A: I always wanted to be a veterinarian - like most - because I love animals. The real push to pursue veterinary medicine was the chance to enter a field of never-ending variety. Veterinary medicine is a field that has never become routine or boring for me. Plus, right before I started first year, a pet pig rescue of mine became sick and eventually had to be euthanized. I had such difficulty finding anyone to examine him, or even put him down, that I decided to specifically pursue minipig veterinary medicine. I soon realized that there was no such specialty. So I created one myself, and it's been my niche ever since.
Q: What did you like about attending veterinary school?
A: Although I may not have had the same opinion at the time, I liked everything about veterinary school! I have always (weirdly, I know) enjoyed school and would be an eternal student if I could make a living that way. I was always most interested in biological sciences, and the courses in vet school, while difficult, were always those I truly wanted to study. I also made some fantastic life-long friends there.
Q: What advice would you offer a pre-veterinary student interested in pursuing a career in veterinary medicine or in your specific specialty?
A: Keep your GPA as high as you can, and search for a variety of volunteer opportunities in the field. Work in the office of a small animal veterinarian, ride with an equine vet, milk cows at a dairy, check into opportunities in a research lab. Volunteer at an animal sanctuary, therapeutic riding facility, or take certified pets to visit nursing homes to add an element of community service to the required animal experience. Better yet, start a project on your own!
Q: How did you make yourself stand out as an applicant to veterinary school?
A: I think I stood out as an applicant because I was an older student with a prior career in microbiology (in addition to an excellent GPA). The face-to-face interview was also likely beneficial for me as I had the maturity and experience to make a good impression - something I would have lacked at a younger age. I know this isn't helpful for younger applicants, but it shows that you are never too old. Keep trying if you don't at first succeed.
Q: What are you passionate about in terms of your specialty in pot bellied pig medicine?
A: Pet pigs (miniature and not-so-miniature) tend to "fall through the cracks" in veterinary medicine. They are often better handled by large animal vets, but owners prefer the bedside manner of small animal vets. (Swine vets, though obviously knowledgeable about pigs, handle herd health of the pig as a food animal which is an entirely unrelated field and subject to biosecurity measures that do not allow handling of pigs outside of a given company/farm.) As a result, many veterinarians are simply not comfortable seeing minipig patients. So... I am passionate about teaching minipig medicine & surgery to as many students as possible so that they will be comfortable seeing these unique patients in the future. As a boarded anatomic pathologist, I am also dedicated to performing necropsy (animal autopsy) on my minipig patients to learn about disease processes, and in turn, how to better treat my next patient.
Q: What do you want the attendees to leave with after your presentation at the conference this October?
A: Participants in the Women in Large Animal Medicine Panel should realize that they (male or female) can pursue any field involving any species. The word "can't" doesn't apply, regardless of anyone else's opinion on the matter.