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Transitioning from Second to Third Year

Horses in a marshy landscape
“Wild horses at the Rachel Carson Reserve in North Carolina, where I went on vacation for my last summer.”

Transitioning from second to third year of veterinary school is a huge milestone because it means you are halfway to getting your DVM! It’s also the point when students choose a track that best matches their career goals.

“I chose to follow the small animal track, which means I take electives that will help prepare me for life as a small animal general practitioner,” said third-year veterinary student Hannah J. “These electives are designed to strengthen our abilities to write medical records, assess a patient based on their history and physical exam, and workup a plan for diagnostics and treatments. They also explore the different specialties available to pursue as a residency, such as ophthalmology, diagnostic imaging, and surgery.

“Going into third year also means I just had my ‘last’ summer of vet school,” she said. “In between third and fourth year, veterinary students go straight into clinical rotations at the small and large animal hospitals. During my last summer, I made sure to gain lots of hands-on experience at externships while still taking a well-earned break by going on vacation to the North Carolina coast.”

A group of veterinary students in front of the VENI building
A group of veterinary students jumping in front of the VENI building

“My group of friends and I taking group and celebratory photos in front of the vet school after finishing our second year. We were all so excited to have reached the halfway mark! My group of friends is a mixed bag as far as our planned career paths in veterinary medicine go. Some of my friends are tracking small animal like me, while others are tracking mixed animal, or equine-only focus.”

Abdominal ultrasound of cat

“Photo of an abdominal ultrasound of a cat, evaluating the small intestines. This was a case I saw over the summer while on an externship. We just learned about GI tract evaluation using ultrasound in our diagnostic imaging class in third year.”

Radiograph of a dog's chest

“Photo of a thoracic radiograph of a dog, evaluating the lungs. This was a case I saw over the summer while on an externship. We started off the semester learning about lung patterns in our diagnostic imaging class in third year. It was fun to get to pull up examples of radiographs I had seen over the summer to incorporate into my educational experience in class.”

Learning Turtle Shell Repair

Abbie repairing an empty turtle shell

Abbie M. and fellow third-year veterinary students learned about repairing turtle shells and practiced techniques on donated empty shells in a recent class activity (see the before and after photos!).

“Wildlife veterinarians often receive turtles in need of shell repairs. After a turtle suffers trauma, such as being hit by a car, a veterinarian can use a variety of repair styles to assist in healing,” Abbie said. “During the Zoo, Exotics, and Wildlife Techniques elective in third year, veterinary students have the opportunity to practice these repairs on turtle shells.

“Pictured here you can see screws and cerclage wire, hook and eye closures, zip ties, and even gel nails,” she said. “Each repair type has its own advantages and uses, so its important to know how to use what you have!”

A broken empty turtle shell
An empty turtle shell repaired with hooks, screws, zipties, and more

Before and After

Exploring Opportunities in Research

As part of the Veterinary Medical Scientist Research Training Program (VMSRTP), second-year veterinary student Gabriela spent 10 weeks conducting research with Dr. Vanna Dickerson on how applying ice packs affects blood flow to the skin.

At the end of the summer, she presented her project at the 2024 National Veterinary Scholars Symposium in St. Paul, Minnesota, and was able to network with veterinary students from across the country with similar research interests.

Gabriela explaining her research poster to a symposium attendee
Group of VMSRTP participants and directors

Animals of the Amazon

Maria holding up a green macaw

As Maria, a junior biomedical sciences major and VMBS ambassador, explored her home country of Venezuela during a recent vacation, she became all the more excited about her future in veterinary medicine.

“The first destination was Canaima in the Amazon rainforest,” Maria said. “We stayed in a lodge that was an animal sanctuary and rehabilitation center for the animals in the rainforest. I got to interact with monkeys, tapirs, parrots, and a special little green macaw called Olive that would always love to be carried and cuddled!

“Then, I got to travel to an archipelago called Los Roques,” she said. “In one of the islands, they had a rehabilitation project for sea turtles. I learned how the island is the mating place for 3 species and how the volunteers protect their nests. When the eggs hatch a couple of months later, they bring them into the center and care for the younglings until they are ready to be liberated into the ocean. This project was amazing since they are helping species that are in risk of extinction!”

Maria holding a young sea turtle
Maria watching as two people feed an adult and baby tapir
Maria in front of a window overlooking the Amazon rainforest and river, with two red macaws sitting on the window ledge
Maria holding a sleeping puppy
Maria holding a green macaw with another on her shoulder
Maria holding up a sea turtle

Living a Double Life

Four young people laying in grass studying

A blog by Daisy, senior biology major

My experience as a college student is unique to some! I am an undergraduate student, an ambassador of the Texas A&M College of Veterinary Medicine & Biomedical Sciences, and I have the opportunity to serve in the United States Army Reserves. These photos show snippets of my years of experience thus far as a reserve soldier, which allows me to also attend Texas A&M as a full-time student. My dream is to attend veterinary school at the VMBS and serve in the Army Veterinary Corps to care for service dogs, horses, and on-base family pets!

