A three-dimensional (3D) clinical simulation model was developed for ocular ultrasonography training, and its pedagogical potential was evaluated. Model design was based on computed tomography data of feline skulls, which were processed and segmented using specialized 3D modeling software. During this process, Standard Tessellation Language (STL) files were produced, corresponding to the three main model components: a feline skull and two eyeballs, one representing normal anatomy and the other simulating a total retinal detachment. All components were printed using a stereolithography printer. Rigid resin was used to print the skull and flexible resin for the eyeballs. Each eyeball was filled with a medical-grade gel with physical and acoustic properties like those of real feline eye. The printing and assembly stages resulted in reduced production costs and moderate reproducibility. Following initial fidelity validation by an experienced veterinary ultrasonographer, the model's pedagogical potential was assessed by veterinary students and practicing veterinarians during a structured training session, followed by the completion of a qualitative survey. Overall feedback was positive, with participants reporting acceptable fidelity, ease of use, and perceived improvements in manual dexterity and technical learning. Statistically significant associations were observed between academic degree and performance scores and between prior practical experience in ocular ultrasonography and perceived task ease. The feline ocular model represents a cost-effective, safe, and accessible educational tool with satisfactory sonographic fidelity.
A strong foundational understanding of anatomy is central to veterinary education. It is essential for acquiring clinical, surgical, and diagnostic skills in veterinary students. Veterinary anatomy is delivered by didactic lectures and laboratory dissection; however, maintaining student engagement during dissection can be challenging. This article outlines some pedagogical approaches that, if applied in a canine and feline anatomy course, could enhance student engagement and effective learning. Approaches that may be adopted include the provision of pre-matriculation materials on basic anatomical directional terms, structured dissection groupings, instructional videos, and dissection manuals for support. With increasing confidence with dissection proficiency, students are introduced to study aids such as mounted skeletons for demonstrating muscle actions, problem sets simulating clinical cases, and the opportunity for an interactive Q&A at the end of each lab session. The involvement of the second-year veterinary students as anatomy mentors provides peer support. These approaches aim to apply Csikszentmihalyi's flow theory to education, which emphasizes that effective learning can be achieved when students are equipped with requisite skills and resources that are comparable to the given assignment. This design incorporates a regular feedback system and offers the instructor opportunities to provide necessary support to students. The students appreciated the early notice about the course, the nature of the examination, discussions on pathologies, and repetition using different teaching models to present the same concept. This is an observational description of the approaches we have implemented to improve student interest and engagement for effective learning.
Incoming veterinary students often face challenges adapting to rigorous professional curricula, which impact their academic performance as well as personal well-being. To address this, Iowa State University offered an optional asynchronous online summer course-Bridge to Success in Veterinary School-covering evidence-based learning techniques (spacing, retrieval practice, metacognition), discipline-specific skills (note-taking, exam preparation), and resilience behaviors (growth mind-set, time management, stress management). A mixed-methods evaluation incorporated a pre-course survey, a post-course survey, focus group interviews, and a delayed second-semester survey. Approximately 15% of incoming students completed the course. Participants reported that academic preparedness and exposure to professional workloads motivated participation, while summer commitments limited participation. Overall satisfaction was high, and 90% of completers would recommend the course. About half of participants indicated that they applied new cognitive strategies in their first semester, and a majority adopted behavioral techniques. Participants recommended shorter, example-driven videos, veterinary-specific case studies, a "day in the life" module, and extended access. These findings suggest that targeted logistical and contextual enhancements could strengthen course reach and long-term impact on veterinary student learning.
Across pathology residency programs, little is known about the commonality of attributes valued for selecting potential trainees. This study describes the perceived value of various attributes according to veterinary pathologists in various sectors via a survey distributed to the American College of Veterinary Pathologists email LISTSERV. The survey collected usable quantitative and qualitative data from 393 anatomic and clinical pathologists in various professional sectors. Qualitative data were categorized into thematic categories and their proportions determined. The means, standard deviations, and t-test p values were calculated and used to identify differences in the perceived value of various selection criteria depending on the survey participant's sub-specialty (i.e., anatomic or clinical pathology) and program type (i.e., residency only or combined with a graduate degree). Differences were noted for several selection criteria; however, performance during a residency interview, completion of a pathology-related externship, performance during a pathology rotation in veterinary school, and presence of an exceptional trait noted on a recommendation letter were generally considered valuable selection criteria by the survey respondents, while the applicant's graduating veterinary program, graduate record exam score, completion of a rotating internship, and class rank were not. The perceived value of prior practice experience varied between the sub-specialties. The qualitative analysis identified traits such as resilience, teachability, communication skills, determination, and commitment to the profession as desirable qualities. The findings provide insight into the perceived value of various attributes that may be considered when selecting prospective candidates for admission into a veterinary pathology training program.
