Can you tell us a bit about the mission and goals of the AAVMP?
The AAVMP was founded by two veterinary students, Hira Basit and Stephanie Kuo, amidst the COVID-19 pandemic. Our founders created the organization with the goal in mind to highlight all underrepresented veterinary medical professionals, particularly those of Asian descent.
The AAVMP is currently two years out from our founding date, and our mission of building a community for Asian veterinary medical professionals worldwide remains the same. As an organization, we want to continue to inspire, empower, and support our members through continual mentorship, scholarship, and educational opportunities.
Currently, the AAVMP has 14 student chapters at AVMA-accredited veterinary schools, over 2,000 followers on Instagram, and members in 7 countries worldwide. We hope that through this organization, we can learn, share, and connect with all AAPI veterinary professionals across the globe. In addition, the AAVMP works alongside other DEI organizations as we seek a more diverse veterinary medicine profession.
What would you like to see organizations like the ACVIM do to support and recognize AAPI individuals in veterinary specialty medicine?
As a current ACVIM Candidate, I have directly experienced the competitiveness that is associated with matching into a residency program. Through the AAVMP, I have met and become friends with several Asian veterinary colleagues, mostly international veterinarians. A common struggle that I’ve heard from my Asian colleagues is the difficulty of obtaining a Visa when trying to advance their education through United States internship and residency programs. I hope that one day we can provide more support for our international veterinarians by supplying them with more opportunities and resources to overcome the hurdles of acquiring specialty Board-certification.
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Learn more about the AAVMP and get involved at AAVMP.org. You can also keep up with the AAVMP on their Facebook, Instagram and Linkedin accounts.
