Why more women in the veterinary industry doesn't result in equality

Why more women in the veterinary industry doesn’t result in equality

female vets

The fact that female veterinarians now outnumber male veterinarians at a rate of more than two to one could be seen as a success on the surface. Where once 99 percent of male graduates in the veterinary industry were men, today 80 percent are women. 

But one only needs to look at the top jobs in the profession and you wouldn’t know it. Despite their numerical dominance at entry level, women are still failing to break through the glass ceiling, at a time where we are experiencing a shortage of vet practitioners in Australia.

Historically there have always been many barriers to the career progression of female vets.

Lack of flexible working arrangements for mothers

Too often the lack of female representation in leadership roles and pay inequality is put down to life choices. Clinics demand roster flexibility and overtime (typically unpaid), which puts further pressure on women who need structured start and finish times to pick up children from day care or school.

Women with children are made to feel as though they are difficult or demanding employees, incapable of management positions due to inflexibility. We are punished in our careers for briefly leaving the profession to have children, and those of us who do, mostly return in a part time capacity, which is considered a further barrier to promotion.

Ageism and everyday sexism

While it’s true that the perceptions of women’s professionalism and skill sets are changing, the generational change in the industry means that the higher positions are still heavily dominated by men; most older vets are men, most employers and clinical operators are male and there are more men in various senior positions. Women, meanwhile, make up the majority of early career vets. This gender imbalance between young and old adds an ageist dimension to the sexism: with older male clients or practitioners denigrating younger females, relegating them to minor tasks and propping up their male peers with same or even less experience.

I remember working in a practice with a young male nurse, clients consistently assumed he was the vet and I was a nurse, even though my name badge clearly stated I was the veterinarian. It wasn’t unusual for clients to use language littered with well meaning, but degrading words, such as ‘love’, ‘sweetheart’ and ‘missy.’

Gender Pay Gap

Poor negotiation skills are often blamed for the gender pay gap in veterinary medicine. Women need to be better negotiators! More business savvy! We need to be more assertive to be worthy of a pay increase. However, this mentally only exemplifies the pay divide and sexism it’s wrapped up in that refuses to take accountability for the fact that there is a power imbalance in the salary negotiation room, one which is particularly felt by women, who already feel self-conscious about time they have needed to take off to care for children. The most frustrating part is that it absolves the employer of any responsibility in the matter. It’s not my fault I don’t see your worth – it’s yours!

Disruption in the industry paving the way for women

While some women are leaving the industry altogether, I have been fortunate to discover and secure a role as one of the many female vets at Melbourne tech start up, Vets On Call. A mobile app company which facilitates in home veterinary visits to your home.

Morgan Coleman is  the Indigenous entrepreneur and founder of Vets On Call and he has a different way of looking at the role women can play in the industry. With more female staff than men on the team who hold both senior, junior and part-time vet positions, flexible working hours and conditions are the norm.

For the first time in my veterinary career, I am able to stay in the career that I love, utilising my many years of study, in a way that fits into my responsibilities as a mother. I also benefit from mental health initiatives and safety measures that Vets On Call have implemented to ensure my mental and physical wellbeing is looked after on the job.

Coleman says there is no need to hold on to a traditional business model.

“As an industry disrupter and start up, flexible working hours and greater career advancement for women will mean we can lead the way for the next generation of vets making their way into the industry and set a new business benchmark for the veterinary industry as a whole to look up to.”

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