New graduates' conceptions of and approaches to veterinary professional practice, and relationships to achievement during an undergraduate internship programme.

New graduate veterinarians report differing experiences of the transition to practice. Some make a rapid transition to professional autonomy while others require prolonged and extensive support from their colleagues. Factors contributing to this variation are unclear. This study used phenomenography to analyse the conceptions of and approaches to veterinary professional practice (VPP) reported by new graduates in semi-structured interviews (n = 22). Quantitative statistical analysis was used to investigate links between the quality of graduates' experiences and their achievement during a comprehensive final year internship programme. Strong associations were identified between the quality of graduates' conceptions of and approaches to VPP. Links were also established between the quality of graduates' conceptions of VPP and their performance in practice prior to graduation. The outcomes of this research can be used to improve teaching and assessment during final year internships and enhance graduate attribute statements for professional degree programmes. The results also indicate that student learning research methodologies can be used to evaluate the quality of graduates' experiences in the workplace. This has implications for career outcomes research in a range of healthcare professions.