Undergraduate veterinary students' perceptions of the usefulness, focus, and application of epidemiology before and after epidemiology courses.

Student perception of the relevance of a topic is known to influence learning outcomes. To determine student perceptions of the usefulness, focus, and application of epidemiology, we conducted a study at two Australian veterinary schools in 2005. Veterinary students in year 3 at the University of Sydney and in year 5 at the University of Queensland completed a self-administered questionnaire at the commencement and conclusion of an epidemiology course. At both universities, while over 95% of students considered epidemiology to be "essential" or "quite useful" in cattle and sheep practice and in government practice, at the course end between 10% and 30% of students still did not consider epidemiology to be "essential" or "quite useful" in small-animal or equine practice. However, the percentage of students who considered that all veterinary work involved the application of epidemiological principles increased from 7% at course start to 15% at course end at the University of Sydney (p=0.188), and from 3% to 25% at the University of Queensland (p<0.001). The results indicate that, although some veterinary students, even at completion of an epidemiology course, still do not link epidemiology with an evidence-based medicine approach to patient care, undergraduate courses can positively change student perception of the usefulness, focus, and application of epidemiology. These findings will be used to refine the epidemiology courses analyzed to improve the learning outcomes of our students.