Putting inclusion into action in veterinary medicine

In this interview, Tripp Oliphant, DVM, discusses the difference between expressing support for diversity and putting that support into practice. He discusses the role of accountability, communication, and mutual respect in creating environments in which LGBTQIA+ veterinary professionals and other team members feel welcome and valued.

Below is the transcript, which has been lightly edited for clarity.

dvm360: Are there any conversations about diversity, inclusion, or belonging in veterinary medicine that you think are missing or not happening enough?

Tripp Oliphant, DVM: Yes, I think that in this day and time, we definitely are struggling with there being a lot of vocabulary that we use for representation and for saying that we support, but I think that it comes down to day-to-day action. So yes, we can have policies and procedures. We can say that we're accepting and we are welcoming and in a diverse community. That's absolutely true, and I think that's so important…but I think that each day, [we need to take] accountability for our actions. If we say something that offends someone, or we don't understand where they're coming from—whether that be our coworker or our clients—recogniz[e] that we're all coming in with baggage [and] with different life experiences.

I think sitting down with those people…allows for us to have that true belonging and feeling like we all matter, which we do matter…. So yes, I think it is very important for representation, having those things on the doors that say we're welcoming here, but then it comes down to, ultimately, those day-to-day conversations [about whether] we really feel accepted in this situation.