Do Students with Varying Academic Ability Benefit Equally from Personal Qualities? Applying a Trait and State Perspective.

Using multilevel models, this study examined whether students with varying academic ability benefit equally from perseverance and intellectual curiosity in terms of academic achievement. In addressing this question two perspectives were applied: a trait perspective, focusing on differences between students, and a state perspective, focusing on differences within students across semesters. By means of an online questionnaire, undergraduate students (N = 2272) were asked to rate themselves on perseverance and intellectual curiosity at the beginning of five consecutive semesters. Results indicate that academic ability but also personal qualities have to be taken into account to explain the differences between students in academic achievement. In particular perseverance was found to be important in explaining differences both between students and within students across semesters. Also, individual students fluctuate quite substantially in their reported perseverance and intellectual curiosity from semester to semester.

Effects of a 1 year development programme for recently graduated veterinary professionals on personal and job resources: a combined quantitative and qualitative approach.

BACKGROUND: The early years in professional practice are for many veterinary and medical professionals a period of great challenges and consequently increased stress levels. Personal resources appear to have a positive impact on the course of this transition period. Personal resources are defined as developable systems of positive beliefs about one's self and the world that are generally linked to resilience. They are negatively related to burnout and positively and reciprocally to job resources, work engagement and job performance. With the aim of enhancing personal resources of recently graduated veterinarians, a 1 year multi-modular resources development programme was designed. This study was conducted to analyse: 1. if and how the development programme affected participants' personal resources, and 2. if and how personal resources affected participants' work characteristics and work engagement. RESULTS: Quantitative study: Twenty-five participants and ten non-participants completed an online survey covering personal resources, job resources and work engagement at the start and finish of the programme. Results showed a significant increase of personal resources in participants for self-reported ratings of proactive behaviour (Effect Size=-0.4), self-efficacy (Effect Size=-0.6) and reflective behaviour (Effect Size=-0.6). Results of the control group were not significant, although some moderate effect sizes were found. Qualitative study: Additionally 16 semi-structured interviews with participants of the programme were taken 6 months after finishing the programme. Analysis of the interviews revealed that participants also developed other important personal resources namely self-acceptance, self-esteem, awareness of own influence and responsibility. The reflection process, which took place in the course of the programme, seemed to be a necessary step for the development of the other personal resources. According to participants of the resources development programme, the increase in personal resources also gave rise to an increase in job resources. CONCLUSION: The multi-modular resources development programme seems to support development of participants' personal resources. Because personal resources are beneficial in improving well-being irrespective of where an individual starts working, it is important to give them explicit attention in educational settings.

Measuring potential predictors of burnout and engagement among young veterinary professionals; construction of a customised questionnaire (the Vet-DRQ).

The Job Demands-Resources model (JD-R model) was used as the theoretical basis of a tailormade questionnaire to measure the psychosocial work environment and personal resources of recently graduated veterinary professionals. According to the JD-R model, two broad categories of work characteristics that determine employee wellbeing can be distinguished: job demands and job resources. Recently, the JD-R model has been expanded by integrating personal resource measures into the model. Three semistructured group interviews with veterinarians active in different work domains were conducted to identify relevant job demands, job resources and personal resources. These demands and resources were organised in themes (constructs). For measurement purposes, a set of questions ('a priori scale') was selected from the literature for each theme. The full set of a priori scales was included in a questionnaire that was administered to 1760 veterinary professionals. Exploratory factor analysis and reliability analysis were conducted to arrive at the final set of validated scales (final scales). 860 veterinarians (73 per cent females) participated. The final set of scales consisted of seven job demands scales (32 items), nine job resources scales (41 items), and six personal resources scales (26 items) which were considered to represent the most relevant potential predictors of work-related wellbeing in this occupational group. The procedure resulted in a tailormade questionnaire: the Veterinary Job Demands and Resources Questionnaire (Vet-DRQ). The use of valid theory and validated scales enhances opportunities for comparative national and international research.

Burnout and engagement, and its predictors in young veterinary professionals: the influence of gender.

With the aim to assess levels of burnout and work engagement in junior veterinarians and identify predictors of burnout and work engagement in male and female veterinarians, 1760 veterinarians who had graduated in The Netherlands between 1999 and 2009, received an electronic questionnaire. Veterinarians numbering 860 (73 per cent females) participated. Levels of exhaustion, cynicism and work engagement were significantly lower compared to the norm group (a random sample of the Dutch working population). Male veterinarians were less exhausted and more engaged than female veterinarians. Exhaustion decreased over the years. Job demands positively related to exhaustion were work-home interference and workload. Job resources positively related to work engagement were opportunities for professional development and skills discretion (ie, the ability to use and develop skills on the job. Personal resources explained more of the variance in work engagement of female and male veterinarians (31 per cent and 42 per cent) than of the variance in exhaustion (19 per cent and 21 per cent) and cynicism (19 per cent and 10 per cent). Personal resources positively related to work engagement were self-efficacy and proactive behaviour. Relative importance analysis revealed differences between men and women in the importance of various job demands, job resources and personal resources in explaining burnout and engagement in young veterinary professionals.

