Vets are ‘trusted professionals’: Student internship reflections on the significance of climate and sustainability education in Veterinary Medicine.

As part of the ‘Future Leaders Program’ hosted by Cambridge Zero, The University of Cambridge, I spent my summer carrying out an evaluation of climate and sustainability education within the Cambridge Department of Veterinary Medicine. The aims of this project were to identify why climate and sustainability education is important within veterinary medicine, highlight current good practice within the Department and make recommendations for the development of climate and sustainability education in teaching and practice. The project involved a literature review following on to student and staff interviews which were evaluated and collated to produce a final report and presentation to the Department. Recommendations generated ranged from specific lecture content changes identified through a curriculum audit, to more large-scale departmental policy and practice alterations.

Firstly, it was important to understand what was involved in ‘climate and sustainability education’. The term covers teaching and learning that enables students to gain an understanding of how climate and sustainability themes, issues and solutions relate to their discipline and future. Within the context of this project, ‘climate and sustainability’ themes remained broad encompassing environmental, social, human and economic sustainability. This broadness was an intentional choice, to allow for considerations of interacting challenges and solutions to global crises, particularly in relation to the skills students can gain from their time at university.

A key takeaway from understanding why climate and sustainability education is important in veterinary medicine, and from the project as a whole, was the role of vets as ‘trusted professionals’.

Veterinary professionals exist at the interfaces of both science, industry and public life; and animal, human and environmental health.

Having knowledge of how our world is changing and the impacts it has on their clients and patients is key to ensure the care they provide is informed and effective. This importance of understanding of how veterinary medicine contributes to and is impacted by climate and sustainability issues, extends to the university education received by veterinary students.

Carrying out interviews with staff and students from The University of Cambridge and other institutions, as well as from veterinary backgrounds and other disciplines, was a personal highlight of the project. The student interviews were a particularly important experience for me, I feel so lucky to have spoken with such capable and passionate students who have such integral insights to the delivery of climate and sustainability education. For me, these conversations solidified the importance of the student voice when considering climate and sustainability education integration. While Departmental staff are major drivers of current and future changes, being on the receiving end of these changes leaves students as an important source of information regarding the efficacy and quality of climate and sustainability education.

Overall, the recommendations resulting from this project were specific to the institution and teaching practice carried out at the time. Underlying themes throughout the recommendations were, the importance of student input, considering climate and sustainability as interconnected issues/solutions and importantly, the need for individual groups and staff to consider how climate and sustainability themes can be integrated into their practice. The importance of continued work was emphasised, with the point stressed that this project aimed to serve as a starting point, encouraging sustained effort to implement and build upon the content of the final report and project overall.

Following the conclusion of this project, thanks to the incredible work of Cambridge Zero and the Cambridge Veterinary Medicine Department, the work generated has continued to have an impact, shaping policy and practice. Results of the project were shared with all teaching staff and students within the Department, and with teaching leads across the wider Schools of Biological Sciences and Clinical Medicine. Veterinary staff as ‘trusted professionals’ and further information on the relevance of sustainability/planetary health is now included in lecture content delivered to aproximately 275 students. Combined with the implementation of other more specific recommendations, I am incredibly happy with the outcomes of this project and have high hopes for the future of climate and sustainability education in this Department and beyond.

Beyond the project itself, the work I was part of over the summer was an amazing experience which taught me so much. Coming to this project from a different institution and from a field of study unrelated to veterinary medicine or sustainability, was challenging however I believe it gave me the unique opportunity to approach challenges from a different perspective and think outside of the box. Running this student-led audit/consultancy style project provided the Department with a dedicated member of staff to fully delve into climate and sustainability education practices as well as giving myself an incredible opportunity to learn from inspiring people and ability to build on my own professional skills.