Researchers are increasingly paying attention to non-cognitive ways to determine a student's ability to succeed in graduate studies. This study investigated associations between the Big Five personality domain scores and academic performance in Gross Anatomy I (GA1) at Ross University School of Veterinary Medicine. Within the first 2 weeks of the semester, a researcher-developed survey instrument was used for psychological assessment of the Big Five personality domains. Survey domain scores were compared with students' final GA1 course grades. Conscientiousness was positively associated with final numerical grade, whereas openness was negatively associated with final numerical grade. These findings suggest that personality traits may influence early academic performance in veterinary anatomy and highlight opportunities for targeted academic support. Educators may support student success by emphasizing structured study behaviors, time management, and prioritization of core material early in the course.
Veterinary medicine is increasingly shaped by environmental change, social inequities, and economic pressures that influence animal health, access to care, and professional practice. Preparing graduates to respond to these challenges requires educational strategies that integrate sustainability into clinical reasoning rather than treating it as an isolated topic. The triple bottom line, originally developed within sustainability and business disciplines to evaluate organizational performance across environmental, social, and economic domains, offers a structured approach for examining the true cost of professional decisions. This Teaching Tip describes the development and implementation of a team-based learning module designed to operationalize the true cost framework within a pre-clinical veterinary curriculum. Through preparatory materials, readiness assurance testing, and applied team exercises spanning public health and small animal practice contexts, students engaged in systems-level analysis of trade-offs inherent in veterinary care. Performance on summative assessment and classroom discourse demonstrated integration of sustainability language and reasoning into clinical decision making. The true cost framework is presented as a flexible, longitudinal approach to teaching sustainability that can be embedded across species, practice types, and stages of training.
The ability to reflect on experiences is a critical component of successful medical practice, enabling practitioners to navigate complex situations and to utilize experience and feedback to improve performance. In recognition of this, medical educators are increasingly incorporating reflection activities into curricula. However, valid tools to assess reflective quality and objective evidence that reflection improves content learning are both lacking. We developed a post-quiz reflection assignment in an 8-week neuroanatomy course for first-year veterinary students. The goal of the reflection assignment was to maximize the learning impact of quizzes by encouraging students to review and analyze their performance relative to course content and their personal study approaches. We also designed a rubric to assess the reflections that students produced and present validity evidence supporting the use of this rubric. To evaluate the impact of the reflection assignments, we conducted both quantitative and qualitative analyses of student performance in the course, reflective quality, and post-course survey data. The reflection assignments in the Neuroanatomy course offered a structure and incentive for post-quiz reflection. Although reflection scores did not correlate with numeric course performance, most students agreed that the reflections improved their understanding of the course material, helped them improve their approach to studying, and helped them appreciate the importance of reflecting. Students reported that they maintained reflective habits in a subsequent course, and that their reflective habits continued to improve their understanding of course material and approach to studying. However, in the subsequent course, no obvious improvement in reflective process was demonstrated, and few students acknowledged utilizing the reflection template. The results suggest that while structured reflection may improve learning, it is important to provide adequate time, instructional support, feedback, and longitudinal curricular integration to maximize the development of effective reflective practices.
Cranial cruciate ligament (CCL) rupture is the most common canine orthopedic condition and can be diagnosed by eliciting a cranial drawer sign upon examination. However, teaching students to identify this finding is dependent upon caseload and can cause discomfort to a patient. Simulation offers a benign, perpetually available method of teaching students to evaluate stifle stability. This study sought to create and validate a canine stifle model using a validation framework consisting of content evidence and evidence of a relationship with other variables (level of training). The stifle model used a skeleton of anatomically accurate, articulated bones with foam representing soft tissues and silicone skin. A mechanism adjusted cranial drawer from present to absent. Veterinarians (N = 22) evaluated the model's features, providing content evidence. Veterinarians, along with 56 veterinary students, palpated two models: one with a stable CCL and one with a ruptured CCL. Ninety-five percent of veterinarians agreed/strongly agreed that the model had adequate landmarks; only 5% disagreed that the model was appropriately realistic. All veterinarians responded that the model was suitable to teach and assess the skill. Students were similarly positive in their responses. Veterinarians were more accurate at diagnosing CCL stability (22/22 veterinarians vs. 44/56 or 79% students; p < .05) and rupture (20/22 or 91% veterinarians vs. 39/56 or 70% students; p < .05). Veterinarians' survey responses (content evidence) and ability to detect CCL stability and rupture more accurately than students (evidence of a relationship with other variables) support validation based on this study's framework.
