Madison, a first-year veterinary student and VMBS ambassador, grew up knowing she wanted to work with horses and become and equine surgeon.
However, during her first year of vet school, she joined several clubs such as the Equine Practitioner Club, the Zoo, Exotics, and Wildlife club, and others to find out more about the different facets of large animal medicine!
Madison is eager to keep an open mind and she continues to learn about the variety of opportunities within veterinary medicine.
Bailey, a first-year veterinary student and VMBS ambassador, found unique ways to fund her upcoming study abroad trip!
She spent hours making homemade blankets for people, and their furry friends, and worked as an on-call technician to raise money. Bailey’s hard work paid off and she was able to fully fund her trip to Africa this summer!
Anna, a first-year veterinary student and VMBS ambassador, didn’t take a traditional path to veterinary school.
Prior to beginning her DVM program at the VMBS, Anna moved to Texas for a research opportunity in the Rio Grande Valley. She studied road ecology, specifically the movement of ocelots and bobcats around highways.
While completing her research, Anna spent her free time interning at a local zoo, helping with wildlife rehabilitation and caring for sick zoo animals. She also volunteered with Sea Turtle Inc. and a bird banding project.
All of these hands-on experiences led Anna to pursue a degree in veterinary medicine in Texas!
Niya, a first-year veterinary student and VMBS ambassador, was nervous to take a gap year. However, the experience she gained during this period has equipped her to become a better veterinarian!
Niya spent her gap year working for a medical device company, Enova Illumination, where she learned the importance of ergonomic medical equipment and how it contributes to a healthier lifestyle as a veterinarian.
During her gap year, Niya increased her professional skills and learned how to speak confidently in front of large audiences, all skills that have aided her as she has begun her career in veterinary medicine.
Seth, a first-year veterinary student, has enjoyed the start of his academic journey at the VMBS! He has met peers in his courses that share the same passion and love for veterinary medicine, and he is eager for what the future holds.
“Each day brings something new, engaging lectures, hands-on labs, and moments that remind me why I chose this path,” Seth said. “I’m excited to take in every experience, build lifelong friendships, and grow into the veterinarian I aspire to be.”
Allie, a first-year veterinary student, supported her peers by volunteering at the Student Chapter of the American Association of Equine Practitioners Equine Wet Lab.
Allie worked in the Emergency and Critical Care area, where she was able to learn about life-saving procedures in critical situations. She also attended a job fair that featured more than 50 equine practices from across the country.
Priya, a first-year veterinary student, has found that a strong community is an important foundation for transitioning into vet school.
When beginning her first year of vet school, Priya was excited yet nervous for the unknown she was facing. But she soon found a community of friends, faculty, and staff at the college who encouraged her every step of the way — both inside and outside the classroom.
“The wisdom of others is invaluable,” Priya said. “I encourage anyone who has a dream to reach out to people who have gone before them and to soak in their advice.
“These are people I know that I’ll be in touch with after we graduate, and that is something I’ll be grateful for forever.”
As I go through vet school, I find I’m grateful for the many veterinary learning opportunities I had access to in my high school years. Recognizing the importance of these opportunities has made me want to find ways to serve and provide similar opportunities to others while I’m in veterinary school.
Early on in high school, my vet and mentor Dr. Jason Thorne taught our 4-H club how to bandage horses, take vital signs, and other important aspects of horse care. He continued to serve through teaching the FFA veterinary science team different tools and treatment techniques that he used in everyday practice.
Another opportunity I had was the Oklahoma 4-H program, through which our local Equine Extension Specialist put on a Horse Science Academy. Every year we learned new skills, including how to test the nutrient levels of hay, horse first aid, tests for intestinal parasites, equine heart anatomy, and more. There were many more events I attended, and many of these opportunities were events or programs that required many volunteers to make it happen.
I realized in high school how important these opportunities were for me. The leaders of the events encouraged me to pursue vet school, and they gave me connections, opportunities to gain useful skills, and a space to explore veterinary medicine. I decided to ‘pay it forward’ and help with some of the activities that had been crucial in helping me explore my passion for animals and veterinary medicine. I gave speech writing and speech coaching workshops in the barn where the group met (with breaks to visit the horses of course!). The 4-Hers were all interested in horses, so I helped them find different horse topics they were curious about, helped the younger ones with typing their speeches, and coached them through how to practice and deliver them.
