On today’s show I’m joined by Dr Fabian Rivers. Fabian is an exotics vet, TV personality, social activist, and philosopher. Hailing from Birmingham in the United Kingdom, Fabian, also known as Dready Vet, took a path less travelled to becoming a vet by undertaking his training in the Czech Republic. So why did he go overseas to study? The answer perhaps sheds some light on why there is such a glaring mismatch between the ethnic diversity of our general population and the ethnic diversity of our profession. As an applicant from the black community Fabian found, time and again, doors in the UK closed to him that in all probability would have been wide open to others. Thankfully for us all, he was not to be denied, and his perseverance and courage saw him graduate in 2018. Since then he has made an impressive impact. Fabian works in exotics medicine and is a tireless campaigner on his favoured topics of mental health, racism, plus new graduate and student welfare. 2020, a year of hell for many, saw his star rise further, first winning the BVA Young Vet of the Year award (for exemplary contribution to the vet community) and also landing a presenter role on the hugely popular Pets Factor children’s TV show. Now, just before we jump into the episode, a quick word from today’s show sponsor which today is the Thrive community. If you are struggling with managing your time, feeling like an imposter or burnout then you need to make a change. The good news is that you are not broken or a bad fit for the profession, you are simply missing some super-important skills no one teaches at university. Skills you will learn as part of the VetX community. Thrive is a RACE accredited professional skills course where members receive training, toolkits, and one-to-one coaching to develop these skills. Join hundreds of other vets who have changed their careers for the better as a Thrive member. To learn more and find out if the class is a good fit for you visit www.vetxinternational.com today. Now back to the show, We see the violent and sickening side of racism plastered across our news feeds. But what perhaps escapes our attention is the missed opportunity to create a genuinely inclusive profession. Fabian is a shining example of what we might have lost were it not for his determination. The question is how many other talented people have been denied this chance? How much brilliance have we missed out on as a result? And what work must we do now to make things fair and inclusive? Because if you believe that opening up opportunities for all today is a key part of creating a better society tomorrow, then doing nothing is not an option. This episode was an education, it gave me a lot to consider, I hope it does the same for you too. So sit back and let the awesome Dr. Fabian Rivers take us on a journey with a frequently light-hearted touch about a deadly serious topic.