The purpose of this quantitative study was to address considerations made in the move to binary grading systems by many colleges of veterinary medicine, its potential impact on intern and resident selection through the Veterinary Internship and Residency Matching Program, and the use of Standardized Letter of Reference (SLoR) scores as an alternative method for evaluating applicants. Data included de-identified Veterinary Internship and Residency Matching Program data from 91,080 applications for the years 2020-2024, provided by the American Association of Veterinary Clinicians. Conducted analyses included ANOVA and Chi-square as omnibus tests, and Bonferroni and Tukey as post hoc tests. Analyses were performed on the full sample as well as the sample limited to US citizens and permanent residents. Across both the full and limited samples, the study found that GPA and class rank were weakly correlated with SLoR scores. Furthermore, the provision of GPA and/or class rank was related to matching rate and rank, namely such that applicants who provided both had more favorable outcomes compared with those who provided neither. Finally, whereas gender was not found to moderate the relationship between the provision of GPA and/or class rank and matching outcomes, race was found to have an inconsistent and limited moderating effect. Findings indicate that SLoR scores may not serve as a valid substitute for GPA and class rank, and that the availability of GPA and class rank has implications for matching rate and rank. Future research is needed to understand how GPA, class rank, and SLoRs are used in practice to inform intern and resident selection decisions.
The study objective was to evaluate changes in senior veterinary students' perceptions of companion animal primary care and career preferences following a primary care clinical rotation. A multi-institutional survey was administered to veterinary students at 10 US colleges of veterinary medicine before and after a companion animal primary care rotation between January 2024 and July 2025. Survey items were organized into six conceptually defined perception groupings. Changes in perception scores and agreement with a career goal were analyzed using linear mixed-effects models with random intercepts for student and school. Career preferences were assessed using ordinal rankings of eight career paths, and free-text responses were analyzed using structured, AI-assisted inductive thematic analysis. A total of 442 students completed the pre-rotation survey, and 83 had a paired post-rotation survey. Post-rotation, modest but statistically significant increases were observed in perceptions of clinical complexity and intellectual engagement (β = 0.13, 95% CI 0.01-0.26) and scope and holistic practice (β = 0.09, 95% CI 0.00-0.18). Agreement that companion animal primary care was a career goal also increased (β = 0.21, 95% CI 0.07-0.36). School-level clustering accounted for little variance, while student-level clustering was substantial. Companion animal practice was the only career path for which the median rank improved. Free-text responses reflected greater appreciation of the breadth, complexity, and intellectual demands of primary care following the rotation. Overall, primary care rotations were associated with small but consistent shifts toward more informed and favorable perceptions of companion animal primary care.
Veterinary nurses in the United Kingdom, alongside other stakeholders, have long sought recognition as professionals in their own right. A key element of this professionalism is the existence of a formal register, held by the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons (RCVS). UK preregistration programs must include professional standards education to meet RCVS accreditation requirements. However, the extent to which students are effectively prepared to use the RCVS Code of Conduct and uphold professional behaviors remains uncertain. This study explored perceptions of educators and service users regarding how well student veterinary nurses are prepared for professional practice, using a four‑round qualitative Delphi method. Fifteen expert participants contributed to the initial interview round. Coding produced three overarching themes: (a) personal and professional identity, (b) teaching and learning experiences, and (c) the culture within clinical and educational environments. Ultimately, 24 statements were endorsed by the expert panel. Key areas included role modeling, educator enthusiasm, and coordination between educational and clinical settings. Positive role modeling was viewed as essential and generally well delivered. However, integration across training environments-particularly the embedding of professional standards and the RCVS Code of Conduct into clinical practice-was widely considered inadequate. Clinical supervisors were expected to possess strong working knowledge of the Code, supported by explicit discussion and feedback to students. Yet many supervisors lacked support, time allocation, or remuneration, with some feeling pressured into the role. Professional standards teaching was thought to rely on passionate, engaging educators, with clear links made between the Code and real practice. Concerningly, several comments highlighted unprofessional behavior by senior staff, including inappropriate task delegation. Additionally, although safe reporting mechanisms were deemed important, many students felt unable to raise concerns. Findings can guide future research and inform curriculum design. The final Delphi statements offer practical recommendations for academic and clinical educators.
