Multicultural VMA to launch, seeks to promote diversity

By Kaitlyn Mattson
Published on
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Dr. Marie Sato Quicksall remembers when she was young, she and her brother would get excited if they saw an Asian person on TV, much less a mixed-race individual.

"We didn't feel like we had a lot of representation, but we felt like we had a lot of support otherwise," she said.

Today, she still feels that way as a veterinarian. When the conversation turns to diversity, she said, it tends to expand to all types, often to the exclusion of racial and ethnic diversity.

"We hope our organization can improve well-being and fulfillment for multicultural people in the field, improve cultural competency and communication for all in the field, and help our profession reflect and serve our entire multicultural society," said Dr. Quicksall, a founding member of the Multicultural VMA.

Dr. Quicksall and 2 other members
Dr. Marie Sato Quicksall (center), associate veterinarian at Day Road Animal Hospital outside of Seattle, is a founding member of the Multicultural VMA, which hopes to obtain 501(c)3 status sometime this year. (Photo by Sara Beugen/Shoot My Events)

"Sometimes it's an issue people don't recognize that is there, so it's hard to have a conversation on how to address the issue if people aren't aware it even exists," said Dr. Quicksall, an associate veterinarian at Day Road Animal Hospital outside of Seattle.

She gave examples such as minority veterinarians often feeling isolated because no one else looks like them on staff or how it's not uncommon for them to be asked multiple times by clients "Where's the doctor?" when they walk in the room.

That's why a group of veterinarians is working to form the Multicultural VMA, with a mission to foster diversity and create a network of professional support for its members.

"We hope our organization can improve well-being and fulfillment for multicultural people in the field, improve cultural competency and communication for all in the field, and help our profession reflect and serve our entire multicultural society," said Dr. Marie Sato Quicksall, a founding member of the Multicultural VMA.

MCVMA has the following goals:

  • Create a space in which veterinary professionals of diverse backgrounds can network and educate each other.
  • Create a more culturally competent workforce so as to support a diverse and multicultural society.
  • Create better access to veterinary care in underrepresented communities so as to improve animal health and better establish veterinary contributions to public health.
  • Increase awareness of veterinary medicine in underrepresented communities.
  • Support and mentor a diverse group of upcoming veterinary professionals.

"We've gotten some positive feedback from people," Dr. Quicksall said.

MCVMA started as a Facebook group in 2014 and currently has 1,000 followers.

Three of the founding members were involved with Veterinarians as One Inclusive Community for Empowerment as students and wanted something similar for those out of school and in the field, said Dr. Quicksall, who also started a VOICE chapter at The Ohio State University in 2008. VOICE is a student organization that encourages diversity within veterinary medicine by increasing awareness on campuses.

The other founding members of MCVMA include: Dr. Rachel Cezar-Martínez, director of the Department of Agriculture's Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service; Dr. Tina Tran, a house call veterinarian in Phoenix; Dr. Lexxy Jay, a clinical veterinarian at the U.S. Army Medical Research Institute of Infectious Diseases in Frederick, Maryland; and Dr. Cara Williams, a supervisory public health veterinarian for the USDA in New Jersey.

MCVMA hopes its efforts will bring awareness to underrepresented groups that veterinary medicine is a career option. According to the 2017 Bureau of Labor Statistics report "Labor Force Characteristics by Race and Ethnicity," about 92 percent of the veterinarians in the U.S. are white.

"It is necessary to let kids of all backgrounds know that this is an option," Dr. Cezar said. "A lot of kids don't consider it because (they) don't see anyone like (them) in this career."

MCVMA will have three sessions at AVMA Convention 2019, Aug. 2-6, in Washington, D.C., to promote its mission. The organization hopes to obtain 501(c)3 status sometime this year.

Visit the MCVMA Facebook group for more information.

Related JAVMA content:

Mind the pay gaps (Dec. 15, 2018)

Certificate programs promote diversity in veterinary medicine (Nov. 1, 2014)

Dialogue about diversity reveals tensions (May 1, 2013)

Inclusion is catalyst for diversity (Oct. 1, 2011)