 5 years following graduation of the 67 graduates from the first two graduating classes of the veterinary science program at Charles Sturt University. DESIGN: Online survey of graduates from the 2010 and 2011 cohorts undertaken 12 months following course completion and descriptive data on graduate practice locations 5 years post-graduation. PROCEDURE: Questions covered general demographic information, issues relating to work-life balance and factors influencing vocational choices. Descriptive statistics and qualitative responses are reported, with comparisons between continuous variables by two-sample t-test and between categories by Chi-square analyses. Significance was set at P < 0.05. Graduates' locations 5 years after graduation were obtained from veterinary registration details and staff contact with graduates. RESULTS: Complete survey responses were received from 39 graduates of whom 34 were employed in regional areas, 1 in a very remote area, 3 in major cities and 1 overseas. Hours worked and salary received were consistent with other survey data, with new graduates working in regional practices earning slightly more than those working in metropolitan practices. At 5 years following graduation, the majority (56/61, 92%) remained in rural or regional Australian veterinary practices, with a further five graduates overseas and one lost to follow-up. CONCLUSION: This study supported the selection criteria and educational approaches at CSU in establishing most of the new graduates in rural and regional mixed veterinary practice.