Flexible gastrointestinal endoscopy in small animal veterinary practice requires psychomotor and visuospatial skills that differ from those used in open surgery. Training opportunities are often limited by reliance on live animals, which raises ethical and logistical challenges, while high-fidelity simulators remain cost-prohibitive for many programs. This creates a gap in accessible, early-stage endoscopy training. This Teaching Tip describes the development and implementation of a set of low-cost, modular simulation models designed to support acquisition of core endoscopic skills in veterinary learners. Two custom-built task trainers were designed for foreign body retrieval and polypectomy, and a biological model incorporated porcine gastrointestinal tissue into a life-size canine dummy to provide realistic anatomical context and haptic feedback. Although the biological model is based on canine anatomy, the technical skills targeted (endoscope navigation, instrument handling, and visuospatial coordination) are not species-specific and are readily transferable across veterinary and human endoscopy contexts. Training was delivered in a clinical skills laboratory using a station-based format with demonstration and supervised practice. The simulators enabled repeated, hands-on practice of key skills, including scope navigation, mucosal visualization, retroflexion, biopsy, and object retrieval, in a controlled, low-risk environment. Informal feedback from learners and faculty indicated high usability and perceived educational value, particularly for early skill acquisition. These low-cost simulation models offer an accessible and practical approach to veterinary endoscopy training, reducing reliance on live animals and expanding opportunities for deliberate practice in resource-limited settings. Future work should focus on formal validation and integration of objective performance assessment.
Accurate interpretation of domestic cat behavioural cues is critical for ensuring animal welfare and veterinary staff safety in clinical settings; however, the ability of veterinary students to reliably distinguish between affiliative and agonistic human-cat interactions remains underexplored. This study evaluated the ability of Australian veterinary students to accurately determine feline behavioural cues during human-cat interactions, utilising diagnostic sensitivity and specificity as measures of behavioural interpretation accuracy. A cross-sectional survey was distributed online to Australian veterinary students enrolled in an accredited veterinary program. Participants viewed 10 of 16 randomly selected short videos of human-cat interactions. The videos utilised were previously classified by an expert panel (of five) as affiliative or agonistic interactions, based on ≥80% consensus between the experts. Students classified each interaction as affiliative or agonistic, and diagnostic sensitivity (DSe) and diagnostic specificity (DSp) were calculated to determine student accuracy. Univariate metaregression was used to assess possible associations between accuracy measures and cat vocational experience, confidence in rating, cat ownership, and university year level. Students demonstrated higher sensitivity (DSe; 86.9%; 95% CI 84.3%-89.2%) than specificity (DSp; 65.4%; 95% CI 61.8%-68.8%). Student accuracy decreased when assessing subtle videos (DSe 78.5%; 95% CI 74.0%-82.4% and DSp 41.3%; 95% CI 35.9%-46.9%), suggesting that subtle agonistic cues were frequently misclassified. There were no significant associations identified between diagnostic accuracy and any predictor (all p>0.05). Australian veterinary students may require additional education on cat behaviour cues, particularly subtle agonistic behaviours.
Shared Decision-Making (SDM) is a communication process that supports clinical decision-making by leveraging veterinary expertise and client knowledge to create feasible care plans and has been identified to have an important role in practicing the Spectrum of Care (SpoC). One decision-making aid, the Value Matrix (VM), has been developed to support student veterinarians and practicing veterinary professionals in the practice of SDM. Involving one-on-one semistructured interviews, the present study explored veterinary clients' and veterinarians' perceptions of the VM. Interviews were conducted with 21 veterinary clients and 14 veterinarians. Content analysis was performed on verbatim transcripts. All client participants (CPs) (21/21, 100%) and most veterinarian participants (VPs) (12/14, 86%) had an immediate positive reaction to a video example of the VM used in a clinical context. All participants identified advantages to using the VM in support of veterinarian-client decision-making, including the ability to involve the client, address client and patient barriers, and assist clients with information recall and understanding. CPs and VPs described some potential challenges, most commonly, fitting discussion of the VM within allotted appointment times. CPs and VPs identified that the VM would be best utilized in complex cases in which preference-sensitive decisions existed. Overall, findings suggest that the VM offers a valuable communication aid for practicing veterinary professionals to consider when engaging clients in SDM. Furthermore, with a recognized need to support teaching SDM as part of educating veterinary professionals, findings suggest the VM also offers a potential educational resource to support the teaching of SDM to student veterinarians.
