Entrepreneurship education and veterinary medicine: enhancing employable skills

Abstract

Purpose

This paper has the purpose of exploring the potential for entrepreneurship education within veterinary medicine. It aims to examine some of the key themes in the entrepreneurship education literature, discuss the make‐up of the UK veterinary sector, consider veterinary curricula requirements and illustrate how entrepreneurship education can benefit veterinary students.

Design/methodology/approach

The approach adopted by the authors includes a literature review, in‐depth discussion and the development of hypotheses for further study.

Findings

Entrepreneurship education has the potential to make a valuable contribution to veterinary medicine curricula. This is due to the fact that the majority of veterinary graduates will work in or even own/co‐own a veterinary business (i.e. a small veterinary practice) at some point in their career. In this context, the authors illustrate how entrepreneurship education can enhance both employable and day one/year one skills. The high entry requirements for veterinary programmes and the gender shift towards a predominantly female under‐ and postgraduate population add further interesting dimensions to the paper and present possible avenues for further research.

Research limitations/implications

This is a conceptual paper and it is fully recognised that the concepts and hypotheses proposed need to be further developed and tested at the empirical level. Some interesting avenues for future research that could contribute significantly to this field are also identified.

Originality/value

The paper highlights the potential value of incorporating entrepreneurship education within veterinary curricula. It also identifies how such incorporation can enhance students' employable skills and deliver many of the skills included in veterinary medicine's day one/year one competences' agenda.

Citation

Henry, C. and Treanor, L. (2010), "Entrepreneurship education and veterinary medicine: enhancing employable skills", Education + Training, Vol. 52 No. 8/9, pp. 607-623. https://doi.org/10.1108/00400911011088944