Plus-Hex CLINICAL
Pathways
Engagement in veterinary careers needs to be maintained through clear educational pathways that will lead to a university place with minimal obstacles ( Strayhorn , 2009 ). Lack of opportunities can mean that the usual pathways for pursuing veterinary higher education will not be possible , such as being able to gain sufficient hours of work experience to meet application requirements or meeting grade boundaries . Admission processes for universities can also be ambiguous and confusing , as some accept Business and Technology Education Council ( BTEC ) qualifications while others do not ( Hudson et al ., 2009 ). Some also use contextual factors to varying degrees without disclosing how they are utilised , while some do not use contextual factors at all ( Boliver et al ., 2017 ). This ambiguity can be discouraging to students who are not certain about gaining a place and therefore see it as a wasted application , despite being capable ( Wyness , 2017 ).
Students should be informed about what qualification is needed and which grades are acceptable , based on known contextual factors . Support and guidance should be available throughout the educational pipeline , from primary to secondary school , providing information on preferred subjects , tutoring , workshops , and programmes run during school holidays to give students opportunities to gain experience ( Strayhorn , 2009 ). Universities should take responsibility for making their veterinary courses more accessible by having no requirement for practical work experience , accepting both BTEC and A-level qualifications , and lowering grade boundaries where appropriate , using contextual factors to create a more level playing field ( Andrews , 2012 ). Some admissions teams may argue that contextual factors should be avoided as their use sets low-attaining students up for failure , but there is no evidence of this ( Boliver et al ., 2017 ). Analysis has shown that due to lack of guidance , information and advice , disadvantaged students are less prepared for university , while also having lower predicted grades when applying ( Wyness , 2017 ), which decreases the likelihood of acceptance . Universities need to act if widened participation is to be achieved .
Isolation and marginalisation
Once at university , BAME students face isolation and marginalisation from microaggressions , casual racism and stereotypes from their peers and university staff ( Claridge et al ., 2018 ; Dortch and Patel , 2017 ; Morrison et al ., 2019 ). Even though an anti-discrimination policy will be in place ( Equality Act , 2010 ), race discrimination is not always quantifiable and can intersect and find expression in multiple areas ( Gillborn et al ., 2017 ). The different forms of racism are not widely known , so when an incident does occur , it may not be reported and may also go unnoticed by others . Once this cycle is allowed to continue , it becomes an accepted culture for both the victims of racism and the perpetrators . This is most easily explained through the oppression model ( Figure 1 ). This can lead to isolation and exclusion from social circles . In the Claridge et al . ( 2018 ) study , isolation had detrimental effects on academic performance due to students missing out on resources and information distributed in different ethnically homogenous social circles . Students who are vulnerable to academic hardship due to these factors require early intervention in learning and development opportunities ( Vet Futures , 2015 ).
Internalised Oppression Oppression is institutionalised , target groups internalise beliefs and act out stereotypes , reinforcing prejudice . Cycle continues .
Stereotype Oversimplified or preconceived generalisation of an entire group , often negative
The Cycle of Oppression
Oppression Increased discrimination = systemic subjugation by the group with social power , maintained by social beliefs .
Prejudice Conscious or unconscious negative belief about a whole group
Discrimination Prejudice + power = denied opportunities , resources , etc . to a person because of group membership
Figure 1 . The Cycle of Oppression . Information from Muhlenberg College Counselling Services .
To identify where change is needed , a safe dialogue needs to be opened , through which minority students and staff can feel comfortable sharing their experiences with people who have engaged with the dialogue and have the power to make changes ( Alexander et al ., 2015 ).
The burden of finding solutions should not fall on the victims of racism ; the responsibility should always lie with universities to identify where extra support and resources are needed . Resources may include unconscious bias testing and subsequent continued professional development ( BVA , 2019 ), while support may entail universities having a strong public stance on racism , so students can be reassured that any concerns will be acted upon . A temperature check of student attitudes on campus is a useful starting point for universities when measuring the impact racism currently has on BAME veterinary students ( Davis , 2013 ), such as the college climate survey undertaken in all veterinary colleges in the United States ( Greenhill and Carmichael , 2014 ). Small incentives and scheduling lesson time for survey completion could encourage participation .
VOL 37 • May 2022
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