Students of veterinary medicine usually study in large groups. This factor favours anonymity and hiding
behind classmates. The majority of classes are practical, but a lot of material should be self-studied, remembered
and understood. Basic subjects, such as chemistry and biochemistry, are taught in the 1st and 2nd years, when
students have not yet learnt how to study and how to meet the requirements, which are different from those
in the secondary school. This may easily lead to failure in the exams and problems with the organisation of
studying. Moreover, it is not easy to change the students’ preconception that chemistry is difficult and impossible
to learn, and to convince them that these subjects are indispensable for veterinarians. The aim of the project
was to raise the motivation of weak students and to increase their progress in studying. Twenty-six students
who had shown no progress were selected. Classes were conducted in small 3- to 5-student groups. Various
tools that were used in the project came from the previous courses of team members and from the Masters
of Didactics training programme, e.g. flipped classroom and discussion in the group. All students involved
in the project changed their methods of studying and successfully passed exams. Tutoring proved successful
in teaching veterinary medicine because this kind of studies involves teaching students how to talk, conduct
clinical reasoning and integrate knowledge from different disciplines. In conclusion, tutoring can be used as
a supplementary method of teaching basic subjects to veterinary students.