Ultrasonography is a challenging skill to teach given the long learning curve and requirement for hands-on practice, coupled with saturated veterinary academic programs and the shortage of academic veterinary radiologists. Ultrasound skill simulators can help bridge the gap by providing students with access to individual, reusable simulators for skill acquisition and practice. A reusable 3D SHAPES ultrasound skill simulator was created to teach basic ultrasound skills. Fifty second-year veterinary students watched an instructional video and performed two basic ultrasound skill tests on a simulator, separated by a period of practice. Students improved their time to completion on the second test by an average of 5.52 seconds. Improvements were also noted in the number of shapes they interrogated (16.8% increase, 3.64/5 to 4.48/5) and the average number of correctly identified shapes (19.6% increase, 2.08/5 to 3.06/5). The number of correctly located shapes increased in both planes (x-y: 2.18/5 to 2.56/5; x-z: 1.2/5 to 1.4/5). Feedback on a post-session survey was overwhelmingly positive, with 100% (50/50) students in agreement that the simulator should be incorporated into the curriculum, 98% (49/50) indicating that they would use the simulator again for practice, 92% (46/50) indicating that the simulator increased their basic ultrasound skills and knowledge, and 80% (40/50) indicating the simulator improved their confidence using ultrasound. Students were most challenged by the spatial reasoning component of the simulator and its curved surface, and overall considered it a valuable learning tool that improved their spatial reasoning abilities, skill, and confidence using ultrasound.
Despite the rapid feminization of the profession, in some regions in the world, women remain underrepresented in veterinary leadership roles worldwide. A similar trend is observed globally within veterinary medical institutions in which women are consistently underrepresented in senior leadership positions This highlights the importance of evaluating the continued gender inequity in academic advancement. This study employed a convenience sampling approach to recruit 33 women from eight geographical regions: the United States and Canada, Africa, Latin America, the Middle East, Australia and New Zealand, Asia, Continental Europe, and the United Kingdom and Ireland. All participants held leadership roles within veterinary education. The study aimed to explore the career paths of these women and to identify common themes, challenges, and regional differences in their leadership journeys. Participants took part in structured Zoom interviews that were analyzed using an inductive thematic analysis approach. Three themes were identified and were centered on leadership, opportunities, and challenges. Female veterinary leaders described being motivated by beneficence and the desire to serve, develop others, and improve veterinary medical education despite persistent challenges related to gender, culture, limited financial support, and ongoing dependent-care demands. Although similarities and differences were noted across geographical regions, participants from Africa and Latin America reported heightened challenges linked to gender bias and cultural and societal expectations. The findings underscore the resilience of female veterinary leaders and highlight the need for continued research and initiatives to foster networks, enhance sponsorship opportunities, and establish formal leadership programs that address the complexities of leadership in veterinary medical education.
Distributed teaching models replace traditional on-campus veterinary hospitals with networks of partner practices, enabling authentic workplace-based learning supported by clinical preceptors. Within this model, final-year veterinary students at the University of Surrey generate up to five personalized SMART (Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Relevant, and Time-bound) Learning Objectives (LOs) prior to each clinical placement to guide their self-directed development. This study aimed to investigate the nature and focus of these self-directed LOs to identify whether student priorities align with the competences required for successful transition to professional practice. This study analyzed 336 student-generated LOs from 68 final-year students to explore how learners conceptualize their goals as they transition into workplace-based education. Data were analyzed using inductive thematic analysis conducted independently by two researchers to enhance rigor and credibility. Emerging themes were compared, discussed, and refined through consensus. LOs were subsequently classified using Biggs' Structure of Observed Learning Outcomes (SOLO) taxonomy to assess levels of cognitive complexity. Four dominant themes were identified: application of knowledge, clinical competence development, professional identity formation, and communication and interpersonal skills. Most LOs were categorized as multistructural (61%, n = 209) or relational (36%, n = 122), indicating moderate to high cognitive complexity, with very few categorized at unistructural (3%, n = 9) or extended abstract levels (0.003%, n = 1). Although students strongly prioritized clinical competence development and professional identity formation, relatively few objectives explicitly addressed communication skills, despite their recognized importance in professional satisfaction, client relationships, and workforce retention. These findings provide insight into students' developmental priorities at a critical transition point in veterinary education. Supporting students to construct higher-order, integrative LOs and to foreground communication alongside technical competence may enhance deeper learning and better align workplace preparation with the realities of contemporary veterinary practice.
