CasePALs offers multifaceted benefit to veterinary students, including:

1. Early access to real-life clinical scenarios. Preclinical students can analysis a case selected according to the body system being taught, bringing the classroom curriculum literally ‘to life’ and embedding the relevance of the taught material. For students in later years, this facility may serve as a learning and then revision tool in preparation for clinical years and OSCE examinations. Following graduation, continued engagement will provide ongoing education to new graduates.

2. Peer-led education, which is superior to conventional learning in medical education (Allikmets et al 2016). Giving students responsibility for teaching enhances leadership, presentation and organisational skills, which are key transferable skills in clinical practice. The ‘case of the week’ will be reviewed by a senior clinician, which exposes the students and tutor to giving and receiving feedback, improving confidence and learning. Finally, clinical students have more recently undertaken the preclinical course and therefore when choosing cases aimed at preclinical years, may select more relevant cases to augment the course.

3. Positive contribution towards mental health. Kogan (2005) reported high levels of stress in veterinary students moving into practical/professional areas; Armitage-Chan (2019) found that feeling inferior to peers when diagnosing and solving a case is contributing to mental health issues in vets. This website would encourage discussion of real case scenarios from day 1 of the undergraduate course, which may make the transition from the classroom to the hospital less stressful. Uniquely, the educational experience can be tailored according to learning preferences: the student can ‘manage’ as many cases as desired, select specific types of cases, and use a group or individual approach. This may reduce worries relating to inferiority.