The objective of this mixed-methods, cross-sectional study was to evaluate faculty perspectives regarding Day One-Ready (DOR) content on examination questions given to students at a veterinary medical college and to elucidate whether differing viewpoints on what information constitutes DOR knowledge exist among different veterinary disciplines. Twelve faculty members at a veterinary medical college from three different disciplines (small animal internal medicine, surgery, and primary care) reviewed examination questions given to veterinary students, answered the questions, and stated whether they tested DOR information. After elimination of items not answered by all respondents and after reviewing for question quality, 103 questions remained for analysis. An evaluator from each discipline participated in a discussion about DOR content. Of the questions, 30% were unanimously considered to assess DOR information. No association was found between type of question (medicine, surgery, uncategorized) and whether it was considered DOR. Primary care doctors assessed more questions as testing DOR information than either type of specialist. Questions answered correctly were more likely to be assessed as DOR. During discussion, themes identified with DOR information included common conditions, practical diagnostics, critical knowledge, and discriminating between differential diagnoses. Specialists and primary care doctors differed in their assessment of DOR questions. Veterinary faculty should carefully consider whether examination questions contain DOR information and are appropriate for testing knowledge of the entry-level veterinarian.
Keywords: Day One Ready; critical knowledge; examination writing; specialist bias.