Students' perceptions of aspects affecting seminar learning.

BACKGROUND: Many medical and veterinary schools have curricula in which they use seminars of approximately 25 students to achieve their learning goals. There is not much research on seminar learning. AIM: To explore students' views regarding aspects that affect seminar learning. METHODS: Twenty-four second-year students of a 3-year bachelor curriculum participated in semi-structured focus group interviews. The sessions were audio-taped and transcribed. Two researchers independently coded the data using qualitative methods. An iterative process of data reduction resulted in emerging aspects. The participating students were asked to comment on the preliminary results. RESULTS: Course schedule, coherence and alignment of the different educational methods, the amount and type of seminar questions and the amount and clarity of the preparation materials affected seminar learning. Also, the didactic approach and facilitating methods used by the teachers, the group composition, size and atmosphere, the amount of active student participation and interaction and assessment influenced seminar learning according to students. CONCLUSION: Most aspects that affect seminar learning are consistent with aspects affecting small group learning. Course schedule and alignment seem to have a stronger impact on seminar learning.

Exploring the validity and reliability of a questionnaire for evaluating veterinary clinical teachers' supervisory skills during clinical rotations.

BACKGROUND: Feedback to aid teachers in improving their teaching requires validated evaluation instruments. When implementing an evaluation instrument in a different context, it is important to collect validity evidence from multiple sources. AIM: We examined the validity and reliability of the Maastricht Clinical Teaching Questionnaire (MCTQ) as an instrument to evaluate individual clinical teachers during short clinical rotations in veterinary education. METHODS: We examined four sources of validity evidence: (1) Content was examined based on theory of effective learning. (2) Response process was explored in a pilot study. (3) Internal structure was assessed by confirmatory factor analysis using 1086 student evaluations and reliability was examined utilizing generalizability analysis. (4) Relations with other relevant variables were examined by comparing factor scores with other outcomes. RESULTS: Content validity was supported by theory underlying the cognitive apprenticeship model on which the instrument is based. The pilot study resulted in an additional question about supervision time. A five-factor model showed a good fit with the data. Acceptable reliability was achievable with 10-12 questionnaires per teacher. Correlations between the factors and overall teacher judgement were strong. CONCLUSIONS: The MCTQ appears to be a valid and reliable instrument to evaluate clinical teachers' performance during short rotations.

Does a faculty development programme improve teachers' perceived competence in different teacher roles?

BACKGROUND: Changing concepts of education have led many medical schools to adopt student-centred approaches to teaching, requiring different teaching competencies than more traditional approaches. AIMS: The aim of this study was to investigate whether participation in a faculty development (FD) programme had a positive effect on veterinary medical teachers' perceptions of their competence in seven different teaching roles. METHOD: All teaching staff of a veterinary medical school (251) were invited to complete a questionnaire asking about their perceived competence in seven teaching roles. A stepwise multiple linear regression analysis examined the effect of the completion of a FD programme on perceived teaching competence. RESULTS: There was a significant positive effect of the FD programme on teachers' perceived competence in majority of the teaching roles at issue. CONCLUSIONS: FD appeared to have a positive effect on the perceived competence of veterinary medical teachers. Further research should investigate whether FD actually results in improved teaching performance.

A framework of teaching competencies across the medical education continuum.

BACKGROUND: The quality of teachers in higher education is subject of increasing attention, as exemplified by the development and implementation of guidelines for teacher qualifications at Universities in The Netherlands. AIM: Because medical education takes a special position in higher education the Council of Deans of Medical Schools in The Netherlands installed a national task force to explore a method to weigh criteria for teacher qualifications of medical teachers. METHODS: A framework was developed covering competencies of teachers throughout the medical education continuum and including medicine, dentistry and veterinary medicine. RESULTS: The framework distinguishes 3 dimensions: (a) six domains of teaching (development - organization - execution - coaching - assessment - evaluation); (b) three levels in the organization at which teachers perform (micro, meso and macro level) and (c) competencies as integration of knowledge, skills and attitude and described as behaviour in specific context. The current framework is the result of several cycles of descriptions, feedback from the field and adaptations. It is meant as a guideline, leaving room for local detailing. CONCLUSION: The framework provides a common language that may be used not only by teachers and teacher trainers, but also by quality assurance committees, human resource managers and institutional boards.

