Exploring Female Leadership Globally Across Veterinary Medical Institutions: A Narrative Inquiry of Opportunities, Challenges and Organizational Strategies

Despite the rapid feminization of the profession, in some regions in the world, women remain underrepresented in veterinary leadership roles worldwide. A similar trend is observed within veterinary medical institutions globally, where women are consistently underrepresented in senior leadership positions, and highlight the importance of evaluating the continued gender inequity in academic advancement. This study employed a convenience sampling approach to recruit 33 women from eight geographical regions: USA and Canada, Africa, Latin America, Middle East, Australia and New Zealand, Asia, Continental Europe, and UK and Ireland. All participants held leadership roles within veterinary education. The study aimed to explore the career paths of these women and to identify common themes, challenges, and regional differences in their leadership journeys. Participants took part in structured Zoom interviews which were analysed using an inductive thematic analysis approach. Four themes were identified, centred on leadership, opportunities and challenges. Female veterinary leaders described being motivated by beneficence, the desire to serve, develop others and improve veterinary medical education despite persistent challenges related to gender, culture, limited financial support, and on-going dependent-care demands. While similarities and differences were noted across geographical regions, participants from the Africa and Latin America reported heightened challenges linked to gender bias and cultural and societal expectations. The findings underscore the resilience of female veterinary leaders and highlight the need for continued research and initiatives to foster networks, enhance sponsorship opportunities, and establish formal leadership programs that address the complexities of leadership in veterinary medical education.