Ciar Pembroke , RVN https :// orcid . org / 0000-0002-3082-6562

Davies Veterinary Specialists , Higham Gobion , Hitchin

ABSTRACT This paper aims to identify the barriers affecting black , Asian and minority ethnic ( BAME ) students ’ access to , and attainment in , veterinary higher education in the UK . This will help acknowledge and understand why the veterinary sector is the least diverse profession in the UK ( Gyles , 2018 ), with veterinary nursing being worse than veterinary medicine . In Part 2 , the barriers identified from a literature review of eight studies will be discussed with potential solutions . The main themes will be exposure , pathways , isolation / marginalisation , the learning environment and teaching styles .

Keywords BAME , veterinary education , diversity , attainment , anti-racism , Black Lives Matter

Introduction

In the previous article , the background and contextual information introduced the reader to the racial issues that can affect BAME students ’ access and attainment in veterinary higher education . The following factors were elucidated from a systematic literature review ( see Supplementary material ): exposure , pathways , isolation / marginalisation , the learning environment , and teaching styles . In Part 2 , these barriers will be discussed with possible solutions and limitations .

Exposure

Royal et al . ( 2015 ) measured the second most influential factor to pursuing a veterinary career as being exposure to an animal or pet . Similarly , Tomlin et al . ( 2010 ) found that 40 % of surveyed students were influenced by watching a veterinary surgeon ( VS ) at work , for example , when visiting with a sick animal . This type of exposure applies predominantly to white children and adolescents , as they are more likely to own pets compared to non-white children and adolescents ( Marsa-Sambola et al ., 2016 ), giving increased exposure to veterinary careers . BAME youths who are exposed may not aspire to veterinary careers due to the small likelihood that the practitioner will resemble their complexion , culture or religion . Animal experience and pet ownership are , as a result , unreliable sources of exposure to veterinary careers for BAME children and adolescents , and other strategies should be trialled . For example , Miguel et al . ( 2013 ) highlight how depictions of veterinary careers can be easily changed for 10 – 12-year-olds when information is delivered effectively within teacher-led discussions and lesson plans . This exposure should combat the white veterinary professional stereotype and reinforce that the veterinary sector is a welcoming profession with a wide breadth of career options .

A limitation to this strategy is its reliance on the content being presented persuasively by school staff who may not have previously conveyed information about pursuing veterinary education accurately ( Andrews , 2009 ). Careers advisors were cited as being the biggest negative influence on pursuing veterinary education by 31.1 % of students ( Tomlin et al ., 2010 ). To combat misinformation , it would be beneficial for veterinary professionals to lead talks and activities in schools ( Vet Futures , 2015 ), providing accurate information from their first-hand experiences . It has been statistically shown that parents , especially mothers ( Strayhorn , 2009 ), influence their children ’ s career aspirations so , during early education , parents should also be made aware of what a veterinary career involves and its potential for being a rewarding and reputable profession for their child ( Tomlin et al ., 2010 ).

54 Veterinary Nursing Journal