Educational approaches aimed at preparing students for professional veterinary practice.

Changes in society and dissatisfaction with current educational practices have led to changes in undergraduate veterinary curricula. New approaches that are thought to better prepare students for future professional veterinary practice are being introduced. One such change is a transition from conventional teacher-centred curricula to student-centred curricula. In student-centred curricula, students are actively involved in learning and teachers not only transmit knowledge but help students to obtain a deep understanding. Furthermore, learning within these curricula takes place in a multi-disciplinary context which is more relevant for the future of the profession. Another change is that more emphasis is put on training in academic skills, for instance, by establishing research internships. Finally, a new emphasis is being placed on training in more generic competencies, such as communication and business skills. These changes are assumed to better suit the profile of veterinary students today and in the future and to better prepare them for future veterinary practice.

[Winter diarrhea]. / Winterdiarree.

Winter dysentery is a highly contagious, herd-enzootic disease of cattle, most frequently observed during the winter season. The disease is characterized by a sudden onset of severe diarrhoea, which normally disappears spontaneously within two or three days. The aetiology continues to be obscure, though a virus is a probable causative agent.

Changes of serum enzyme activities in cows with milk fat depression.

Serum activities of sorbitol dehydrogenase (SDH), lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), gamma-glutamyltranspeptidase (gamma-GT), and alkaline phosphatase (ALP) were measured before, during, and after milk fat depression in 9 cows fed a high-concentrate ration during 2 experiments. In 7 of the 9 cows, increases in serum SDH and LDH activities were observed during milk fat depression. The gamma-GT activity showed only moderate changes, whereas the ALP activity remained unchanged. During recovery from milk fat depression, decreases of SDH, LDH, and gamma-GT activities were found in nearly all cows. Association of this phenomenon with changes found in beef cattle, such as ruminal lesions and liver abscesses, are discussed.

[Results of treatment by rotation in left-sided abomasal displacement (author's transl)]. / Ervaringen met de behandeling van de lebmaagdislocatie naar links door middel van de wentelmethode.

The results are given of the treatment of thirty cows with left-sided abomasal displacement by rotation, followed by intravenous injection of hypertonic sodium chloride solution and a calcium borogluconate solution. In addition, ammonium chloride was administered orally for a few days. The rations of the animals were gradually restored to normal levels. The purpose was to examine whether recurrences following rotation could be prevented by supplementary measures. Of these thirty animals, five did not respond to treatment because of complications that would otherwise not have reacted favourably to any form of treatment either. Correction of the abomasal displacement was successful in more than 90 per cent (23 animals) of the remaining five cows. However, abomasal displacement recurred in sixteen of these twenty-three animals (70%). Of these fourteen cows, two animals developed an abomasal torsion. It is concluded that the supplementary measures adopted will not prevent recurrences.

[Arsenic poisoning through the roof. A case of arsenic poisoning in cattle]. / 'Met arsenicum onder dak'. Een geval van arsenicumintoxicatie bij runderen.

A case of arsenic poisoning in cattle is reported, in which six out of fifteen animals died. The source of poisoning was traced to a substance in the loft of the hay-barn, which probably consisted of the remains of a pesticide which had been there for several years. This had become liquefied as the result of a leak in the roof and had found its way into the hay. The arsenic content of the substance ranged from 17 to 37 per cent, that of the hay being up to 0.3 per cent. The concentration of arsenic in the organs, blood, faeces and urine of the animals were indicative of poisoning. The main clinical findings consisted in profuse diarrhoea, loss of appetite, muscular weakness and an ataxic gait. Dehydration set in later and the animals became deeply soporous. Symptomatic treatment was mainly directed against dehydration, hypoglycaemia and hypocalcaemia. The greater part of the animals gradually recovered. Marked hyperaemia of the abomasal mucosa and, to a less extent, hyperaemia of the small and large intestines was observed on post-mortem examination.

[A cow showing abnormal distension of the abdomen: omental bursitis (author's transl)]. / Een koe met een te dikke buik: bursitis omentalis.

A highly uncommon clinical picture in a cow showing abnormal distension of the abdomen as the most important clinical symptom, is described. The anatomy of the bovine adbomen is briefly reviewed, particular attention being paid to the omental bursa. This is followed by a discussion of the history and clinical symptoms. The owner complained of the fact that the cow showed loss of appetite and abnormal distension of the abdomen. The most important finding on clinical examination was made on rectal exploration, in which a large sac filled with fluid was felt in the abdomen. Exploratory laparatomy showed that this was an inflamed omental bursa containing a large quantity of serofibrinous exudate. This diagnosis was verified by pathological studies. The discussion is concerned with the differential diagnosis and a comparison is made with a number of similar cases reported in the literature.