One of the foundations of veterinary education in the UK since 1932, extra-mural studies (EMS) gives students valuable hands-on experience, putting skills learned at vet school into practice in a range of veterinary workplaces.
While the new British Veterinary Association (BVA) Voice of the Veterinary Profession survey reveals that EMS is considered valuable, little has changed to reflect how veterinary education has evolved or the growing pressures on both students and workforces.
Just over nine in ten respondents (94 percent) say EMS provides students with “real world” experience and supports the development of clinical (85 percent) and communication skills (77 percent).
Following more than a year of discussions with a dedicated working group of students, recent graduates, employers and academics, BVA’s new policy position, “Student-led work placements: a new vision for EMS“, recommends significant reform.
BVA research revealed the most common difficulties reported about EMS by over half of newly qualified vets and students were the location of the placement (54 percent), its cost (52 percent) and the availability of placements (48 percent) and accommodation (39 percent).
With ever increasing numbers of vet schools and students and a workforce which is already under pressure, meeting the growing demand will become more difficult and create more competition for placements.
The EMS reform policy position calls for a move away from a fixed-time commitment for EMS towards an outcomes-based approach to help create a personalised learning experience and goals for each student.
BVA is also calling for the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons (RCVS) to remove the fixed-time requirement from clinical EMS and allow vet schools to develop placements integrated with their specific curriculums.
The policy also recommends exploring the development of a national matching service for placements, as well as more training and support for veterinary professionals who provide placements.
President of the Association of Veterinary Students, Jack Conway added: “AVS welcomes the BVA’s stance on EMS and shares the view that the EMS system is outdated and needs to be revolutionised.
“Our firm belief is that EMS must be inclusive, non-discriminatory and tailored to meet the needs of modern-day veterinary students, placement providers and all other stakeholders involved.
“We are committed to collaborating with the BVA and other concerned parties to modernise the EMS process and ensure that it aligns with current trends and practices in the veterinary profession.”
Vet and Chair of the BVA working group on EMS Liz Mossop said: “The recent changes to EMS announced by the RCVS are a positive step. However the working group very much felt, through our extensive stakeholder conversations, that these are not enough.
“More needs to be done to reform EMS so it aligns with modern teaching methods and is sustainable for today’s veterinary students and professionals.”
