‘Diversity is Critical,’ New Toronto Program Encourages BIPOC Students to Explore a Career as a Vet

Fifty students from the Toronto District School Board’s Centre of Excellence for Black Student Achievement participated in the first international Believe & Belong in Veterinary Medicine Pathway Program in Scarborough. The hands-on event introduced students—many from racialized communities—to Veterinary careers through activities like suturing, animal CPR, and physical exams. With only 1.9% of veterinarians identifying as Black and 1.7% as Indigenous in Ontario, the initiative, co-led by blendVET and the North American Veterinary Community, aims to address the lack of diversity in the field.

Dr. Niccole Bruno, blendVET’s founder, stressed the importance of representation in building trust and improving care access in underserved areas. Dr. Juan Sebastian Orjuela, one of the event’s leaders, highlighted how seeing professionals who look and speak like the students can inspire them to pursue Veterinary careers. The program, already impacting 400+ students in North America, plans to expand to more cities by 2026.