An Exploratory Qualitative Content Analysis of First-Year Veterinary Students' Perspectives on Conflict.

This article explores first-year veterinary students' perspectives on conflict as part of an instructional module on conflict management within a veterinary medical team communication course. Through qualitative analysis of students' reflective responses, four main themes emerged: recognition of the role of feelings and emotions in conflict, the importance of relying on objective facts rather than judgments, the value of competent communication skills (including active listening, empathy, and nonverbal awareness), and self-awareness of personal conflict behaviors and attitudes. Students acknowledged tendencies toward conflict avoidance and negative perceptions of conflict but expressed a commitment to adopting collaborative conflict resolution strategies in the future. The study highlights self-reflection as a key educational tool to enhance students' emotional intelligence and communication competence, which may improve teamwork, patient care, and learner well-being in veterinary settings.