Not Just Play: Why Gamification Has Always Belonged in Serious Veterinary Education
Reframing Gamification in Veterinary Education
Think back to the last time you watched a student light up while learning. Maybe it was during a case discussion that got a little competitive—or when a quiz game sparked laughter and debate. That’s the power of gamification.
It isn’t new. And it isn’t just fluff. For years, medical education has used game-informed tools to sharpen clinical reasoning, build confidence, and encourage deeper engagement. Veterinary education is catching up—and that’s a good thing.
Gamification as Intentional Instruction
Done well, gamification is just another smart design decision. It aligns naturally with how we already scaffold and structure our teaching:
Merrill’s Principles remind us to activate prior knowledge and offer real-world tasks. Games do exactly that.
Gagné’s Events of Instruction ask us to grab attention, guide learning, and give feedback. Gamification shines here.
Bloom’s Taxonomy? Most good games ask learners to apply, analyze, and evaluate.
This isn’t about replacing fundamentals—it’s about reinforcing them. Games create safe space to try, fail, and try again. That’s meaningful learning.
Three Common Types of Gamification (And When They Work)
Let’s break down what we mean when we talk about gamifying a course:
Structural Gamification
What it is: Points, badges, leaderboards—layered over existing content.
Why it works: Motivates some learners, especially in review or practice settings.
Limitations: Risk of feeling superficial. Progress doesn’t always equal understanding.
Content Gamification
What it is: Turning content into games—think flashcard apps, review battles, or card games.
Why it works: Helps with recall. Great for lower-stakes reinforcement.
Limitations: May focus on speed over reasoning. Not ideal for nuanced clinical decision-making.
Scenario-Based (Immersive) Gamification
What it is: Branching scenarios or clinical simulations where choices matter.
Why it works: Deeply engaging. Mimics real-life complexity and uncertainty.
Limitations: Takes time to design and implement well.
Where It Fits Best
Gamification works best in partnership with other formats. Use it to:
Reinforce lecture material with case-based quizzes.
Add interactivity to asynchronous e-courses.
Debrief clinical skills labs with group games or challenge reviews.
It’s especially valuable for topics that benefit from repetition, clinical reasoning, or confidence building—like antibiotic selection, triage, or radiograph interpretation.
Example: A Gamified CBL Experience
Let’s say we’re designing a self-paced module for fourth-years. We call it:
"The Unraveling Case"
Scenario: A dog presents with vague signs. The learner walks through the case—taking a history, ordering tests, interpreting results, and choosing a treatment plan.
Game Mechanics:
Confidence Points gained or lost based on decisions.
Branching case paths and time-limited triage moments.
Feedback after every choice, plus “coach’s notes” from a virtual mentor.
Optional leaderboard for friendly competition.
What it reinforces:
EPAs 1–3, including clinical reasoning, communication, and professionalism.
Builds comfort in uncertainty. Encourages thoughtful trial-and-error.
Final Thoughts: It’s Not About Flash—It’s About Fit
We don’t select games for labs or e-content because they’re flashy. We use them because, when aligned to the right goals, they work. They give learners space to think, reflect, and build clinical judgment in low-stakes ways.
If you’ve ever watched a student passionately explain, perhaps even defend, the “right” differential or redo a case just to see what happens—then you’ve seen gamification at its best.
So maybe the question isn’t should we gamify? It’s how do we design the right game for the job?
Selected Sources for Further Reading:
1. Graafland, M., Schraagen, J. M., & Schijven, M. P. (2012)
Title: Systematic review of serious games for medical education and surgical skills training
Journal: Surgical Endoscopy, 26(7), 2051–2059
DOI: 10.1007/s00464-011-2104-8
Summarizes evidence on serious games enhancing both cognitive and technical training for health professionals.
2. Akl, E. A., Pretorius, R. W., Sackett, K., Erdley, W. S., Bhoopathi, P. S., Alfarah, Z., & Schünemann, H. J. (2013)
Title: Educational games for health professionals
Journal: Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, 2013(3), CD006411
DOI: 10.1002/14651858.CD006411.pub3
A systematic review evaluating the impact of educational games on knowledge, skills, and behaviors in health professions.
3. Boeker, M., Andel, P., Vach, W., & Frankenschmidt, A. (2013)
Title: Game-based e-learning is more effective than a conventional instructional method: a randomized controlled trial with third-year medical students
Journal: PLoS ONE, 8(12), e82328
DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0082328
Demonstrates statistically significant learning gains and greater engagement in a gamified e-learning format.
