believe & belong in veterinary medicine
full information packet
Our why
The veterinary profession faces a critical challenge: a lack of diverse and culturally competent professionals due to limited pathways for under-resourced individuals to enter the field.
The Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that veterinary medicine is one of the least diverse professions, where approximately 87% of veterinarians are white, 1.2% are Black, 3.6% are Asian, and 8.5% are Hispanic/Latinx.
This challenge cannot be fixed overnight due to the years of preparation that go into developing a veterinary professional and requires a long-term investment in diverse youth through mentorship and pathway programming.
The Human-Animal Bond Research Institute conducted a study in 2022 that found that 53% of BIPOC pet owners agree it is important for veterinarians and their staff members to reflect the racial/ethnic diversity of the communities they serve.
Additionally, a 2021 Nationwide Survey of Future Veterinarians conducted by Vet Set Go revealed a significant trend in the veterinary profession: 72% of aspiring veterinarians develop their interest in the field by age 12 or younger. This finding underscores the importance of engaging middle school students in veterinary medicine, particularly those from underrepresented communities.
87% of veterinarians are white, making veterinary medicine one of the least diverse professions.
53% of BIPOC pet owners agree it's important for veterinarians & staff to reflect the diversity of their communities.
72% of aspiring veterinarians develop their interest in the field by age 12 or younger.
Early interest in veterinary careers presents both opportunities and challenges. While it's encouraging to see young students passionate about animal care, it also highlights the need for targeted support and resources during these formative years.
Unfortunately, many talented middle and high school students from under-resourced communities often lack access to the guidance and resources necessary to pursue careers in veterinary medicine.
This disparity in access to information and support can have long-lasting effects on the diversity of the veterinary profession. Without proper encouragement and pathways to pursue their interests, these students may be discouraged from entering the field.
To address this issue, it's crucial to develop programs and initiatives that:
Provide early exposure to veterinary medicine for all students, especially those from under-resourced communities.
Offer mentorship opportunities connecting aspiring veterinary professionals with industry members.
Create accessible resources about veterinary careers and educational pathways.
Implement outreach programs targeting middle and high schools in under-resourced areas.
By focusing on these areas, we can ensure that any student interested in veterinary medicine has the support and resources to pursue their passion, ultimately leading to a veterinary profession where everyone feels they belong.
Program Description
blendVET developed "Believe and Belong in Veterinary Medicine," a pathway educational program addressing the lack of diversity and educational opportunities in veterinary medicine, and highlighting opportunities to overcome these barriers. The pathway program intentionally identifies, exposes, and supports under-resourced students considering a career in the veterinary industry.
The program introduces middle and high school students to veterinary careers through interactive workshops, mentorship opportunities, and hands-on experiences at local schools within regions with under-resourced populations. By targeting young students, blendVET aims to mentor under-resourced youth through their pathway in the veterinary profession.
Program Goal
The blendVET Foundation empowers under-resourced students and their support networks by creating pathways into veterinary medicine through mentorship, leadership, and immersive learning experiences.
Program Electives
In addition to the core Believe and Belong in Veterinary Medicine pathway event, blendVET offers several enhancements that host sites can elect to include (budget and resource contingent) to further enrich the program.
Parent Programming
Parents serve as key decision-makers and influencers in their children's educational journey. By partnering with parents, blendVET can provide the necessary resources and guidance to help them support their children's aspirations for a career in veterinary medicine. Our parent programming elective includes:
Educational Resources: live and virtual informational workshops, mentorship programs, and newsletters that can be accessed online in multiple languages.
Community-Based Resources: blendVET provides parents with information about available scholarship opportunities and veterinary enrichment programs (e.g., camps, shadowing, internships, etc.)
Access to Veterinary Care: VETunity Day
Believe and Belong in Veterinary Medicine events serve as an opportunity to partner with local humane societies and shelters to coordinate Access to Care as an elective program.
This elective combines educational outreach with practical veterinary care - addressing a critical accessibility issue in under-resourced communities.
By combining practical experience, community service, and education on critical issues such as limited resources and language barriers, the VETunity Day elective offers a unique and comprehensive approach to introducing under-resourced youth to veterinary medicine.
This elective benefits the community and provides students with invaluable hands-on experience in addressing real-world challenges related to veterinary care accessibility.
VETtalks: Virtual Programming
blendVET recognizes that it’s not logistically possible to host in-person programming in every deserving community. To ensure that all students interested in the veterinary industry have access to resources and mentorship opportunities, blendVET curated an online VETtalks series that highlights unique voices and roles within the profession. This free online programming is available on demand to any student worldwide.
The modules and supplemental instructional materials will continue to expand over time, continuously shaping the lives of future veterinary professionals. This is also an excellent opportunity for current veterinary professionals to give back and share their experience and wisdom with the next generation, fostering mentorship and community.
Students and parents have the opportunity to dive into various veterinary specialties to learn more about the industry across a variety of roles. blendVET’s nationally recognized educators provide educational enrichment opportunities for grade levels K-12. Additionally, the blendVET team maintains a growing list of resources for future veterinary professionals about scholarships, vet camps, internships, and much more.
Shop our merch collections.
Support Youth Pathways.
100% of proceeds benefit our Youth Pathways program, empowering middle & high school students to explore a career in veterinary medicine.