Using the Humanities in Veterinary Education

Modern veterinary curricula are usually competency based and include extensive content which aims to develop professional skills and behaviours in student veterinary surgeons. Whilst the delivery of this content can be challenging, there is increasing recognition of the importance of these skills for success as a veterinary professional. Medical curricula have for some time utilised the humanities to balance the delivery of huge quantities of biomedical content and support the development of professional skills. This is achieved firstly through an instrumental approach, utilising medically focussed literature and the arts to develop empathy in students, and secondly through a non-instrumental approach where the humanities are taught alongside a core medical curriculum. Whilst evidence of effectiveness is limited, student feedback is frequently positive. Veterinary curricula are less well developed in their use of the humanities, but some examples are beginning to be described in the literature including the use of literature which focusses on the complexity of the human–animal bond and encourages students to reflect on the role of animals in their lives and that of their clients. The use of humanities focussing on animal welfare is also becoming more common as educators look to different approaches to develop ethical reasoning skills in veterinary students. Whilst the use of humanities is still in development in veterinary curricula, by learning from medical education this approach could be accelerated and offers promise for teaching professional skills to prepare students for an increasingly complex and challenging profession.