Variables Affecting Veterinary Students’ Ability to Accurately Interpret Ovulation in Live Mare Palpation

Abstract

In a veterinary medicine curriculum, students’ hands-on practice is essential but is still considered one of the major deficiencies in veterinary schools in Europe. After theoretical and basic practical training, students, under the control of experienced veterinarians (supervisors), monitored the reproductive cycle of embryo recipients by transrectal palpation and ultrasound. To evaluate the skills of students, the question “Has she ovulated?” was posed when a dominant follicle ≥ 35 mm was recorded in the previous day’s examination and a score of 1 or 0 was assigned in the case of a correct or incorrect answer (test palpation), respectively. Study 1 involved the retrospective evaluation of 3,509 test palpation records of 43 students (31 females, 12 males) and showed a statistically significant positive correlation between the number of test palpations performed and the proportion of correct answers. There was a statistically significant effect of the number of test palpations performed by each student, their gender, and the season on the correct answers. When performing > 50 test palpations, a statistical difference between gender was observed ( p < .05). Study 2 involved the prospective evaluation of 687 records on 52 standardbred or thoroughbred recipient mares collected from nine right-handed female students. The different mares, breed, occurrence of ovulation on the left or right ovary, and the presence of one or more large follicle(s) per ovary had no effect on the correct answers ( p > .05). Individual students’ performances were statistically different ( p < .05), ranging from 60% to 92%.