The Connection Between Access to Veterinary Care and Access to the Veterinary Profession

Area of Science:

• Veterinary Public Health
• Veterinary Workforce Development

Background:

• Access to veterinary care is vital for public health.
• Persistent barriers hinder entry into and advancement within the veterinary profession.
• Understanding these barriers is essential for equitable access and professional growth.

Purpose of the Study:

• To identify similarities between access to veterinary care and veterinary careers.
• To pinpoint intersectional barriers affecting both care access and professional participation.
• To propose strategies for overcoming these identified barriers.

Main Methods:

• A literature review was conducted.
• Publications from 2003 to 2025 were primarily analyzed.
• Barriers were categorized into socioeconomic, knowledge-based, and geography-based.

Main Results:

• Socioeconomic factors significantly impact both care access and career opportunities.
• Knowledge gaps and geographical distribution of services/professionals create disparities.
• Intersectional barriers compound challenges for underrepresented groups.

Conclusions:

• Addressing socioeconomic, knowledge, and geographic barriers is key to improving veterinary care access.
• Strategies must be developed to dismantle these intersectional barriers for a more inclusive veterinary profession.
• Enhancing access to veterinary services and careers strengthens overall public health infrastructure.