Young and evolving: A narrative of veterinary educational research from early leaders

Narrative inquiry is a qualitative research approach that tells the story of lived experiences through the eyes of those who experienced it, as interpreted by the researcher(s). Veterinary educational research (VER) is a relatively new and emerging field with an increasing number of faculty champions spread around the world. The lived experiences of some of the faculty who were involved in VER from the early days and have produced a body of work contributing to the growth of the discipline tells a collective story that outlines the challenges and benefits of being trailblazers for a new field of inquiry. The specific challenges identified included lack of resources, a sense of isolation, lack of respect for the discipline, and having to acquire the skills and knowledge necessary to successfully transition from a clinical to an education focus. Their individual narratives also provided an overall positive outlook on the field, from influencing school policies to better, more satisfying teaching and leadership roles; from the excitement of learning a new discipline to nurturing future veterinary education researchers, the participants were generally upbeat about the value their contributions have made and will continue to make. This study provides a narrative that weaves together the individual stories of these VER trailblazers, based on semi-structured interviews conducted during 2020; it demonstrates the ongoing need to support those who choose to pursue VER, cultivate a culture where veterinary medicine values such research, and begin training veterinarians to engage in it early in their careers.