Believe and Belong in Veterinary Medicine

It’s no secret that veterinary medicine is among the least ethnically and racially diverse professions in the United States. While causes are multifactorial and systemic, blendVET and the NAVC have partnered to address this issue from the ground up — starting with exposing children to the world of veterinary medicine at an early age.

Overcoming the barrier to entrance to the veterinary profession starts with children seeing positive role models in veterinary medicine, being told they can and should pursue this career, and learning what the job entails. With its Believe and Belong in Veterinary Medicine event series, blendVET engages schools and kids across the country by enlisting nationally recognized veterinary professionals to spend the day teaching students about the basics of veterinary medicine and sharing their journey to the profession. Sessions include a variety of medicine-focused topics, from general practice and emergency medicine to surgery and zoo medicine, as well as next steps for those interested in pursuing a veterinary career by providing information about veterinary summer camps, in-clinic shadowing, and more.

In order to make events as accessible as possible, English- and Spanish-speaking sessions may be available depending on demand. While the kids are being immersed in the program, blendVET founder and CEO Niccole Bruno, DVM, hosts a parent presentation that centers on supporting a child’s pursuit in a career in veterinary medicine as well as providing a plethora of resources they can take away and apply from middle and high school through college.

Past Believe and Belong in Veterinary Medicine events sponsored by blendVET and the NAVC included sessions at VMX 2023 and 2024; a local college in Florida; and most recently a charter school in New Haven, Connecticut, with more to come in the future, including VMX 2025 hosted in Orlando, Florida, from January 25 to 29.

The NAVC is dedicated to being a driver for diversity, equity, inclusion, belonging, and wellbeing in the veterinary profession and looks forward to spearheading future initiatives and further supporting and uplifting organizations such as blendVET. These pipeline events are crucial for reaching minority populations in order to instill a sense of belonging and need for representation and share resources for encouraging higher education. It’s past time for the veterinary profession to be as diverse as the client and animal population they serve.