Teaching Tip: Practical Strategies for Adapting Team-Based Learning in Veterinary Education

Team-based learning (TBL) has shown promise in promoting active learning and clinical reasoning in health professions education, yet its implementation in veterinary curricula remains seemingly variable and at times, intimidating. This teaching tip demonstrates how TBL can be adapted and implemented to meet an instructor's specific needs. It uses a third-year veterinary elective course to illustrate how the approach reinforces core curriculum content and promotes experiential learning through small-group clinical reasoning and discussion. Despite initial challenges, including student resistance to pre-session work, technical difficulties with digital platforms, and variability in faculty familiarity with TBL, using a modified TBL approach yielded positive outcomes in student engagement and faculty collaboration. The course redesign emphasized a stepwise introduction to TBL, allowing for gradual adoption while maintaining alignment with core learning objectives. Some limitations noted during the initial redesign included logistical challenges such as the Canvas Learning Management System (LMS) platform and manual grading of free-text responses. Group dynamics also varied, particularly among students with differing clinical interests, underscoring the importance of thoughtful team composition. These insights have informed future directions, including expanded faculty training, increased use of traditional TBL elements such as Readiness Assurance Tests (RATs), and improved digital infrastructure. Overall, this initiative represents a meaningful step toward a more scalable and effective TBL model in veterinary education, with the potential to enhance both student learning and faculty engagement.