Veterinary students' choices of clinical extramural placements are associated with their final-year examination performance.

Balanced extramural clinical placement experience improves final-year examination performance in veterinary students.

This retrospective cohort study examined 639 UK veterinary students from the University of Liverpool to determine whether their choices of clinical extramural placements (EMS) correlated with final-year examination performance across three disciplines: livestock/One Health, equine, and small animal medicine. Students must complete 20 weeks of EMS in placements of their choice. The study analyzed examination marks and pass/fail outcomes using regression models, with EMS weeks in different disciplines as explanatory variables. Key findings demonstrated that increased EMS weeks in corresponding species or mixed practice were associated with improved examination marks. Notably, among students with weaker preclinical performance, those with balanced EMS experience (defined as ≥2 weeks in each species or ≥8 weeks in mixed practice) were significantly more likely to pass all final examinations. While the study provides valuable insights into EMS impact on academic performance, limitations include single-institution design and reliance on self-reported EMS data. The authors acknowledge that while clinical EMS is associated with examination performance, causality cannot be definitively established from this observational design.

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