An Interview with OVC’s Class of ‘26 Diversity Rep, Francesca

Hey Future Vets! Sophia here, with your February article.
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As pre-vets, we all share a deep love and passion for animals, and have a common goal to improve their health and well-being. We have a special relationship with animals, one that surpasses intersectionality. This term encompasses the intersections of all aspects of one’s identity, including their race, gender, sexual orientation, opportunity, privilege, socioeconomic status, and many more. 
This year, the FVC has implemented a new EDI initiative, and has appointed Khamelia Lyttle as our Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion Officer for the 2024-2025 school year! With her help, we will be working to implement more diverse outlooks into the FVC, and embrace inclusion across all of our endeavours - including on the blog! We start this new initiative with an interview with Francesca, the OVC Class of 2026 Diversity Representative. She also happens to be behind the @thediverse.dvm Instagram account, where she aims to share her experiences as she goes through the journey of vet school, while also implementing diversity into the field of vet med. Here are the questions I had for her, and her responses. Enjoy!

Q. What did your journey to vet school look like?
A. “My journey to vet school was not quite linear. I was accepted into the Honours Animal Biology program at the University of Guelph, which I count as my first official step on my path. After 3 years, I applied to OVC. I knew my grades were not great, but I wanted to become more familiar with the application process. I did not get accepted on that attempt, and to this day, I am grateful for that. I promised myself that the next time I applied, I would feel very confident about my application and also be mentally ready to take on vet school. I finished my undergraduate degree and completed a course-based MSc in Animal Nutrition. I really enjoyed this time, but vet school was still my main priority. I went back for two more undergraduate semesters to boost my semester averages, and finally decided I felt confident applying. The entire application process is beyond exhausting, so please make sure to seek support from your family and friends at that time! After spending hours on my BIF and personal statement, and practicing endlessly with an interview coach, it was my time to get into OVC! I still can't believe I am a 2026 Turquoise Tiger, it's a dream come true.”

Q. What volunteer experiences did you have prior to applying to OVC?
A. “As for the experience I had while applying to OVC, the first vet clinic I volunteered at was in high school. I then went on to work there as a student. My first year of undergrad took a lot of getting used to, so the only club I joined was the Future Vets Club. I am so happy that I applied to be an Executive Assistant on a whim, as it truly helped shape my path to vet school and provide an avenue to gain veterinary and animal experience through events. After my first year, I promised myself that in order to build my experiences, I would add a new volunteer experience every year and partake in each for at least 1-2 semesters. I was hired at an animal hospital before second-year, and have been there ever since. It has been great to go back to practice my skills and build client relationships. From there, my volunteer experiences include: Experiential Learning Hub Student Career Advisor, Student Accessibility Services Lecture Guide, Horse Barn Hand/Riding Lesson Assistant, Little Ray's Reptile Zoo and Nature Center Volunteer, and College Royal Public Relations Assistant. This variety of experience really helped to build my BIF and network with so many people!”

Q. What is your biggest goal regarding veterinary medicine?
A. “My biggest goal regarding veterinary medicine is to continue fostering diversity. Career wise, I would like to start in general practice and move to emergency medicine. Later in my career, I hope to become board-certified in nutrition.”

Q. What are some of the most significant struggles you have faced on your journey to - and now during - vet school? 
A. “My biggest struggle has been work-life balance. In undergrad and vet school, your schedule changes all the time and it becomes hard to build a routine. I am happy I got accepted to vet school when I did, because I was mentally prepared to take on this challenge. However, it still takes a toll mentally. I make sure to involve myself in activities that give me a break from school, like weekly dance classes, joining the OVC hockey team, and being a member of the veterinary fraternity. These activities force me to remove myself from school and focus on my own well-being.”
 
