Stories of Successful Women Veterinarians globally
Dr. Pallabi Das
Ph. D. Scholar, Department of Animal Nutrition
College of Veterinary and Animal Science, Bikaner (334001), India
Mail-id: pallabidas066@gmail.com
Introduction
With 76% of veterinary school graduates being female, the proportion of women in the veterinary field is steadily rising. The gender balance in the veterinary field has shifted significantly over the past 30 to 40 years, but the sad fact that every female veterinarian must deal with is that there are still disparities in income and job stability, and women make up a relatively small percentage of positions in the top ranks. People continue to hold the incorrect belief that female veterinarians are less intelligent and physically stronger than their male counterparts, and that they are the subservient group in relation to all other professions. The United Kingdom, Switzerland, Great Britain, France and Germany were the pioneers in the development of veterinary science for women. Following World War, I, the newly formed nations of Yugoslavia, Czechoslovakia, and the Baltic countries became popular destinations for female students seeking simple veterinary education. Many more girls were encouraged to pursue a career in veterinary medicine throughout the 19th century by the established female veterinarians of the time. And as the current situation shows, there are more women than men in both eastern and western nations. The Indian Association of Lady Veterinarians (IALV) is a national organization that was established to provide women working in different veterinary specialties with a common forum to discuss various issues and to equip themselves with the latest advancements in technology and development concepts. During its early years, roughly 125 years, veterinary medicine was practiced only by men. Nonetheless, women began to show interest in this profession by the close of the 1800s.
Lady Veterinarians with their stories around the globe
Discriminatory practices continued far into the middle of the 20th century, making it more difficult for women to become Veterinarians. Notwithstanding these obstacles, women persevered in shattering stereotypes and joining the veterinary field. One well-known person is Dr. Mary Knight Dunlap, who became the first female doctor of veterinary medicine in America in 1897. According to the Veterinary Journal’s 1889 records, Ms. Parisienne was the first woman to enter the veterinary field. That same year, Ms. Pole Stephanie Kruszewska became the second woman to follow in Ms. Parisienne’s footsteps and register at Zurich University of Europe. For the first time, in 1948, Madras Veterinary College in Vepery, Chennai, India, acted as a point of entry for female applicants seeking admission to the Bachelor of Veterinary Science programme. Dr. Sakkubhai Ramachandran was the first female veterinarian in India to graduate in 1952, and she went on to earn numerous awards. prestigious positions before retiring as a Scientist from IVRI, Bangalore, in 1971. Many women were motivated to pursue this field as a full-time job by Dr. Pushpa Ranaparkhe, Dr. Amritha Patel, and other strong female veterinarians, who took a page from Dr. Sakkubai’s book. The women veterinarians of India founded the “Indian Association of Lady Veterinarians” on the occasion of Gandhi Jayanti, which fell on October 2, 1985, at the Veterinary College in Thrissur, Kerala. Dr. Annamma Jacob was the first female veterinarian appointed to the position of Dean of Kerala Veterinary College at that particular period. Breaking down gender barriers in medicine was pioneered by Elizabeth Blackwell (1821–1910). She opened the door for women to pursue careers in veterinary medicine and other healthcare fields by being the first American woman to get a medical degree in 1849. In 1949, Ingeborg Fjeldstad (1923–2016) became the first female veterinarian in Norway to receive her degree. Her accomplishments encouraged women in later generations to seek professions in veterinary science, which helped to gradually change the profession’s demography. Temple Grandin, a distinguished personality in the fields of animal behaviour and science, has been instrumental in enhancing the well-being of farm animals. In addition to influencing contemporary veterinary procedures, her work has promoted diversity and challenged prejudices by inspiring women to contribute actively in the field.
