Getting real with Dr. Courtney Campbell

Success doesn’t happen overnight. It takes months (often years) for a person to grow from an animal loving kid into the professional and thriving veterinarian they were always meant to be. 

But nobody gets a behind the scenes look at this process. We don’t see the hours of study, the heartbreak of a rejection letter, or the joy of finding out you were accepted into the program of your dreams. We don’t talk nearly enough about issues facing veterinary medicine today – such as the need for diversity, equity, and inclusion.  

In fact, we tend to ignore the backstory and challenges, and instead only focus on the “good.”

However, every so often a kind-hearted and sincere person comes along who is willing to share their story of getting from point A to point B in this highly competitive veterinary world of ours, plus offer insights into critical issues like DEI. 

That person is none other than the amazing Dr. Courtney Campbell! 

Here is what he had to say. 

The Honest Truth About Choosing a Veterinary School 

The acceptance rate for veterinary college is typically between 10% - 15%. 

If that sounds low…it’s because it is.

Thousands of hopeful students apply to schools across the country each year, with the average number of schools they submit an application to being three. For Dr. Courtney Campbell, these odds prompted him to act differently. 

“I think I applied to every veterinary school in the nation,” he says. 

Ultimately, he decided to attend Tuskegee University College of Veterinary Medicine (TUCVM). 

When asked why he chose TUCVM, Campbell explains, “Plain and simple. When I applied to veterinary medical school, my focus was on going to veterinary school. I obviously had some desires and interests. I had 1st choice, 2nd choice, and 3rd choice. But because I had heard so many stories, depressing stories, scary stories about the application process from my peers, I basically knew that to get into veterinary medical school was going to require a ton of luck, hard work, and diligence.”

He continues, “I didn't know if I would have the luxury to pick what veterinary school I wanted to go to. I was coming from a place of ‘Okay Courtney, you would be lucky to get into vet school. If you have the privilege of going to veterinary school, you should take it even though it may not be the vet school you originally wanted.”

Summer Programs as Gateways

Luckily, Dr. Campbell recognized the value of summer programs, ancillary educational programs, and mentorship guidance. After being waitlisted at several schools, Tuskegee sent him a letter indicating that he was accepted to a program called a ‘Summer Enrichment Reinforcement Program, called SERP.

Initially disappointed, this actually turned out to be a phenomenal opportunity! 

He explains, “I went into that summer enrichment program with a completely different mindset than I had before. I almost looked at it as a second chance - a second opportunity. You know that song by Eminem, ‘You got one shot.’ That's kind of how I looked at it. I was like, ‘Oh man, I literally have one shot.’ That's how I picked veterinary school.”

This intensive academic environment is essentially a veterinary bootcamp, after which the best and brightest are taken. 

Of 25 students, only 5 go on further.

Not surprisingly, Dr. Courtney Campbell was picked to be one of them! 

Microaggressions in the Workplace: What They Look Like, Who They Come From, and What to do About It 

Dr. Campbell’s career after leaving TUCVM has blossomed. He’s a pet talk host, speaker, and prominent figure in the veterinary media landscape.

Despite the exciting number of different experiences, Dr. Campbell has unfortunately experienced some microaggressions regarding his race, especially in a field that is not diverse. 

What was amazing was the advice that he gave regarding how to handle microaggressions. 

His tip? Do not immediately react.

Courtney says, “I would argue to resist that instinct. To move away - try to resist that instinct to shy away, and to alienate and to block and prohibit them or ban them from your life or from your inner circle. Instead, I would ask that you try to be courageous enough to do the opposite. Instead of distancing yourself - bring them closer in proximity. Because as we increase our proximity when we get close to something, it can fundamentally change us as people.”

And Dr. Courtney isn’t just talking theoretically. He has experienced racially motivated microaggressions himself firsthand. 

In the past, Campbell enjoyed attending monthly veterinarian chapter meetings. One day, after getting off work and entering the building where the meeting was to be held, he shared a story of being mistaken for catering service staff by a representative who was sponsoring the meeting. 

He arrived at the same time as fellow veterinarian colleagues. In addition, he was dressed exactly the same as everybody else. 

Understandably, Campbell was caught off guard. How to react to such a blatant microaggression?  

“I chose to increase the proximity and get her to know me,” he recalls. “So, I just said, ‘Oh good evening. My name is Doctor Courtney Campbell. I'm a veterinary surgeon in the area.’ Of course, she immediately felt embarrassed. But we had a chance to talk, both before, during and after the conference. I got a chance to meet her and explain to her why that microaggression or why that experience is so traumatizing to me, particularly because I was the only African American in the entire conference.”

Currently, veterinary medicine is one of the least diverse medical professions in existence. 

It begs the question: why? 

As the United States (and indeed, many parts of the globe) undergo a racial reckoning that really came under the magnifying glass 2 ½ years ago, it is time to embrace diversity, equity, and inclusion across all spaces – including veterinary medicine. 

Dr. Campbell mentions the changes that he has seen in the field. This includes the creation of affinity groups (e.g., National Association of Black Veterinarians, Pawsabilities, Vetmed, the Veterinary Medicine Coalition, among others). In addition, he and other African American veterinarians are now members of AVMA and the American College of Veterinary Surgeons boards.

Still, there is more progress to be made. 

Campbell wisely offers this final insight, “The key is to understand that the next step is reconciliation or change, in which we now have all of these groups really working hard so that the profession in general feels more inclusive, more open and more diverse.”

Want more Dr. Courtney? Check out his new show, Mysteries with Dr. Courtney on a podcast platform of your choice. This season of the show is all about the most craziest cat cases and is sponsored by Elanco Animal Health, makers of Credelio for Cats.