Q. On your Instagram account, you often share your Global Vets experiences. Could you discuss some of your favourite takeaways from this experience?
A. “Being a part of the 2024 Global Vets Team was life-changing! My group was called the Tail-Blazers, and we travelled to Costa Rica for 4.5 weeks. Personally, our first 2 weeks were most impactful to me. We volunteered at an animal hospital in Alajuela with Dr. Blas. Our days involved a lot of one-on-one time with the veterinarians and allowed us to see the differences in vet med in another country. This difference was most apparent at the spay/neuter clinics that we helped with. Due to the low-cost atmosphere and the lack of veterinary supplies, we reused many surgical products that we wouldn't otherwise reuse in Canada. This was so eye-opening to me, and very humbling. Dr. Blas was very quick, he spayed and neutered 111 animals in 10 hours in one day, all by himself! I learned so much there: we helped spay/neuter over 200 pets, practiced technical skills, practiced suturing real skin, connected with a lovely vet team, lived like locals and really embraced the Costa Rican lifestyle.”


Q. What inspired you to decide to apply to become the class of 26’ Diversity Representative?
A. “When I started vet school, I was looking for a club to join, and the Student Council seemed intriguing. However, the moment I realized how special of a position this would be was at my Welcome Ceremony/Blue Coat Ceremony. The VIBE Club pulled me aside and told me I was 1 out of 4 black people in my class, and that this was the most they had ever had. Coming from a fairly multicultural city, this was shocking to me. I wanted to be a voice and a listener for any concern from my classmates, and I wanted to shed a light on this lack of diversity. Now, I host an annual Cultural Food Event, where my classmates cook a dish from their cultural background and all of our classmates can try it and ask for the recipe. This event has allowed us to learn a lot about the cultures we do have which is very refreshing.”

Q. What does being the Class Diversity Representative entail? What are your duties?
A. “The Diversity Representative is not a well-defined role. The first representative was elected during COVID, so I am only the second. I am constantly trying to come up with new ideas for events that revolve around culture, and my best one so far is the Cultural Food Event. I am also available to my classmates for any topics they'd like to talk about regarding diversity, and any ideas they have that will help OVC foster more diversity.”

Q. You mention in your Instagram bio you are on a “journey to becoming the 2%.” Can you elaborate on the meaning behind this statement and what it means to you?
A. “One day, I was researching statistics for the amount of black people that get accepted to vet school. It is much lower than I imagined. I went further by looking up black women in Canada, and the statistic was 2%. I put this in my bio to show future vets that I'm here, I made it, and they can too. I didn't have a black girl to look up to when I was applying for vet school. I really want to inspire the next generation and show them that they do have a spot at OVC.”

Q. Do you have any advice for students who wish to follow the same path as you?
A. “My advice would be to not give up! I know this sounds cliche, but if you want to be a veterinarian, then go for it. Your path does not have to be exactly like your friends’, as long as you accomplish your main goal. I really recommend planning out your courses and keeping track of your average. Network with as many veterinarians and veterinary students as you can, and try to enjoy the process. It is a long process, and it takes a lot of dedication and commitment. I used to think that getting into vet school was the hardest part, but the challenges keep coming. Always check in with yourself to make sure your mental health is taken care of, so that you can be the best version of yourself and ultimately a fantastic veterinarian.”


As Francesca heads towards her fourth and final year at OVC, her arsenal of experiences and knowledge will continue to grow, and thus her perspectives may change over time. However, it is beyond doubt that she will continue to be an inspiration to all of us aspiring Future Vets!Thank you so much to Francesca for taking the time to give these insightful, inspiring responses to my many questions! The FVC greatly appreciates you, and we are excited to see the amazing things that you will achieve in your career.
If you haven’t already, please check out Francesca’s Instagram account @thediverse.dvm, she’s got some awesome photos on there, some of which are included in this article.
This is the first of a three-part article series about EDI in the OVC, so stay tuned for articles with veterinarians and other professionals who are working to implement diversity into the field of veterinary medicine! 
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Sincerely,
Sophia Di Adamo, Junior Editor