MCVMA Annual Conference

DEI is the new “hot topic” but what does it really mean to increase diversity, equity, and inclusion? How do we take a deep look at our practices, veterinary schools, workplaces, and ourselves to unlearn damaging biases and make transformational change in veterinary medicine? How do we avoid pitfalls such as action bias and being performative? How do we approach DEI with intention and how do we ensure our work leads to measurable impact? This track will provide universities, organizations, and individuals resources for this ongoing endeavor. While these topics may elicit discomfort and vulnerability, the goal of these sessions is to educate and empower attendees with actionable takeaways that they may implement anywhere.

The social makeup of the United States is ever changing, and with change comes the unique opportunity for the veterinary profession to develop the resiliency and adaptability needed to best serve all communities. As we broaden our understanding of the world and welcome more voices to the table, we begin the process of challenging our previous views and re-evaluating past practices that may have caused undue harm for generations, both in our communities at home and in our outreach efforts abroad. As immigration shifts and veterinary hospitals, specialty centers, universities, and industries become more open to the prospects of employing veterinarians from other countries, our field must be cognizant of the barriers faced by veterinarians trained outside of the United States and learn how to best support them. From identifying and addressing the barriers related to US licensure, understanding the unique experiences of recent, first, and second generation immigrants, to looking at past harm in our approaches to some domestic and international cross-cultural efforts, these sessions take a deep look at these challenges and offer better strategies to tackle our outreach efforts and to recruit and retain these individuals in the profession.

As the cost of veterinary care continues to climb, the need for affordable veterinary care and humane education outreach continues to grow as a result. The field of veterinary community medicine is viewed as an avenue to address these issues and continues to evolve. While this is a positive movement within veterinary medicine, when interacting with vulnerable communities, it is easy to unintentionally cause harm. Sessions in this track will explore current best practices within veterinary community medicine, and offer useful tools to work with communities toward a common goal of collecting human and animal health and welfare.

In a profession that continues to lack diverse representation, MCVMA RISE provides a unique opportunity to learn from Black, Indigenous, and People Of Color specialists and subject matter experts. By showcasing racially and ethnically diverse resenters, we not only increase our knowledge base but also elevate ourselves and each other. Sessions in this track include topics such as One Health, animal welfare, surgery, emergency medicine, internal medicine, practice management and more.