Banfield Pet Hospital announces inaugural class of 2022 NextVet Internship Program, plus more strides surrounding Educational Pathways

The 15 high school students selected for the 2022 NextVet internship program (Photo courtesy of Banfield Pet Hospital).

Banfield Pet Hospital has welcomed the inaugural class of its NextVet internship program to extend its Educational Pathways program for upcoming and current veterinary professionals.

According to a company release, this summer, 15 high school students with a drive and passion for veterinary medicine will engage in a paid opportunity in Banfield hospital locations throughout 8 cities: Atlanta, Dallas, Los Angeles, New York, Phoenix, Pittsburgh, Portland-Vancouver, and Washington D.C.¹ Practice leaders, industry experts, and Banfield's hospital teams with provide students first-hand knowledge of careers in companion animal medicine through the internship. What’s more, Banfield has offered pet care assistant roles to 10 highly qualified internship applicants.

Additionally, the practice is further fostering opportunities for future veterinary professionals by announcing its second national, year-long partnership with Boys & Girls Clubs of America. This collaboration targets K-12 students from underrepresented backgrounds through a host of career outreach events. According to Mars Veterinary Health research, the veterinary field is experiencing a perpetual shortage of professionals with the longstanding lack of diversity serving as a key factor in this.²

"Banfield believes firmly that there's an intersection between strengthening the veterinary talent pipeline and diversifying the profession," said Melissa Marshall, Banfield's vice president of people and organization, in the release.

"By continuing to remove barriers to equitable education through the expansion of Banfield's Educational Pathways program, we're creating more accessible pathways for current and aspiring veterinary professionals. Our goal is to help create a more sustainable industry so we can best serve people, pets, and communities."

Some more advances Banfield is making by dedicating resources to Educational Pathways include¹:

• Expanding the practice’s partnership with InStride to offer its paraprofessionals paid opportunities to receive further education and degrees
• Helping students through Banfield’s Veterinary Student Debt Relief Program
• Investing in the creation of a new online Bachelor of Science in veterinary technology program at Appalachian State University

References

1. Banfield Pet Hospital® welcomes inaugural class of its 2022 NextVet Internship Program as part of expanded Educational Pathways offerings and initiatives. News release. May 5, 2022. Accessed May 5, 2022. https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/banfield-pet-hospital-welcomes-inaugural-class-of-its-2022-nextvet-internship-program-as-part-of-expanded-educational-pathways-offerings-and-initiatives-301540216.html
2. Tackling the veterinary professional shortage. Mars Veterinary Health. March 2022. Accessed May 5, 2022. https://www.marsveterinary.com/tackling-the-veterinary-professional-shortage