Building a Diverse Pipeline: The Current State of Outreach and Engagement Efforts in Veterinary Medicine

Abstract

African Americans make up less than 3% of veterinarians despite being over 14% of the population. The lack of diversity stems from a history of racial inequality, Southern schools and universities were not integrated until the 1950s, and there is only one historically Black veterinary school (Tuskegee University College of Veterinary Medicine [TUCVM]), which was founded in 1945. Since the founding of TUCVM, the number of African American veterinarians skyrocketed. With the diversity efforts of veterinary schools, mentoring and outreach programs, and the founding of new veterinary schools (including another HBCU), the diversity in veterinary medicine will increase exponentially.

Keywords: DEI; Diversity in veterinary medicine; Vet for a day; Veterinary medicine.