Online Education Experiences of Veterinary Medicine Students and Effect on Students’ Burnout

Abstract

In Turkey, when the first case of COVID-19 was announced, the following day education was suspended and later it was transformed into the online model. In such a brief period, students were expected to adapt to the online education system in terms of both technologically and mentally. An online survey was applied to students of a veterinary medicine faculty (n = 288) to identify students' online education experiences, the effect of living condi-tions and year of study on students' online education experiences and bur-nout scores, as well as the relationship between students' online education experiences and burnout components and the determinants of students' self-evaluation of their academic progress. Burnout scores of the students were assessed by the Maslach Burnout Inventory-Student Scale, which was adapted to Turkish language. Students living in remote areas, living in crowded environments, and students who lost motivation as a result of missing practical courses were found to have negative experiences. When students had negative experiences, emotional exhaustion and depersona-lization scores increased and personal accomplishment scores decreased. Students with high weighted grade point average, high emotional exha-ustion, high personal accomplishment, and low depersonalization scores rated their academic progress high. Reconstructing the online education model is vital for veterinary medicine faculties for an effective learning, considering vulnerable students' needs as well as providing students with adequate practical courses. This reconstruction would help to reduce the burnout scores of students.