Variability and Misalignment in Pre-Clinical Veterinary Microbiology Education: Implications for Competency-Based Training

Microbiology is fundamental to veterinary medicine, providing the scientific basis for infectious disease diagnosis, antimicrobial stewardship, vaccination, bio-security, zoonotic disease management, and public health. Despite its importance, little information exists regarding how pre-clinical veterinary microbiology is taught or how curricular content aligns with competency-based veterinary education (CBVE). A survey conducted in collaboration with the American Association of Veterinary Medical Colleges (AAVMC) examined curricular structure, faculty composition, instructional methods, and conceptual priorities among accredited veterinary colleges in North America and Europe. Responses from 24 institutions and reviews of 24 course syllabi revealed substantial variability in disciplinary organization, instructional approaches, faculty expertise, and assessment practices. Most programs delivered microbiology through discipline-specific courses and relied primarily on lecture-based instruction. Learning objectives were common, but explicit competency statements and mapping to CBVE competencies were rare. These findings suggest a disconnect between traditional microbiology curricula and emerging competency-based educational frameworks. Development of discipline-specific competencies, systematic curriculum mapping, and greater integration of foundational sciences with clinical training may improve alignment between microbiology education and professional outcomes.