Beyond the Page: Meet the Authors Shaping DEI in Veterinary Medicine
Turn knowledge into action
We’re proud to present Beyond the Page, a groundbreaking webinar series that brings the voices behind the first comprehensive DEI publications to be publicly available to all directly to the veterinary profession.
Thanks to a generous grant from Maddie’s Fund®, MCVMA secured permanent open access to the two-volume series Veterinary Clinics: Small Animal Practice – DEI in Veterinary Medicine, Parts 1 & 2, published by Elsevier. Edited by Dr. Christina V. Tran and authored by nationally recognized leaders, these 20+ peer-reviewed articles explore critical topics such as:
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Access to care
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Inclusive leadership
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Allyship
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Diversifying veterinary technician specialties
Now available free to read and share at mcvma.org/publications, this series represents a transformative resource for equity in the profession.
Beyond the Page takes this knowledge further—offering live, interactive conversations with featured authors including Dr. Michael J. Blackwell, Dr. Coretta Patterson, Veterinary Technician Specialist Stephen Niño Cital, and more. Each webinar focuses on a specific chapter, giving attendees the chance to explore the research, ask questions, and consider practical applications in daily practice and education.
Purpose & Objectives
Through this series, we aim to:
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Amplify the voices of leading authors from the first comprehensive DEI publications in veterinary medicine.
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Bridge scholarship and practice by translating research into actionable strategies for equity and inclusion.
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Create accessible, interactive spaces for learning and dialogue across the veterinary community.
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Equip professionals, students, and allies with tools to advance access to care and inclusive leadership.
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Inspire systemic change by fostering collaboration and commitment to a more equitable profession.
Upcoming Sessions
Dr. Sohaila Jafarian
May 28, 2026 | 4:00 PM PT / 7:00 PM ET
We’re back with another installment of Beyond the Page! This session features Dr. Sohaila Jafarian, discussing her chapter, The Value of Qualitative Research in Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion. Together, we’ll explore how qualitative research can surface lived experiences, deepen understanding of inequities, and inform more responsive, effective approaches to care, education, and leadership.
Dr. Jafarian, a DVM/MPH and PhD candidate in Social Work at Colorado State University, brings a unique interdisciplinary lens shaped by her work in community and shelter medicine, veterinary social work, and community-based participatory research. Her work centers on the sociological, economic, and cultural factors that shape access to care and the human–animal bond, as well as the experiences of marginalized communities within veterinary medicine.
Dr. Jafarian’s article, part of Elsevier’s two-volume Veterinary Clinics: Small Animal Practice – DEI in Veterinary Medicine series, is made permanently open access by MCVMA through support from Maddie’s Fund®. This webinar will invite attendees to engage directly with the ideas shaping a more equitable future for veterinary medicine.
Read the article now: The Value of Qualitative Research in Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion
Past Sessions
Dr. Michael J. Blackwell
September 30, 2025 | 5:00 PM PT / 8:00 PM ET
Join us for the first installment of Beyond the Page, featuring Dr. Michael J. Blackwell — Director of the Program for Pet Health Equity at the University of Tennessee, former Chief of Staff in the Office of the Surgeon General of the United States, and recipient of the AVMA’s 2025 Frederick Douglass Patterson Lifetime Achievement Award.
We’ll be discussing his chapter, Bridging Gaps in Veterinary Care: Equity, Access, and Innovation, which explores strategies to close gaps in veterinary care by addressing inequities in access, leveraging innovation, and reimagining how the profession can serve diverse communities.
Read the article now: Bridging Gaps in Veterinary Care: Equity, Access, and Innovation
Stephen Niño Cital and Camia Tonge
October 14, 2025 | 5:00 PM PT / 8:00 PM ET
Join us on October 14th in celebration of National Veterinary Technician Week as we honor the essential contributions of veterinary technicians and explore how DEI can shape a stronger, more inclusive future for the profession. We’ll be chatting with Stephen Niño Cital, RVT, SRA, RLAT, VTS-LAM co-founder a leading veterinary technician specialist recognized for his expertise in anesthesia, pain management, and cannabinoid medicine and Camia Tonge, CVT, VTS (Small Animal Internal Medicine), MS president-elect of the Academy of Internal Medicine for Veterinary Technicians and Director of Licensed Veterinary Technicians and Assistants at Schwarzman Animal Medical Center.
We’ll be discussing their chapter, “Diversifying the Veterinary Technician Specialist (VTS) Pipeline,” which explores how broadening representation in veterinary technician specialties strengthens the profession, improves access to care, and fosters more inclusive career pathways.
Read the article now: Diversifying the Veterinary Technician Specialist (VTS) Pipeline