Equity and Veterinary Education in Aotearoa New Zealand

Abstract

This short commentary article considers veterinary education as a specific type of science professional education that is impacted by lack of participation of Māori and Pacific students in senior secondary science education. The veterinary profession in Aotearoa New Zealand faces a difficult challenge to overcome the severe under-representation of practising Māori and Pacific veterinarians. At the only veterinary school in the country, the first Māori professor of veterinary education is leading the VetMAP programme, which has been established to recruit and support more Māori and Pacific veterinary students. A related question involves addressing the monocultural nature of veterinary education, so key Māori concepts of whakapapa, kaitiakitanga and manaakitanga are discussed for their potential usefulness.