The following list includes many idols from both India and overseas:
| S.no | Successful Lady Veterinarian from India |
| 1 | In India, the first female Veterinarian was Dr. Sakkubhai Ramachandran. In 1948, Sakkubai was one of two female students at Madras Veterinary College. After earning her degree in 1952, she worked for IVRI for many years in a variety of significant roles, including scientist and virologist, until retiring in 1991. |
| 2 | The All-India Association of Lady Veterinarians (AILV), which has local branches in every state, was founded by Dr. Ranaparkhe. She led the effort to create a national association for female veterinarians, as there had not yet been one. Today’s female veterinarians have practically limitless opportunities. In the past, India offered few opportunities for female vets. The majority of female veterinarians served livestock in rural areas due to their familial duties. Consequently, there was no attempt to teach female veterinarians. Women may have a significant role in sharing their experiences and communicating with one another. But in rural India, women handled most of the household and dairy chores. |
| 3 | The first female veterinarian in Odisha was Dr. Pragati Panda, a former professor at the Odisha University of Agriculture and Technology in Bhubaneswar. |
| 4 | Gujarat is a developing state, and Dr. Amrita Patel is the first female veterinarian there. She graduated from Bombay Veterinary College and served as the Chairman of the National Dairy Development Board. Her academic education was completed in Mumbai, where she graduated with a Bachelor of Veterinary Science and Animal Husbandry degree. When she joined the dairy cooperative Amul in 1965, Verghese Kurien provided her with training. She was recognized with multiple awards for her services to the development and management of the dairy industry. She presided over the National Dairy Development Board, which managed Operation Flood, the largest dairy development programme in the world, from 1998 to 2014. She sat on bank boards and chaired a number of other institutes. In 2001, she received the Padma Bhushan. She has worked on the boards of the Reserve Bank of India and the National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD). |
| 5 | The first female graduate of Bangalore Veterinary College was Dr. Prema. In the 1980s, she worked for the Animal Husbandry department until retiring as Assistant Director. |
| 6 | In 2017, Dr. P. P. Nilufer became the first female veterinarian from the tropical union territory and took on a leadership role as the first veterinarian in Kavaratti, Lakshadweep. |
| 7 | The Padma Shree Award goes to Dr. Sosamma lype, a.k.a. “Vechur’s Amma,” a former professor of animal genetics and breeding at Kerala Agricultural University. She was awarded the honour for preventing the extinction of native breeds, including the Vechur cow, the Kasargod and Cheruvally cattle, and the Attappady goats. |
| S.no | Successful Lady Veterinarian from Abroad |
| 1 | When Dr Patricia O’Connor joined the Staten Island Zoo staff in 1942, she became the first female Zoo Veterinarian in history to work full-time in the United States. This occurred during a time when less than 1% of veterinarian graduates were female! Additionally, she played a key role in the establishment of a number of organizations, most notably the American Association of Zoo Veterinarians (AAZV). Dr. O’Connor presided over the AAZV as its first president twice, in 1946 and 1965. Her concept took off and became a globally recognized organization. The publishing of a 465-page book titled “A Bibliography of References to Diseases of Wild Mammals and Birds” in 1955 was one of her many achievements. On July 8, 2003, Dr. O’Connor passed away at the age of 88. |
| 2 | The first woman of African American descent to receive the title of Doctor of Veterinary Medicine in the United States was Dr. Jane Hinton. She was also a very talented scientist who developed the Mueller-Hinton agar assay, which is used to identify antibiotic-resistant bacteria. Following her graduation from Simmons College in 1939, Hinton took a job as a research assistant at Harvard University. At Harvard, she invented the revolutionary Mueller-Hinton agar finding. As soon as the United States entered the war, Hinton enlisted in the military and moved to Arizona to work as a government medical technician while researching the effects of various ailments on American soldiers. Following the war, she enrolled at the University of Pennsylvania to pursue a degree in veterinary medicine. Having graduated in 1949, she was one of the first two African American women to have a DVM. She returned to her birthplace after receiving her degree, where she practiced small animal veterinary medicine until 1955. Ultimately, she was employed by the Department of Agriculture in Framingham, Massachusetts, as an inspector, helping to control outbreaks of cow illness. At the age of 41, Hinton resigned from her position after making significant contributions to multiple professions and focused her time on caring for her many dogs. |
