INNOVATIVE APPROACHES TO THE FORMATION OF A SAFETY CULTURE AMONG APPLICANTS FOR HIGHER EDUCATION IN THE SPECIALTY "VETERINARY MEDICINE"

Abstract

The article examines modern approaches to the formation of a safety culture among future veterinary medicine specialists in the context of the transformation of the professional environment, digitalization of education, and the growing level of occupational risks. The study analyzes the peculiarities of professional training of higher education students taking into account current challenges related to biological, psychophysiological, technogenic, and military threats. The main hazardous factors of veterinary professional activity are identified, including contact with biological materials, the risk of occupational infection, work with aggressive animals, emotional overload, lack of practical experience, and the necessity of decision-making in crisis situations.
Special attention is paid to insufficiently studied aspects of safety culture formation, particularly the development of students’ psycho-emotional resilience, prevention of professional burnout, readiness for professional activity under emergency conditions, and ensuring safe professional behavior during martial law. The expediency of applying a risk-oriented approach, interactive educational technologies, practice-oriented teaching methods, case-study technology, situational modeling, and elements of crisis training in the professional education of future veterinary specialists is substantiated.
The article presents the results of an experimental study on the effectiveness of implementing innovative methods of safety culture formation among students majoring in H6 “Veterinary Medicine”. It has been established that the integrated combination of practical training, psychological support, stress-resistance training, and elements of civil protection contributes to increasing the level of safety culture formation, developing a responsible attitude toward professional activity, and reducing the number of mistakes made during practical veterinary procedures.