Exploring how end-of-life management is taught to Australasian veterinary students. Part 1: technical euthanasia.
Authors: Littlewood Katherine E, Beausoleil Ngaio J, Stafford Kevin J, Stephens Christine, Collins Teresa, Fawcett Anne, Hazel Susan, Lloyd Janice K F, Mallia Catherine, Richards Leonie, Wedler Nicole K, Zito Sarah
Journal: The Veterinary record
Summary
# Editorial Summary: Teaching Euthanasia Techniques in Australasian Veterinary Schools Competency in performing euthanasia is a core clinical skill, yet little was known about how systematically this knowledge is delivered across veterinary curricula. Researchers conducted structured interviews with educators across all eight Australasian veterinary schools to map how end-of-life management—specifically the technical aspects of euthanasia—is taught to students in livestock, equine, companion animal and avian/wildlife contexts. The findings revealed a clear progression bias: euthanasia techniques were taught predominantly in clinical years rather than preclinical training, and relied heavily on opportunistic learning from actual euthanasia consultations rather than structured practicum. Only a small number of schools provided supervised practice opportunities, and these were limited almost exclusively to livestock cases, with equine and companion animal students gaining experience primarily through observation rather than hands-on application. For equine professionals working alongside veterinarians, these gaps in practical training suggest that newly graduated vets may be less experienced in equine euthanasia than in other species, warranting careful consideration of supervision protocols and potentially creating opportunities for collaborative learning through mentorship models.
Read the full abstract on PubMed
Practical Takeaways
- •Veterinary graduates may have variable competency in euthanasia techniques depending on which school they attended and clinical opportunities encountered during training.
- •Practices should be prepared to provide additional mentoring and supervised practice in euthanasia techniques to new graduates, particularly for equine and companion animal cases.
- •Curriculum standardization across veterinary schools would help ensure all graduates develop consistent competency in this essential end-of-life management skill.
Key Findings
- •Euthanasia techniques were taught in clinical years at more universities than in preclinical years across all eight Australasian veterinary schools.
- •Clinical teaching of euthanasia relied primarily on opportunistic learning through euthanasia consultations rather than structured practical sessions.
- •Few universities provided students with hands-on practice performing euthanasia during consultations, with livestock being the only animal category where such practice opportunities existed.
- •Competency development in euthanasia techniques remains inconsistently addressed across Australasian veterinary curricula despite being an important clinical skill.