Knowledgeable owners are key in keeping their animals healthy, so I designed a scavenger hunt for my local 4-H Horse Club with puzzles and clues that had to be solved with knowledge of horse diseases. The week before the hunt, I gave the kids a packet of information I had compiled over vaccines and how common diseases are spread, what causes the specific disease, and disease symptoms. The kids read over the information that week and then got to apply their knowledge working in teams to solve puzzles and get the next clue. Everyone had lots of fun during the event, and one mom told me her daughter liked it so much she wanted to do it for her birthday party!
I continued to find other service opportunities in veterinary school. One opportunity was Veterinary Education Day at the Texas A&M College of Veterinary Medicine & Biomedical Sciences, where over 200 local elementary-aged kids got to explore being a veterinarian. I was selected to be a co-leader to plan events focused on learning about large animals (horses, cattle, sheep, goats, and pigs). As the co-leader, I planned and gathered supplies for a horseshoe matching game, learning how to rope, a model on how horses see, how to make butter and where it comes from, and more fun and educational stations! I also continue to coach the local FFA veterinary science team and do educational workshops for my local 4-H club.
I have discovered that there are many ways to serve while in veterinary school, and often many service opportunities closely align with my schedule as well as my interests and passions. For anyone looking to give back to their community, there are often several groups in your area that align with your interests that need volunteers throughout the year. I know volunteers were a crucial part of encouraging me and helping me discover my passion for veterinary medicine. Volunteering is a rewarding experience and can take many different forms, and you never know when you might make a positive, lasting impact on those you serve.
By Amanda M. ’27, Doctor of Veterinary Medicine Student
Unlike most veterinary students, before applying to veterinary school, I served as a veterinary practice manager at Tabor Road Veterinary Hospital here in Bryan, Texas, working alongside an Aggie veterinarian for a total of nine years.
Each day consisted of surgical procedures, vaccinations, and caring for sick animals. On top of that, I handled day to-day-operations that included managing other employees, ordering supplies, and ensuring top-notch patient care and customer service. This meant working long days and sometimes having few breaks.
I loved many parts of being a veterinary practice manager. I enjoyed working with owners and their pets, mentoring my coworkers, and seeing veterinary medicine through a business perspective. I also enjoyed communicating with the Spanish-speaking community and bridging the language barrier that many of these clients face. The biggest challenges I faced were client financial constraints and staff shortages. I think those were my least favorite parts of the job.
I know many undergraduate students are worried about not being accepted into veterinary school right away. However, I waited 10 years, got married, and had kids and a career before deciding to re-apply, and I would not change a thing.
I am so thankful for the time I had to be able to gain clinical and business experience while working in a veterinary hospital. Now, as a veterinary student, I use a lot of the time management, organization, and communication skills that I acquired during my time as a practice manager. Once I graduate, I can continue using those skills along with what I’ve learned in the veterinary program to hopefully open my own clinic one day.
My biggest fear before starting veterinary school was not having enough time to enjoy my hobbies and talk with friends and family. When I first glanced at my class schedule, I remember wondering if all I would have time for was studying!
I spent the first month of veterinary school solely studying all day and night, feeling horrible in the process. I decided to make a change and started including my hobbies into my schedule and immediately felt like a weight was lifted from my shoulders.
After taking time to reflect on my first month of veterinary school, I figured out that having a balance in my life between school and my hobbies actually helped me perform better on tests and avoid burn out.
It’s easy to become engulfed in the thought that you must spend all day and all weekend studying, but it’s simply not true. One of my favorite things to do during school breaks and on the weekends is reading fantasy novels. With proper schedule planning, I can read my favorite books at least five hours a week!
Allowing my myself to take time to still do the things that I love gives me a morale boost before studying.
Blocking out time every week to remain physically active is very important in maintaining physical health. I do this by scheduling time every week to take outdoor walks, go to Orange Theory workout classes, or take rowing classes. One of my favorite parts of the weekend is going on long walks during the sunset.
Another way to avoid burn out and balance your life as a veterinary student is staying connected with your family, friends, and significant others. For example, I make time to watch my boyfriend’s college basketball games every Wednesday and Saturday night. I even drove to watch him play in Houston last semester!
Sometimes it can be hard to avoid thinking about the studying you could be doing in place of enjoying your hobbies or spending time with loved ones but the sense of satisfaction I get from these activities is critical to maintaining my mental health.
If I could give two pieces of advice to any professional student, it would be to not lose yourself in studying and to live in the moment! Life is about balance, and maintaining this balance resulted in a better performance in the classroom and being happier in my free time.