| 3 | Dr. Sophia Yin, Animal psychology wasn’t invented by Dr. Sophia Yin, but she did open the door for others to challenge the status paradigm. After graduating from the veterinary programme at UC Davis in California, Dr. Yin observed that an excessive number of animals were being put to death due to behavioural problems rather than medical problems. This inspired her to go back to school and earn a Master’s in Animal Science with a focus on animal behaviour. Behaviour modification became her life’s profession and passion. Considered a foremost expert in the field of training, she vigorously advocated for the application of positive reinforcement in animal behaviour. Dr. Yin created a number of veterinarian and pet owner-focused YouTube videos. |
| 4 | Elinor McGrath, DVM, was a pioneer among female vets. She is revered as a wonderful symbol and the first female veterinarian in America. Dr. McGrath’s love of animals inspired her to pursue a career in the traditionally male-dominated veterinary sector. She cleared the first of many obstacles in her path to realizing her dream when she was accepted as the first female student at Chicago Veterinary College in 1907. Motivated by her understanding of the intimate bond that exists between humans and their dogs, Dr. McGrath achieved success and earned her degree in 1910—ten years ahead of women’s suffrage in the US. She was one of the best veterinarians in the profession, but building a practice on pets was not very usual back then. She ran a companion animal clinic in Chicago for 37 years, becoming well-known for her pro-animal traditions, which included decorating a Christmas tree with pet gifts. Inspired by her understanding of the intimate bond that exists between humans and their pets, she also established the city’s first pet cemetery. |
| 5 | Dr. Kathy Wright is a board-certified Veterinary cardiologist who graduated from Michigan State University with a doctorate in veterinary medicine. In the US and Canada, she is one of the few veterinarians who holds board certifications in both internal medicine and cardiology. She contributes to several veterinary textbooks and reviews for the Journal of Veterinary Internal Medicine, the Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association, the Journal of Veterinary Cardiology, and the Australian Veterinary Journal. Her invention is a human treatment called radiofrequency catheter ablation (RFCA), which has a 95% success rate in treating dogs with an uncommon but potentially fatal arrhythmia caused by atrioventricular accessory pathways, which is one of the most common reasons why young dogs have rapid heartbeats. |
| 6 | The Iowa State University College of Veterinary Medicine awarded Dr. Stacy Lynn Anderson her degree in 2004. After a brief career as a professional horsewoman, she completed two internships in equine/large animal medicine, one at a private clinic near Chicago and the other at the University of Tennessee. In 2012, she completed a big animal surgical residency and a Master’s degree in veterinary science at the University of Saskatchewan. She completed her dissertation research on the durability of horse neutrophils in inflammatory equine conditions while she was a resident at Western. In 2016, she was named Lincoln Memorial’s director of large animal clinical skills. In August 2019, she was named acting associate dean of academic affairs, and a year later, she became dean of the veterinary college. |
| 7 | The University of Florida College of Veterinary Medicine awarded Dr. Mia Su Cary her degree. She worked as an associate veterinarian at a small animal practice and conducted research on marine mammal projects for six years, spanning from the Dominican Republic to Barrow, Alaska. She spent nine years working at Boehringer Ingelheim and five years at Novartis Animal Health. She took the helm as the CEO of the Pride Veterinary Medical Community and is a columnist for Today’s Veterinary Business thanks to her strategic alliances with many associations, including the American Veterinary Medical Association. |
| 8 | Dr. Jill Clark began her career as a veterinarian at a hospital with six doctors after graduating from Oklahoma State University College of Veterinary Medicine in 1996. Later, she joined National Pet Care Centers, a network of eight locations that eventually grew to eighty. In the end, she was elevated to vice president of operations. After that, she spent 12 years working for VCA. She began as a hospital operations manager, overseeing 22 general and specialty practices. Later, she rose to the position of vice president, leading the team responsible for hiring new physicians, keeping relationships with colleges, and assigning interns and residents. In 2010, she took charge of the founding of WOOF University, the corporate academy of VCA. The college is the primary source of training for the organization and has instructed over 24,000 veterinary students to date. In order to teach veterinary teams how to enhance both their own and their patients’ and clients’ well-being, she launched Ignite Veterinary Solutions in 2016. Her passion for studying was a major factor in her choice. |
