The effect of online communication skills training on dairy veterinarians’ scores in the Veterinary DialogueTrainer, an online gaming tool.

Abstract

Effective communication is essential in modern bovine veterinary practice, particularly as the focus shifts from individual animal care towards herd health and production management (HHPM). However, many bovine practitioners lack formal training in communication skills (CS), which limits their ability to influence farmer behavior and implement sustainable changes. This study explores the impact of a CS webinar, based on the Calgary-Cambridge Guide and Motivational Interviewing, on performance in the Veterinary DialogueTrainer (VDT), a serious game designed to improve CS through simulated conversations with virtual clients. Two groups of Flemish bovine practitioners participated: a Webinar Group (n = 13) who completed the VDT during the webinar, and a Control Group (n = 14) who first completed the VDT independently and then again during the webinar. Data from the VDT, including first-attempt scores, highest scores, and number of attempts, were compared between groups. Results showed that the webinar seemed to have a positive influence on the first attempt scores. Combining the results of the highest scores and number of attempts, the Webinar Group appeared to be more motivated to try and achieve higher scores. The results suggest that the CS webinar could be beneficial in improving performance in the VDT, through both application of learned theories, and increased motivation.