These pictures show a variety of places, including Camp Bullis, Fort Cavasos, and Fort Hunter Ligett, California, where I got to ride on a black hawk and watch early morning sunrises on our camp setup. The tent picture is a 6 a.m. sunrise in California before we packed up to “jump” (Army term for “move quickly”) to our actual training site.

As a student, I am a major coffee lover! The bag of coffee pictured is commonly seen for soldiers in the field looking for a caffine kick! The bag, along with a packet of instant coffee and creamer, frequently comes in our packaged meals called MRE’s.

Drill weeks often run into my exams, which Texas A&M always helps me rearrange so that I can fufill my duty! Some of these pictures show me studying as we wait for certain training events so I do not fall behind on my classwork.

I often think about how lucky I am to serve in the Army and have these life experiences. No school understands the needs of student soldiers quite like Texas A&M!

Daisy and an Army friend with black hawk helicoptors in the background
Daisy and her Army friends
Hand holding a bad of liquid coffee
Daisy on a bus seat studying
A bunch of tents in a field with the setting sun in the background

A Month in Thailand

William, a VMBS ambassador and Texas A&M junior, got to learn about veterinary medicine and conservation during a month-long education abroad trip in Thailand!

“I had many unique opportunities, such as providing rescue veterinary care to elephants and assisting in neutering stray dogs and cats,” William said. “I stayed overnight in a mountain village to learn about the sustainability practices of the indigenous people. I planted hundreds of trees, and I got scuba certified from conservation dives on the coral reefs surrounding Koh Tao.

“It was a great opportunity to learn about how a different culture embraces the animals and the environment around them,” he said. “Truly a life-changing experience!”

Torres taking a selfie with elephants in the background
Torres in scuba gear in front of bright blue water

Learning at the Schubot Center

Meet Alyssa, a third-year veterinary student who loves birds and has an interest in avian and exotic animal medicine.

One of the ways that Alyssa is exploring this interest is by serving as a member of the Schubot Aviary Veterinary Student team that helps care for birds at the Schubot Center for Avian Health.

On any given day, Alyssa helps perform physical exams, collect diagnostic samples, medicate birds, and perform other routine care practices like preparing diets and maintaining proper husbandry. Learn more about the Schubot Center and its opportunities for students at https://vetmed.tamu.edu/schubot/

Alyssa holding a cockatiel
Masked Alyssa holding a baby cockatiel

Alex’s African Adventure

Second-year veterinary student Alexandra had the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to spend three weeks studying abroad in South Africa this summer!

“During this trip we had the opportunity to place tracking collars on lions, provide care to and relocate black and white rhinos, transport over 30 antelope across the African plains, and so much more,” Alex said. “I made friendships that will last a lifetime and got to work under Dr. Peter Brothers, a career wildlife veterinarian who will forever be a mentor to me. I hope to have the opportunity to travel in my future career and learn more about veterinary medicine practices and methods around the world!”

In these photos, you can see Alex monitor a rhino’s breathing as it was relocated to a safer location and help care for a sable antelope that is wearing special tubes over its horns during transport to protect both the animal and its caretakers.

Finding Ways To Serve In Veterinary School

By Reagan S. ’27, Doctor of Veterinary Medicine student

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.

Taking Inspiration From Mentors

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.

Paying It Forward

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.

Creating Ways To Learn

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!

Inspiring The Next Generation

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.

Giving Back In Veterinary School

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.

Exploring Coffee In College Station

By Kara K. ’27, B.S. in Animal Science student

A pair of iced coffee drinks on a white table with two English muffin sandwiches.

Moving to a new city as a freshman in college can be daunting; however, as both a lover of coffee and a student in need of a good place to study, I have been relieved by the numerous coffee shops open in Bryan-College Station (BCS). There has always been something about the smell of freshly ground coffee mixed with the subtle stir of people that puts me at ease and helps me to focus while studying. Therefore, when moving to College Station, I was determined to take advantage of this town’s variety of ‘hole-in-the-wall’ coffee shops that give the town so much character. I’ve written down the coffee shops that I’ve visited so far in BCS and what makes them so special to me.

Gough Gough Coffee Company

The first coffee shop I visited in College Station was Gough Gough Coffee Company, which is located off of Highway 6. Gough Gough is definitely one of my go-to coffee shops especially when I’m wanting a quick grab-and-go cup of coffee due to their quick services and delicious coffee. This family-owned shop has some of the friendliest workers because they are always attentive to the customers. On top of the friendly staff, