In April 2011, a nationwide survey of all 28 US veterinary schools was conducted to determine the comfort level (college climate) of veterinary medical students with people from whom they are different. The original hypothesis was that some historically underrepresented students, especially those who may exhibit differences from the predominant race, ethnicity, religion, gender, or sexual orientation, experience a less welcoming college climate. Nearly half of all US students responded to the survey, allowing investigators to make conclusions from the resulting data at a 99% CI with an error rate of less than 2% using Fowler's sample-size formula. Valuable information was captured despite a few study limitations, such as occasional spurious data reporting and little ability to respond in an open-ended manner (most questions had a finite number of allowed responses). The data suggest that while overall the majority of the student population is comfortable in American colleges, some individuals who are underrepresented in veterinary medicine (URVM) may not feel the same level of acceptance or inclusivity on veterinary school campuses. Further examination of these data sets may explain some of the unacceptably lower retention rates of some of these URVM students on campuses.
A comprehensive survey containing 30 questions regarding racial, cultural, and ethnic issues was sent electronically to each of the member colleges within the Association of American Veterinary Colleges (AAVMC) during 2005. Responses were received from 25 of the 28 veterinary colleges in the United States and two foreign colleges. Most colleges had more than one respondent complete the survey. Since the respondents were not identified and were not uniform in regards to position within each college, some responses might have reflected the individual respondent's views rather than the college's actual situation or philosophy. The information gained from this survey demonstrates strong trends in attitudes to and practices with respect to diversity in US veterinary colleges. Three major areas were addressed in the survey-college and university environment and cultures, faculty and curriculum, and recruitment and retention of veterinary students from underrepresented minorities. In many instances, the survey confirmed a lack of knowledge about diversity issues at the respondents' institutions. These survey results will serve as a benchmark for gauging changes in the profession's racial, cultural, and ethnic demographics in the future and as a foundation upon which to build effective diversity programs.
Now more than ever, colleges of veterinary medicine (CVMs) are challenged to improve the educational experience, build environments that support long-term student and faculty success, and create a diverse and competitive workforce. Additionally, the nation's fast-evolving racial and ethnic demographics demand that the veterinary medical profession be responsive to the emerging needs of this changing population. In March 2005, during the 15th Iverson Bell Symposium, the Association of American Veterinary Medical Colleges (AAVMC) unveiled its DiVersity Matters (DVM) initiative, designed to bring the CVMs closer to achieving these goals. Several key objectives of the initiative and their possible long-term significance to success of the DiVersity Matters initiative are explored here, and CVMs are encouraged to expand efforts to increase racial and ethnic diversity in academic veterinary medicine.
In 2004, the Association of American Veterinary Medical Colleges took the bold step of prioritizing diversity as a core value through the hiring of a full-time staff person. The organization then pressed forward in 2005 by launching a national plan devoted to increasing diversity in academic veterinary medicine. In the years since its inception, the DiVersity Matters initiative has overseen significant diversity changes in US colleges of veterinary medicine. Dedicated diversity programming can have a positive impact on academic veterinary medicine and the larger veterinary profession. This paper provides an overview of DiVersity Matters since its 2005 launch and how the initiative is evolving under the Association of American Veterinary Medical Colleges' Strategic Plan.
Three milestone educational planning initiatives engaged the veterinary medical profession in the United States and Canada between 1987 and 2011, namely the Pew National Veterinary Education Program, the Foresight Project, and the North American Veterinary Medical Education Consortium. In a quantitative study, we investigated the impact of these initiatives on veterinary medical education through a survey of academic leaders (deans, previous deans, and associate deans for academics from veterinary medical schools that are members of the Association of American Veterinary Medical Colleges) to assess their perspectives on the initiatives and eight recommendations that were common to all three initiatives. Two of the recommendations have in effect been implemented: enable students to elect in-depth instruction and experience within a practice theme or discipline area (tracking), and increase the number of graduating veterinarians. For three of the recommendations, awareness of the issues has increased but substantial progress has not been made: promote diversity in the veterinary profession, develop a plan to reduce student debt, and develop a North American strategic plan. Lastly, three recommendations have not been accomplished: emphasize use of information more than fact recall, share educational resources to enable a cost-effective education, and standardize core admissions requirements. The educational planning initiatives did provide collaborative opportunities to discuss and determine what needs to change within veterinary medical education. Future initiatives should explore how to avoid and overcome obstacles to successful implementation.
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