In this thread, Emmanuel gives us some insight into his personal journey to Veterinary Medicine, where he gives his account of the challenges he faced and the challenges he continues to face. #AAtakeover #Inspire #Diversify #Vetdiversity 1/19

'As the cliché goes, I have always had a love and passion for animals from a very young age. The difference lies in my journey which I can confidently say is unique to me' #AAtakeover 2/19

'Growing up, I never had much exposure to animals. I always found myself watching the nature programmes on Nat Geo Wild which strengthened my interest in animals after every episode' #AAtakeover 3/19

'It was only once I had watched my first veterinary programme at age seven that my animal aspirations began to develop. But there was a problem, the vets that I watched on TV looked nothing like me' #AAtakeover 4/19

'Never once seeing a black vet at a young age really made me question whether it was a profession for “people like me”.' #AAtakeover 5/19

'I’m sure some people don’t see the importance of seeing “people like you” growing up, but being able to identify with someone who you aspire to be really does give you the confidence and courage to aim for success' #AAtakeover 6/19

'My journey continued and I kept striving towards a career in veterinary medicine. Whilst studying my GCSEs, I would always ask my teachers and senior members of staff how I could put myself in an advantageous position to apply for veterinary school...' #AAtakeover 7/19

'...but the answers were always limited and lacked clarity. The same could be said for my parents who were not born in this country and unfortunately did not go through its higher education system' #AAtakeover 8/19

'This same trend followed during my A-Levels where the people around me being teachers, friends and family didn’t know much about veterinary medicine which meant I had no one to turn to for support or advice' #AAtakeover 9/19

'Initially this was a struggle but I became proactive with my approach to ensure that I was in the best position possible when applying for university' #AAtakeover 10/19

'It was also around this time that the paths of the people I grew up with began to vary. I had friends who sold drugs, had been stabbed and were in jail. Seeing the people I’d grown up with take such drastic turns in their life really was a challenging time' #AAtakeover 11/19

'However, I didn’t let the environment I was in define me and fortunately, all the groundwork I put in over the years finally paid off as I got accepted into vet school!' #AAtakeover 12/19

'But even after accomplishing the milestone of veterinary school and entering my third year at university, I am still met with challenges that aren’t due to environment or a lack in support and guidance, but instead in the form of prejudice and discrimination' #AAtakeover 13/19

'Initially, during my time at secondary school and sixth form I had been told that someone “like me” wouldn’t make it to vet school. Yet here I am in the third year of my six-year degree and it seems the angle has changed slightly…' #AAtakeover 14/19

'...where my “peers” strongly believe that “someone like me” has only achieved so much simply because of the colour of my skin, as if my personal qualities and skills have nothing to do with it. It’s quite ironic really…' #AAtakeover 15/19

'The animosity directed towards me lost its value when I bumped into an old friend from my area (Tottenham) and we caught up with each other' #AAtakeover 16/19

'He had no idea what a veterinarian was so I explained that its “an animal doctor” and once he understood the profession I was in was medicine, he commemorated me for doing well and “getting out of the hood”.' #AAtakeover 17/19

'It’s those kinds of conversations that remind me where I’ve come from and the struggles I have faced. I know a lot of people will say that “we all struggle” and although this is true, their struggle hasn’t been a struggle like mine' #AAtakeover 18/19

'My successes and achievements have shaped who I am and I can confidently say that I’ll continue to grow and develop myself as an individual so that I am able to become someone who I am proud to be.' #AAtakeover 19/19