| 9 | Following her 2010 graduation from the University of Pennsylvania School of Veterinary Medicine, Dr. Heather N. Fowler pursued graduate studies at Yale University, where she obtained a master’s degree in public health with a focus on applied biostatistics and epidemiology, and the University of Washington, where she obtained a doctorate in environmental and occupational hygiene. She is a board-certified veterinary preventive medicine specialist with expertise in worker safety and health, public health, zoonotic illness, and One Health. She began working for the National Pork Board in 2017 and is responsible for worker safety, public health, and health issues related to swine production. In 2020, she attained certification from the Project Management Institute and is an eternal student. |
| 10 | Before her dog passed away, Dr. Mary Gardner spent more than ten years designing software, which made her reevaluate her career decision. In her 30s, she enrolled in the University of Florida’s veterinary programme, and after graduating, she worked in a clinic in South Florida. After not making the intended impact, she teamed up with her UF classmate Dr. Dani McVety in 2010 to offer pets and their families a peaceful end-of-life experience. She is a highly sought-after lecturer and speaker who has written a textbook on geriatric medicine and numerous publications on end-of-life care. The founding of Monarch Pet Services was also motivated by her passion for animals. |
| 11 | Dr. Linda Fineman attended the Washington State University College of Veterinary Medicine to finish her internship and residency training after discovering during her college years that her beloved cat had cancer. Her job as a specialist in oncology was rewarding and eventually led to practice ownership with a group of partners. She was prepared for her current position as medical director of a multispecialty hospital by her experience as a manager and leader. She then became a member of Ethos Veterinary Health’s hospital network, where she is presently vice president of learning and development. Currently serving as the CEO of the American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine, she looks into a different aspect of the field. |
| 12 | Dr. Eleanor M. Green has experience in teaching, practice ownership, consulting, and academic leadership. After graduating from Auburn University College of Veterinary Medicine with a DVM, she went on to earn certifications in big animal internal medicine (equine) and horse practice. She was a university professor for a long time. In 2009, she was appointed the Carl B. King dean of veterinary medicine at Texas A&M University College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, a position she held until 2020. As president, she oversaw four significant American organizations. She was the first female president at three of them. To engage veterinary students nationwide, she played a key role in the creation of the Veterinary Innovation Summit and the Veterinary Entrepreneurship Academy in Texas. She has won numerous awards and recognitions, such as the 2020 VMX Icon Award and the 2020 AAVMC Billy E. Hooper Award for Distinguished Service. She currently consults on significant issues pertaining to diversity, leadership, the horse business, and veterinary care while serving on multiple boards. |
| 13 | Dr. Joya Griffin greatest passion is veterinary dermatology. Early in veterinary school, she developed an interest in it after seeing how doctors at Cornell University enhanced the quality of life for her family dog. In addition to making their dogs seem gorgeous after treatment, she hoped to reestablish the bond between humans and animals by giving pets a better quality of life. Now, in addition to being the star of the Nat Geo Wild television series “Pop Goes the Vet with Dr. Joya,” Dr. Gryphon practices veterinary dermatology. |
| 14 | Following her graduation from the University of California, Davis, School of Veterinary Medicine in 2000, Dr. Jennifer Hawkins gained experience as a small animal practitioner, veterinary technician teacher, and contributing online copywriter for Veterinary Pet Insurance (now Nationwide). Before taking the helm as executive director of the Southern California Veterinary Medical Association, she served as chief veterinarian at OC Animal Care, a municipal shelter that catered to 14 contracted towns and unincorporated areas of California. She has experience in both municipal and state-level organized veterinary medicine. She serves as the district 2 representative on the California Veterinary Medical Association board of governors, which includes the Antelope Valley municipalities and the counties of Los Angeles and Orange. |
