Justice Birdsong on her definition of diversity in the veterinary profession, and the importance of empathy toward others

Join VIN Foundation Board Member Dr. Matt Holland as he talks with Ross University School of Veterinary Medicine (RUSVM) student Justice Birdsong. She shares her advice for creating a network in the profession, how she encourages empathy among colleagues, and her personal journey to veterinary medicine. As a Co-Founder of the RUSVM National Association of Black Veterinarians chapter, and her role as Secretary for RUSVM SAVMA, she shares her dedication to making the profession a better place for underrepresented veterinary students.    GUEST BIO: Justice Birdsong Justice Birdsong is from Kansas City, Missouri. She graduated from the University of Missouri (MIZZOU) where she earned her B.S. in Biological Sciences and became a member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. During her undergraduate studies she worked as an assistant and manager with the Small Animal Critical Care Assistants (SACCA) in the ICU of the University of Missouri Veterinary Health Center. She is currently a DVM 2023 candidate attending Ross University School of Veterinary Medicine (RUSVM) with hopes of becoming an ER and Critical Care Veterinarian. She is currently the 2020-2021 RUSVM SAVMA Secretary, a member of the RUSVM Diversity Task Force, and is a charter member and the Vice President of the RUSVM Student Chapter of the National Association for Black Veterinarians (SNABV).   LINKS AND INFORMATION: I Want to be a Veterinarian: https://iwanttobeaveterinarian.org/ VIN Foundation Vets4Vets®: https://vinfoundation.org/vets4vets SAVMA: https://veterinary.rossu.edu/about/student-government/national-savma National Association Black Veterinarians: https://nabvonline.org/ Ross Diversity Task Force: https://medical.rossu.edu/about/news/rusm-diversity-inclusion-taskforce-provides-a-three-month-update   You may learn more about the VIN Foundation, on the website, or join the conversation on Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter.   If you like this podcast, we would appreciate it if you follow and share. As always, we welcome feedback. If you have an idea for a podcast episode, we’d love to hear it!