Instilling a research ethos into an undergraduate science programme Vicki H.M. Dale, Donald Palmer

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Instilling a research ethos into an undergraduate
science programmeVicki H.M. Dale, Donald Palmer
Stephen A. May
Research-Teaching Linkages Medicine, Dentistry
and Veterinary Medicine Edinburgh, 28th January
2008
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BSc (Hons) Veterinary Sciences Kick start your
scientific career

• Three year BSc, introduced 2002
• Strong focus on research
• Independent of BVetMed
• But also a stepping stone to BVetMed
• Year 1 Normal animal (structure function)
• Year 2 Abnormal animal (disease, clinical
  aspects)
• Years 1 2 scientific methods, projects
• Year 3 Choice modules and project dissertation

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Hypothesis

• An exciting and appropriately structured science
  programme can change the career ambitions of
  students with previously strong ambitions to be
  veterinary surgeons

BSc
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Materials and methods

• UCAS admissions data
• Choice of courses other than BSc
• Qualifications, work experience
• Personal statement
• Questionnaire to 101 BSc Veterinary Science
  graduates (2005 ? 2007)
• Ethics approved July 2007
• Quantitative (SPSS)
• Qualitative (NVivo)
• Interviews with graduates (vets scientists) and
  teachers

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Results

• 56/101 responses 55.4
• 2005 (5/11 45.5)
• 2006 (17/40 42.5)
• 2007 (34/50 68)

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Primary motivating factor for enrolling
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Current role (or the role about to enter)
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Has your career choice changed since you
enrolled on the course?
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Wanted to be a Vet Wanted to be a Scientist Wanted to be Other / Not decided
Became a Vet 32 (57.1) 1 (1.8) 1 (1.8)
Became Scientist 14 (25) 0 1 (1.8)
Became Other / Not decided 5 (8.9) 2 (3.6) 0
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Reasons for change

• Exposure to more career possibilities
• The BSc course made me realise that there is a
  lot more to science than I originally thought.
• The very high research content of this course
  interested me, and I have spoken to many people
  who have qualified as vet surgeons, and then are
  not happy and change career / further study
  anyway.

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Which of the three years did you find most
rewarding?
Mann-Whitney Uvets vs. scientists P0.002
Y2. Clinically relevant, learned about
disease Y3. Enjoyment of range of modules
available able to personalise course
dissertation reward of a degree
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2007 projects

• Investigation of host factors required for
  African Swine fever virus replication.
• Investigation of the influence of viewing angle
  on the reliability of locomotion scoring in dairy
  cattle.
• Acceleration and sharp turns in Polo ponies.
• Head position and stiffness in the equine
  longissimus dorsi.

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Experiences of project work

• I developed a keen interest in cancer biology as
  a result of the course and having had the
  opportunity to undertake research I this field I
  found that this appealed to me more than being a
  vet as I had initially planned. Interestingly it
  was a second year lecture on the role of p53 in
  cell cycle control that sparked my interest in
  cancer and now I am undertaking a PhD involving
  p53.
• My dissertation was a life-changing experience,
  confirming my desire to do a PhD.

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Skills

• The principles of the course have provided a
  good foundation for life.
• I am more interested in learning now than I was
  when I started university and regularly read
  around the subject.
• The Vet Sci course has armed me with many
  science skills that are noticeably absent in
  other science students/graduates I have
  encountered.
• I enjoyed the scientific tutorials with journal
  reviews and found this helped me analyse papers
  effectively.

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Benefits of the BSc(medians, Mann-Whitney U
comparing vets scientists)
Method Vets Scientists P
It prepared me well for my career 5 5 0.246NS
It fostered a spirit of intellectual enquiry 4 4 0.458NS
It fostered critical thinking and reflection 4 4 0.486NS
It prepared me for lifelong learning 4 4 0.433NS
It suited my learning style 4 4 0.926NS
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Benefits of the BSc(medians, Mann-Whitney U
comparing vets scientists)
Method Vets Scientists P
My project supervisor was supportive 5 5 0.139NS
My project work made a contribution to scientific knowledge in the field 4 5 0.162NS
Oral presentations helped me to become a confident public speaker 5 5 0.427NS
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Conclusions

• The BSc changed career aspirations of students
  (44 of 2007 graduates) through
• personalised learning
• enjoyable/interesting course
• positive experience of project work
• Aspects of course rated significantly higher by
  scientists than vets
• Use as predictor of subsequent career choice?
• Research-teaching nexus enables high level
  thinking, independent learning, development of
  professional and scientific skills
• Good model for BVetMed

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Contact

• Vicki Dale
• The LIVE Centre
• The Royal Veterinary College
• vdale_at_rvc.ac.uk
• www.live.ac.uk

Acknowledgements All graduates who participated
in the survey BSc Course Leaders Rachel Lawrence,
Neil Stoker and Caroline Wheeler-Jones