Understanding the Quiet Student: Perspectives from Instructors and Students.

A significant proportion of students in a given course may choose not to participate verbally. Instructor concerns about these "quiet" students include lack of participation in social aspects of learning and difficulty in assessing student engagement and understanding. Instructors and students at a college of veterinary medicine completed anonymous surveys.

Professional development training through the veterinary curriculum at the University of Minnesota.

Veterinary education has traditionally focused on clinical skills. Success as a practicing veterinarian, however, also depends on good communication skills, emotional intelligence, and other "soft" skills that can lead to greater employee and employer satisfaction and increased practice revenue. The University of Minnesota has approached this curricular need by convening a task force and creating a series of courses aimed at improving leadership skills, teamwork, and verbal and written communication; managing conflict; and understanding ethics and personal finance.