Perfil e afinidade pela área de alimentos dos estudantes de veterinária

Abstract

Veterinary medicine students receive a multidisciplinary education so that they have a generalist training, in order to be able to meet the needs demanded by society. However, due to the influence of popular knowledge, many students enter the course with the intention of being professionals with a curative profile, ignoring other areas, such as preventive medicine. Thus, the objective of this research was to analyze the profile and affinity for the area of inspection of food of animal origin of students from the veterinary medicine course at UFFS - Campus Realeza. The research was carried out through the application of a questionnaire, online. 270 students participated in the research, including undergraduates, dropouts and egresses. The profile of participants was mostly women (72.6%), young people aged 20 to 25 years (60%) and from the South region (77.8%). And 91.1% of participants said they chose the course by identification and affinity, initially in the areas of clinic or surgery for small and large animals (35.9% and 29.3% respectively). However, 45.2% changed their opinion in relation to the area initially chosen. Of the participants, 96.7% consume animal products and 73.3% were aware that the veterinarian could work in the food area, with a linear growth in the responses from the first to the fifth year about working in this area. Thus, it is notable to observe the choice of clinics for newcomers to veterinary medicine, but it is necessary to carry out educational and informative work in order to raise awareness in the community and encourage students to interact and participate with all possible areas of veterinary medicine, so that these comprise the vast field of action.