Progress Report

MEMORANDUM

To: Dr. Erika Paterson

From: Sydney Storie

Date: July 10, 2020

Subject: Progress Report

Dear Dr. Erika Paterson,

I would like to inform you that I have posted my progress report below enclosed with links to my survey and interview questions. I have prepared a report that includes the necessary details outlined in Unit 2:3. Please provide any recommendations or feedback that is necessary, it is very much appreciated.

Audience

The primary audience for this proposal is intended for the University of Guelph, Dean of Veterinary Medicine, Dr. Jeffrey Wichtel. The secondary audience pertains to the veterinary committee involved in the panel interviews and criteria assessment of the potential candidates applying for the Ontario College of Veterinary medicine at the University of Guelph.

Purpose

Due to Canadian Veterinary Schools being region-based, there is a cause for concern for residents of British Columbia, Manitoba, Saskatchewan, and the Territories because there are limited seats for the program resulting in an extremely low acceptance rate for these applicants. Therefore, the purpose of this report is to increase the number of seats available for prospective veterinary students who reside outside of the designated province, the proposal focuses primarily on the issues that BC residents face when applying to veterinary school.

Significance

This proposal is significant to the intended audience because hundreds of applicants residing in British Columbia have applied to veterinary school over the past several years, with only 20 seats allotted in all of Canada for BC residents, the competition is fierce. This proposal is intended to allow BC residents to have a fair application process to Canada’s top veterinary school, The Ontario College of Veterinary Medicine at the University of Guelph.

Research Plan

• Identify the problem
  • Region-based veterinary schools across Canada
  • Only one veterinary school that accepts BC residents
  • Limited intake causing extremely competitive entry process
  • Issue of obtaining residency to apply to veterinary school in some provinces.
  • Change of career path if the applicant was unsuccessful
  • Increase in financial debt if the applicant studies veterinary medicine overseas
• An online survey will be distributed to individuals who have applied to veterinary school in Canada.
• A short interview with BC residents on recommendations for change to further increase success in acceptance rate for veterinary school.
• An online survey for Canadian citizens who have attended veterinary school abroad because they were unsuccessful in being accepted in a Canadian Veterinary program. Focus on the issues this has created ex) funding, relocation.
• Research appropriate funding organizations that can be of assistance to allocate more seats for out of province applicants.
• Determine finances of adding additional seats for the Ontario College of Veterinary medicine at the University of Guelph.
• Evaluate and interpret survey responses from current vet students and unsuccessful applicants
• Review statistical reports from the University of Guelph
• Review the Canadian Veterinary Journal to review reports, past proposals, and recommendations and solutions to problems related to the issue at hand.

Writing Schedule

• Create a survey and prepare interview questions (completed)
• Distribute survey after approved by Dr. Erika Paterson (July 13, 2020)
• Create a proposed budget plan for the University of Guelph for increasing the out of province seat availability (July 15, 2020)
• Review statistical reports provided from the University of Guelph and prepare a more feasible approach (July 18, 2020)
• Review, analyze and interpret survey results (July 20, 2020)
• Review documentation and reports from the University of California Davis and provide techniques to back up my proposal for the University of Guelph (July 22, 2020)
• Draft up proposal to increase the number of seats for out of province applicants for the Ontario College of Veterinary Medicine (July 27, 2020)
• Revise the draft proposal (July 29, 2020)
• Post-draft proposal on team forum (August 1, 2020)
• Review peer review and adjust as needed (August 7, 2020)

Thank you for taking the time to review my progress report. 

Enclosures:

Survey questions for students: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSeZCM-NUWci6pQnAh26Voyxm-zeznWmUcTAF3AawdTrvISk7A/viewform

Interview questions for students: http://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdOZH0aFmP-9a-dEvUMKXDxiBLIYwaUaC1fFP9fW1HWs5prRA/viewform?vc=0&c=0&w=1