'Veterinary Medicine: Education and Courageous Careers' - webinar on 10th Dec 2025
Join us on Weds 10th Dec 2025 for the second webinar of the Alternatives and Simulation in Education webinar series, jointly organized by CAAT’s Education Program, InterNICHE and Ombion.
'Veterinary Medicine: Education and Courageous Careers'
- Dr Crystal Heath, Executive Director, Our Honor
Dr Crystal Heath will talk about animal use and alternatives in veterinary education, new research into terminal laboratories in North America, the role of veterinarians in society, and courageous career choices.
Wednesday 10 Dec, 2025
10am PST / 1pm ET / 6pm GMT / 7pm CET / 11.30pm IST
This free webinar is hosted by InterNICHE.
Please use this link to register: https://jh.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_vEZTXHvQRqyJ9GZH_rzNwQ
Abstract:
Veterinary education and the veterinary profession both exist within a social and economic context that does not always serve the animals’ interests, nor those of veterinary students and practitioners. Despite some progressive changes, practices such as terminal laboratories and other harmful animal use continue in the practical classes of some departments at veterinary schools, and opportunities for clinical learning opportunities with animal patients are often under-utilized. The veterinary profession itself is influenced by corporate interests, in particular from intensive animal-based protein production, which compromise the nature and practice of veterinary medicine, including in education. In this webinar, the Executive Director of US non-profit Our Honor, Dr Crystal Heath, will discuss education and careers in conversation with InterNICHE Co-ordinator Nick Jukes. Dr Heath will describe a new study into the use of terminal laboratories at North American vet schools, and address the opportunities and advantages of patient-based spay-neuter work and shelter medicine for hands-on skills acquisition. She will identify the interests that have directed the focus of veterinary medicine away from the welfare and rights of animals and veterinarians, and show how the latter can use their position and skills to challenge this and to reconnect the profession with its oath. Acknowledging the growing potential of careers in effective research for the veterinary graduate, she will describe other career options that involve working a practitioner and a campaigner. In particular, she will explore the ‘courageous choices’ that might be faced and that can be taken by veterinarians in the service of animals and the profession - with benefit to society and beyond.
About the speaker:
Dr. Crystal Heath is a Los Angeles-based shelter veterinarian and the Executive Director of Our Honor, a nonprofit that supports veterinary students, veterinarians, and other animal professionals in speaking their conscience to create more ethical systems that consider the best interests of all species. She is also on the board of LEAP - Leaders for Ethics Animals and the Planet, known as the humane alternative to 4-H and FFA, which aims to transform today’s youth into the humane leaders of tomorrow who advocate for and work towards an equitable future for all living beings and the planet. Dr. Heath is also on the founding committee of Veterinarians Against Ventilation Shutdown. Dr. Heath was named one of Vox’s 2023 Future Perfect 50, which honors the scientists, thinkers, scholars, writers, and activists working on solutions to today's (and tomorrow’s) biggest problems.
Register here: https://jh.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_vEZTXHvQRqyJ9GZH_rzNwQ
