The Cost of Caring

This study used semi-structured qualitative interviews and focus groups with 29 veterinary students to explore, through a modified Expectancy-Value Framework, how they valued resources such as “Strengths and Opportunities” reports and faculty mentorship while preparing for the North American Veterinary Licensing Exam. We used case study (Yin, 2013) as a strategy, making this a single-case study. ● Study Proposition I: Student success depends on their motivation to use various resources. ● Study Proposition II: Licensure attainment depends on the value veterinary students place on preparing for the NAVLE. ● Study Proposition III: Veterinary students’ commitment is influenced primarily by the value they place on passing the NAVLE. To include abductive logical reasoning into this case study, we also proposed the following counter propositions: ● Counter-Study Proposition I: Student success is not dependent solely on the motivation to utilize resources, but rather on whether those resources are perceived as effective or ineffective. ● Counter-Study Proposition II: Passing the NAVLE is not dependent on the value students place on available resources, but upon other explanatory factors that will be uncovered through this research study. ● Counter-Study Proposition III: Veterinary students’ commitment is primarily influenced by factors beyond their commitment to pass the NAVLE. Interview protocols were counterbalanced in line with Campbell & Stanley's (1966) quasi-experimental design #11. Data were analyzed using causal coding (Saldaña, 2013) techniques. Results showed that students valued mentorship and reports, but expressed concerns about time-management, inconsistent feedback, and the effectiveness of available resources. Despite high intrinsic motivation, driven by career goals, struggles with time and effort persisted. To boost confidence and performance, institutions should offer tailored support, stronger faculty mentoring, personalized feedback, and resources aligned with academic and future needs.