The Influence of Gender Inequities Experienced on the Intended Career Pathways of Women Veterinary Students

Abstract

This study is focused on women veterinary medicine students and how misogyny and sexism have influenced their career pathways. The concept of rapid feminization of veterinary medicine was assessed as the effects can be seen industry-wide (i.e.- a downward trend in salaries, loss of large animal veterinarians, and loss of rural veterinarians). The gender inequities that women veterinary medicine students face were explored in order to determine why these trends could exist. Women students at Southwestern University College of Veterinary Medicine were interviewed and the findings revealed a double-sided coin of misogyny and sexism. On the surface, there is a fairly progressive environment being created as the students continuously felt as though their gender did not play a role in their education, creating a relatively agendered experience. However, the school was replicating a misogynistic cycle of pushing a women-majority class into women-majority fields (i.e.- small animal medicine or general medicine) through a disproportionate curriculum.