Ep 120: The Making of a Mentor: Hidayah Martinez-Jaka’s Mentorship Story

In today’s episode of That Vet Life Podcast, Dr. Moriah McCauley is joined with 4th-year veterinary student and president of the Student American Veterinary Medical Association (SAVMA), Hidayah Martinez-Jaka. Hidayah’s journey into veterinary medicine began at age 14 when her family adopted a flock of chickens. With little veterinary support, Hydayah took it upon herself to care and treat the chickens, which in turn, sparked her love of veterinary medicine. “I fell in love with them as pets, and my passion for veterinary medicine grew from that. I love the process of diagnosing and healing animals. I love the science, too, as well as the merging of empathy and knowledge.” Hidayah is currently in her fourth year of veterinary school and is soon to graduate from the Virginia-Maryland College of Veterinary Medicine. During her time as a student, Hidayah has been breaking the mold in veterinary education and in 2020 was elected as the president of SAVMA - being the first woman of color and the first student from her college to ever serve in this position. Hidayah is using her platform to support other veterinary students - “I see leadership through SAVMA, not as a way to benefit myself but to lift other voices up”. In this episode, Hidayah goes into detail about her journey into veterinary medicine, the mentorship that has influenced her journey, and the type of mentorship she delivers herself.