believe & belong in veterinary medicine youth pathway event
Discover your future with our immersive, career exploration experience in veterinary medicine.
April 17th, 2026
9 am - 3 pm
St. Petersburg College
9200 113th Street North, Seminole, FL 33772
In partnership with
Love animals? Scrub in & discover a career in vet med.
Are you a student age 12-17 years old who loves animals and dreams of a career in veterinary medicine?
Our Youth Pathways program is your opportunity to explore the field through an immersive, hands-on experience—free thanks to our generous partners.
Explore
Get an inside look at different areas of veterinary medicine, including: General practice medicine, surgery & anesthesia, emergency medicine & critical care, dentistry, shelter medicine, nutrition, and so much more!
Learn
Step into the role of a veterinary professional, learn techniques to diagnose conditions, and perform simulated procedures in our mock stations, working alongside expert veterinarians and technicians.
Connect
Get mentorship from veterinary professionals who will support you on your career journey. Plus, develop opportunities for job shadowing at real veterinary clinics and hospitals.
What are Believe & Belong in Veterinary Medicine Youth Pathways events?
We’re creating veterinary career pathways for middle and high school students. Our engaging roadmap sets aspirational goals and provides hands-on experiences, inspiring the next generation of veterinary professionals.
Register Your Student!
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Register Your Student! ●
Heads up! A parent or guardian will need to fill out the registration for their student. We appreciate you making it official! Students must be completely registered to save their spot.
FAQs
Who Can Attend & What to Expect
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This is a hands-on, one-day event designed for youth 12–15 years old to explore careers in veterinary medicine. Students rotate through mock vet stations—think general practice, surgery, emergency care, and even dentistry! They’ll get to try out real tools (don’t worry—on realistic models!) and learn directly from veterinary professionals.
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Nope! Just bring a curious mind. We welcome anyone interested in animals, science, or healthcare. No previous experience is required.
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Practice suturing a simulated wound
Perform CPR compressions on a training mannequin
Drill (safely!) during a mock surgery demo
Clean animal teeth
Meet veterinary professionals, hear real stories, and explore career pathways
Gear up in surgical scrubs and gloves—it’s the full experience!
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Fair question! Students may encounter simulated blood or injury models, but everything is age-appropriate and focused on learning—not shock value. Students can opt out of any activity they’re not comfortable with.
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Not a penny. Thanks to our co-presenters and sponsors, this program (and all supplies, t-shirts, lunch, and snacks) is 100% free.
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We’re capping registration at 60 students. After that, we’ll start a waiting list and contact you in the order registrations were received when an open spot becomes available.
Food, Safety & Accommodations
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Yes! Lunch, snacks, and beverages are included.
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Absolutely. Just list any dietary or supply-related allergies (like latex) when registering. We’ve got your student covered.
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Totally. Our events are hosted at reputable venues, with safety protocols in place. Trained staff, licensed professionals, and volunteers will be present all day.
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Sure—especially if they have dietary restrictions. Just make sure snacks don’t include peanuts, peanut butter, or shellfish, to protect all students.
Event Logistics: When, Where, & What to Bring
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The student program runs from 9:00 AM to 3:00 PM (check your confirmation email for the specific date and location).
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Students must arrive by 9:00 AM and stay until 3:00 PM to get the full experience. Unfortunately, we can’t accommodate late arrivals or early departures.
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Comfort is key! Closed-toe shoes are a must (there will be live animals). We’ll provide a blendVET® event t-shirt upon check-in to wear during the day.
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Nope—just positive energy! We provide everything, from scrubs to supplies. Bonus: students receive a swag bag of goodies to take home.
Information for Family Members
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Pick-up is at 3:00 PM sharp. Timely pick-up helps us break down the event smoothly.
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Yes, but safety first: Students can only be released to an adult authorized in writing during registration. That adult must present a valid government-issued ID.
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We’ll try to honor group requests, but our goal is to build learning-focused teams. Final groups are assigned strategically, and we don’t make changes the day of the event.
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Only students aged 12–17 can register. Older siblings may be considered if space is available—email us at pathwaydevelopment@blend.vet to check. Unfortunately, we can’t accommodate kids under 12 due to activity requirements.
Registration & Other General Questions
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Click the “Register Now” button above on the event page. You’ll get a confirmation email and any necessary forms right after.
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Yes! We will contact students on the waitlist if a spot becomes available. Spots will be held for a limited time until it is released to the next person on the waitlist.
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Please cancel your registration via your Eventbrite email confirmation to release the space to the next person on the waitlist. If you’re unable to cancel via Eventbrite, email us at hello@blendvetfoundation.org ASAP so we can release the seat to someone on the waitlist.
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If spots open up, you will receive an email via Eventbrite if a spot is available. It will be reserved for your student for a limited time until it’s released to the next person on the waitlist. Please make sure to regularly check your email if your student is on the waitlist.
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Got more questions or special considerations? No worries—we’re here to help! Reach out anytime at hello@blendvetfoundation.org.
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.