| 15 | After finishing her residency at the University of Pennsylvania and graduating from the University of Georgia College of Veterinary Medicine, Dr. Carrie Jurney worked as a board-certified neurologist in San Francisco. In 2015, Dr. Jurney’s career took a turn for the better when she assisted a friend who had expressed suicidal thoughts and joined Dr. Nicole McArthur, the originator of Not One More Vet, as a Facebook group moderator. Not One More Vet has grown to become the largest veterinary well-being organization in the world, offering research, education, and peer support through its various programmes. In 2020, she became the president. |
| 16 | After completing a big animal internship at Ontario Veterinary College, Dr Charlotte Lacroix, who obtained her DVM from the University of California, Davis, worked for a number of years in an equine medical and surgical referral practice in northern New Jersey. In order to further contribute to the veterinary profession, she attended and completed her legal studies at the University of Pennsylvania. She was the North American Veterinary Community’s president from 2014 to 2015 and currently sits on the boards of the Veterinary Innovation Council and the Veterinary Virtual Care Association. She has appeared on radio and television, and she has talked at numerous conferences all around the world. In addition, she belonged to the American Association of Equine Practitioners, the American Animal Hospital Association, and the American Veterinary Medical Association. She is an adjunct professor at the University of Pennsylvania School of Veterinary Medicine. |
| 17 | Dr. Nadine Lamberski finished her internship at the University of Tennessee and the Knoxville Zoo, as well as a residency at the University of California, Davis, following her graduation in 1990 from the University of Georgia College of Veterinary Medicine. She worked in the Sacramento Zoo and taught veterinary students at UC Davis for a full year before accepting a position as a veterinarian at the Riverbanks Zoo in South Carolina. Seven years later, she was recruited to the San Diego Zoo Safari Park as a senior veterinarian. Before taking a job as chief animal health officer, she spent 26 years working as a clinical veterinarian. In this role, she was able to focus on methods to enhance organizational health outcomes while also strategically evaluating the zoo’s animal health efforts. As the principal conservation and wildlife health officer, she is currently employed with the San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance. |
| 18 | Board-certified veterinary specialist Dr. Justine Lee specializes in toxicology and emergency critical care. She completed her internship at the Boston-based Angell Animal Medical Centre before enrolling at Cornell University College of Veterinary Medicine. The author did a fellowship and residency in emergency and critical care at the University of Pennsylvania. She was a professor at the University of Minnesota as well as the director of an animal poisoning centre. She founded the subscription-based podcast, webinar, and continuing education programme VET girl. She is a writer, author, lecturer, and consultant for the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Centre. She can be seen on “Animal ER Live” on Nat Geo Wild. |
| 19 | Following her graduation from the Ohio State University College of Veterinary Medicine, Dr. Linda B. Lehmkuhl chose to remain in Columbus in order to do her cardiology residency and rotating internship. She liked clinical and classroom teaching, clinical research, and clinical practice during her six years as a faculty member. She took a job as a cardiologist at Med Vet in Worthington, Ohio, in January 2000. Prior to taking on roles as chief medical officer, regional medical director for Med Vet, CEO, and chief operating officer, Dr. Lehmkuhl worked as a hospital medical director. Today, Med Vet has thirty-one specialty/ER hospitals, three urgent care centres, five Veterinary Eye Institutes, and more than 600 doctors and 3,000 team members. The nationwide teleradiology services are provided by the VetRad team of MedVet. |
| 20 | Dr. Ellen I. Lowery spent 23 years as a leader with Hill’s Pet Nutrition, rising to positions of increasing responsibility, including director of North America professional and veterinary affairs, before accepting several academic positions, including her current position as head of the Purdue University Veterinary Hospital. She belonged to the Veterinary Leadership Task Force and the Women Empowered Network on the Hill. In addition, she has held positions on the boards of the Veterinary Innovation Council, Partners for Healthy Pets, PRIDE Veterinary Medical Community, and the Kansas Veterinary Medical Association. |