Transferable skills such as teamwork and communication are essential for success in any workplace, including veterinary practice. Veterinary schools are increasingly incorporating transferable skills into their curricula, but there is little in-depth research investigating how students engage with this teaching. Student engagement is a result of the interplay of numerous influences that include not just the teacher/teaching environment, but also the student's background, circumstances, and identity. Two focus groups with 7 students total were conducted to address the question of how students engage with transferable skills in the first year of a veterinary program and how their developing professional identity affects their decisions to engage. Reflexive thematic analysis was used. An overarching theme was developed of "who I am and who I want to be affects my engagement with transferable skills" encompassing the themes of "the unspoken culture of veterinary medicine impacts my decisions" and "recognizing and fostering diversity-transferable skills teaching must have value for me as an individual." Students identified factors that both hindered and promoted engagement with transferable skills, such as instructional methods, expertise and engagement of their instructors, and placement within the curriculum. They demonstrated strategic decision making regarding whether to engage, but also, as neophytes to the profession, sometimes relied on a fledgling professional identity without a full understanding of the possible implications (eg, by prioritizing short term goals or a clinical practice identity). These student insights could help educators design engaging transferable skills sessions that meet the learning goals of both students and the veterinary program.
During ambulatory practice, veterinary students spend time traveling between visits with the veterinarian. Focus groups were conducted in person with final-year veterinary students (six groups, 25 students in total) and online with veterinarians involved in teaching at production animal ambulatory practices (six groups, 23 veterinarians in total) to investigate how the time in the vehicle was used for student learning and explore the experiences of both groups in depth. A process of inductive, reflexive thematic analysis was used to analyze the focus group data. Non-clinical discussions were important to build rapport and help create an environment conducive to learning. Travel time on the way to the farm was used to discuss the upcoming visit, establish student knowledge level, and set expectations for involvement with cases. Travel time after the visit was useful for de-briefing. Clinical discussions enable students to apply their knowledge to real-life cases. Prior awareness of planned work to facilitate preparation for clinical discussions in the vehicle was important to the students, as well as the veterinarian's questioning style during clinical discussions. The time students and veterinarians spend traveling between visits is unique to ambulatory practice and represents a valuable opportunity for teaching and learning. Our study findings can help universities enhance training for veterinarians involved in teaching students during ambulatory rotations and improve student preparation so that both veterinarian and student can use the time in the vehicle as effectively as possible to support and enhance learning.
The purpose of this study was to determine the characteristics of programs that anesthesia and neurology residency applicants evaluate when deciding where to apply and rank residency programs and relate these characteristics to the applicant's core values. This was designed as a cross-sectional interview-focused qualitative data study. Interview questions were designed to elicit characteristics of a residency program and applicant values through means-end choice theory. Relationships among characteristics, consequences, and values were determined by one author as informed by the data and themes identified in previous publications. Fourteen interviews were completed (six with anesthesiology applicants and eight with neurology applicants). Common themes were identified in both groups, with no meaningful distinctions identified between the two groups. Program characteristics identified were caseload, foreign student acceptance, interest in applicants, location, mentorship, number of mentors, number of residents, on-call responsibilities, online program information, positive working environment, program stability, reputation, research opportunities, resident support, salary, structure, and teaching opportunities. Consequences identified were acceptance to a program, becoming a competent academic, becoming a competent clinician, completing the program and passing boards, enjoying learning, enjoying work, meeting financial needs, social support, and time outside of work. Values identified were achievement, belonging, impact, security, and well-being. Residency programs should consider how they can align their characteristics with those desired by applicants.
