UK practitioners' motivations and experiences of farm animal internship programmes

Abstract

Background: Recruitment and retention of practicing farm animal veterinary surgeons is of growing importance in the UK. Farm animal internships are one route for early career veterinarians to pursue, and can be offered by both universities and corporate practices. Aims: This survey established the motivations, experiences and drivers for farm animal veterinary surgeons undertaking internships. Methods: An online questionnaire consisting of 14 questions of both free text and multiple-choice questions was used to evaluate the opinions of veterinarians who have undertaken farm animal internships in the UK. Findings: The main motivation for carrying out an internship was the desire for support, which was stated by 63.3% of participants. Interns who received weekly or fortnightly contact with a mentor were significantly more likely to regard this as sufficient (P<0.05) compared to interns whose support was less frequent. Conclusions: The results of this questionnaire suggest that internship programmes are well received by those undertaking them.