Education
We improve the recruitment of underrepresented groups into the veterinary profession.Chapter VIII is committed to access to care via implementation of incremental care and inclusive education in wellness, illness, emergent, and specialty care.
What is incremental care?
Incremental veterinary care is patient-centered, experience-based medicine focused on a problem-solving approach to achieve the best possible outcomes for the family and human-animal bond in the context of limited resources [Brown CR et al. Spectrum of care: more than treatment options. JAVMA 2021 (Oct 1);259:712-717 ].
Why incremental care?
As a component of the veterinary oath (shown below), incremental care largely contributes to public health and relief of animal suffering, in circumstances of limited resources and prevention of zoonotic disease.
“Being admitted to the profession of veterinary medicine, I solemnly swear to use my scientific knowledge and skills for the benefit of society through the protection of animal health and welfare, the prevention and relief of animal suffering, the conservation of animal resources, the promotion of public health, and the advancement of medical knowledge”.
Incremental care provides an alternative to absent clinical care or cost-driven euthanasia. It is our duty to educate the public and professional communities about incremental care to relieve animal suffering in this way, and protect humans and animals from preventable infectious disease on a representative basis. Without representation, public health becomes population-dependent, and therefore inaccessible. Access to this realm of education is access to equitable care. Likewise, access to equitable care provides access to inclusive and representative education.
Access To Education — Access To Care
A majority of people who face barriers to sick/urgent care for their pets state that the barrier occurs due to financial reasons, regardless of low or middle-income status.
This supports that sick and urgent small animal clinical care is not accessible.
Younger populations are more likely to face a barrier of not knowing where to seek sick/urgent care. Furthermore, half of the population with pets who experience urgent/emergent needs do not seek care.
This supports that education on urgent and emergent clinical care is not accessible.
How will we change this?
Externship and internship opportunities are available to provide inclusive education on communication, leadership, and incremental care.
Are you a fourth-year veterinary student, new graduate veterinarian/veterinary nurse, or early career graduate veterinarian/veterinary nurse? Check out our inclusive internship program goals and objectives here!
Inclusive Entrepreneurship/Medical Leadership Internship
Chapter VIII: Veterinary Inclusion and Intersectionality Initiative Inclusive Leadership/Entrepreneurship Internship
Mission: This 12-month internship program is designed to create inclusive medical leadership and/or early entrepreneurship opportunities to increase long term representation and financial accessibility for underrepresented veterinarians.
Objectives
1) Provide representative practice management and/or medical leadership education to early-career and new graduate veterinarians to effectively establish their own franchise/partial/full practice ownership, business ownership, and/or equity opportunities.
2) Provide thorough incremental care medical training and mentorship experience to help new graduates transition into inclusive practicing veterinarians.
3) Enhance accessibility of urgent/emergent/specialty care and education in veterinary medicine via clinical practice, communication, leadership, and community outreach.
Curriculum
1) Adaptability and accessibility
2) Self-care and incremental care
3) Conflict resolution and inclusive communication skills
4) Leadership, outreach project and representative team development/management
5) Personal financial literacy, business/equity development
If you are interested in applying for this internship opportunity, please contact us here.
Are you interested in or on the path to becoming a veterinarian, veterinary nurse, or veterinary scribe/nurse assistant? Check out our inclusive externship program goals and objectives here!
Inclusive Vet Med Externship
Chapter VIII: Veterinary Inclusion and Intersectionality Initiative Inclusive Externship
Mission: This 4-week externship program is designed to introduce veterinary students to the realm of access to equitable and inclusive clinical care, thereby redefining the meaning and application of “gold standard of care”. This externship also serves as an introductory training opportunity to better understand the Inclusive Internship Program.
Objectives
1) Provide incremental care medical training and mentorship experience to help new graduates transition into inclusive practicing veterinarians.
2) Educate students to independently build incremental care protocols and community outreach projects that they will lead and manage, to enhance accessibility to inclusive leadership opportunities.
Curriculum
1) Accessibility and incremental care (Week 1)
2) Outreach project development and inclusive leadership training (Week 2, 3)
3) Outreach project and representative team management (Week 3, 4)
If you are interested in applying to this externship opportunity, please contact us here!