| 21 | In addition to being the co-founder and CEO of Pawsibilities Vet Med, a nonprofit committed to boosting the enrollment and retention of underrepresented groups in the veterinary field, Dr. Valerie C. Marcano Gomez practices poultry medicine in the Carolinas. She is a member of the AVMA/AAVMC Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Commission and leads the inaugural Diversity and Inclusion Committee of the American Association of Avian Pathologists. In 2017 and 2020, respectively, Dr. Marcano received honours from Cornell University and the University of Georgia College of Veterinary Medicine. She served on the national veterinarians’ executive board as a member of Georgia’s One Inclusive Community for Empowerment (VOICE) collegiate branch. She also founded the Poultry, Aquaculture, and Swine Food Animal Club. She served as a student member of the board of directors of the American Association of Avian Pathologists and was on the education and membership committees. |
| 22 | Following her graduation from the Michigan State University College of Veterinary Medicine, Dr. Melinda D. Merck worked in a small animal clinic. The Cat Clinic of Roswell was subsequently founded by her in Roswell, Georgia. During that time, she volunteered at animal shelters and rescue organisations, where she became passionate about reporting animal abuse before laws were fully passed to protect animals. As her reputation grew, she received an invitation to join Georgia Legal Professionals for Animals, a nonprofit that provides free training to law enforcement, prosecutors, and veterinarians on how to report, investigate, and prosecute animal abuse cases. She has previously held the positions of president of the North American Veterinary Community and first-ever head of the board of directors of the International Veterinary Forensic Sciences Association. She published a textbook on veterinary forensics and developed elective courses at the Universities of Georgia and Florida. She continues to lecture physicians, attorneys, and law enforcement authorities on the use of veterinary forensics in the investigation and prosecution of animal abuse. |
| 23 | Dr. Ruby L. Perry studied mathematics while working as a kennel assistant at a veterinary clinic to help pay for college. She was the first female African American veterinarian radiologists to receive board certification. She spent years working as an academic at Michigan State University and Tuskegee before moving back to Alabama in 2007 to serve as the assistant dean of academic affairs. She was appointed as the first female dean of the veterinary college in 2015. Dr. Perry often says that her passion is education and that she works as a veterinary radiologist by day. |
| 24 | Before earning her board certification as a veterinary ophthalmologist, Dr. Jennifer Welser completed her degree at Michigan State University’s College of Veterinary Medicine, a rotating internship at Auburn University, and an ophthalmology residency at Animal Eye Associates in Illinois. She has worked in a range of clinical settings across her career, including running a veterinary practice in California, working as a staff ophthalmologist and medical director in a corporate setting, and working at Angell Memorial Animal Hospital in Boston. In 2014, she was appointed Chief Medical Officer at BluePearl, where she was responsible for the company’s internship and residency programmes. She currently works with the chief medical officers of each practice to give access to cutting-edge, high-quality veterinary care while overseeing medical affairs for Mars Veterinary Health. |
| 25 | Through a residency/degree programme in emergency medicine and critical care, as well as graduate studies in business management, organizational behaviour, and leadership, Dr. Jennifer Ogeer increased her clinical and research competence. As a professor in academic settings, she loved research, teaching, and clinical practice. She also appreciated all of her opportunities to obtain expertise in the corporate administration of the animal health industry. She has been involved in the Diversity Veterinary Medicine Coalition and is currently a member of the Veterinarians Without Borders board of directors. |
Conclusion
Many concur that the increased number of female professionals in the veterinary area will benefit both society and the industry. Increased female participation in this field could result in positive changes including improved work-life balance, more practical work schedules, safe workspaces, and reduced work hours. These international instances highlight the range and significance of the innovations made by female veterinarians. From genetics and surgery to pharmaceuticals and conservation, they have made contributions to many different fields. These individuals are advancing veterinary medicine and benefiting animals as well as the larger healthcare industry by being committed and creative in their work.
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