Virginia-Maryland College of Veterinary Medicine student, Tierra Price, thinks it is time for more diversity in the veterinary profession. That’s why she founded the BlackDVM Network, an organization that connects and celebrates black veterinary professionals.   The group, virtual by design, stays connected mainly through social networks, like Facebook and Instagram.  

Tierra now balances life as a veterinary student with a passion for her community - all with a goal in mind- providing a location where black veterinary professionals can support and mentor each other. 

 Tierra shared her journey with us and tells us more about why diversity is important.

Why I created the BlackDVM Network: 

 Originally, I started an Instagram page to showcase the African-American veterinary students at my school. Doing this soon made me wonder about students at other schools. Where there there only 2-3 per school like mine? I started to feel very alone. I didn’t have a community that looked like me, had the same experiences I had, or that I could truly relate with.   

So, I started connecting with other students at other schools and I used my IG page to feature them.  And soon,  I also started to receive DMs from veterinary and undergraduate students and technicians telling me they loved my page.   That’s when I had an epiphany, I wasn’t alone and there were others out there that wanted to create this community, not only for ourselves but for future veterinary professionals.  

 What inspired me to become a veterinarian:  

When I was young, I watched Eddie Murphy in Dr. Doolittle.  Seeing a man of color playing a veterinarian who could talk to animals resonated deeply with me.  

I always loved animals.  When I was older, my mother signed me up to be a volunteer at our local animal shelter, she said that way I could play with animals all day long, but the rule was I couldn’t bring one home.  My uncle is an animal control officer and he introduced me to the veterinary staff at the shelter.   From that point on, I spent my summers and weekends volunteering at the shelter clinic. After graduation, I hope to go into shelter medicine. 

Why diversity matters and how we can change our profession for the better:

Veterinary medicine has been noted to be one of the most homogenous professions. I believe exposure to veterinary medicine as a profession and admission into veterinary school are the largest barriers to increasing diversity in our profession. There are many programs and initiatives in place to address these barriers but the shift is taking place slowly. More importantly, I believe the veterinary profession must build a community that can sustain a shift in diversity by continuing to provide resources after admission to veterinary school to veterinary students and veterinarians.  

How can veterinary schools and clinics be more inclusive:

Clinics and veterinary schools can be more inclusive by not only changing their rules and policies, but by changing their culture. Recognizing that communication, style and personal appearance, hobbies, etc. are different amongst groups of people. My biggest suggestion for demonstrating inclusivity is hosting events and recognizing holidays outside of the “traditional” American holidays and asking for employee input. I think this is one of the easiest ways to show cultural competency and inclusivity. 

What is my number one challenge as a woman of color in a profession that lacks diversity:

Being a woman of color in our profession has many challenges. For me, the biggest challenge is how I’m perceived. Culturally, women from backgrounds similar to mine are very strong, outspoken and driven. In addition, perhaps based on appearance or what is shown in the media, I am often initially perceived as angry, aggressive or having a negative attitude. Therefore, communicating my wants and needs becomes a very complex issue. I can’t ever really be mad or upset about something because that scares people. I can’t say that I “want” something because that makes me confrontational or aggressive. And trying to overcompensate for these misperceptions is very exhausting. I’ve learned to live in my own truth, do what I believe is right and hope that one day people can see me for who I truly am and not who they want to perceive me as. 

Advice for my younger self: 

I’d tell my younger self to worry less. All of the things we worry about now, eventually go away and there are always more (possibly important) things to worry about. Looking back on the things that used to stress me out always makes me laugh. 

Book that left a lasting impression on me: 

Their Eyes Were Watching God by Zora Neale Hurston. Zora Neale Hurston was a prolific black writer whose stories appeared in major magazines in the 30’s.  She also wrote screen plays, penned four novels, an autobiography, countless essays, and two books on black mythology. Sadly, by the 50’s she was living in obscurity, working as a maid in a hotel. She died penniless in 1960 and was buried in an unmarked grave.  

 Their Eyes Were Watching God is her best-known work. The novel follows the fortunes of Janie Crawford, a woman living in the black town of Eaton, Florida.  

How I clear my head after a stressful day: 

My “go to” stress buster is stretching and yoga. A hot yoga class at the end of the day is my favorite. I’ll also meditate in my living room, decompress with Netflix or journal. 

Secrets to being successful in veterinary school:

Efficiency is important for success. Veterinary school is overwhelming and for Type A people, it can be so stressful because you are never caught up, you never know everything and you can never really “finish” studying. The key to making vet school work while maintaining your sanity is efficiency. You have to learn to be efficient in everything you do. That means balancing your time at the gym, studying, cleaning, eating, hanging out with friends, talking to family, and anything else that is important to you. 

Three qualities that got me where I am today:

Big dreamer: I love when I think of doing something outrageous and it actually comes to fruition. You can only achieve what you can dream, so I always dream big. 

Good listener: I love being critiqued and giving critiques. I embrace feedback, it helps me do things better.      

Authenticity: The easiest and hardest thing to do. Everything is there, you just have to accept who you are and love your flaws. The best things that have happened to me have happened because I stayed true to myself and let others see who I really am. 

Easiest career decision I made:

The easiest decision I ever made was accepting a position in Community Medicine at an animal shelter. Most of my veterinary experiences before school were in a shelter and I absolutely love shelter medicine. It was really a no-brainer. 

What is my mission in life:

My mission in life is to serve God, listen to God, love others, perfect my talents while exploring the world. 

 Follow BlackDVM Network on social @blackdvmnetwork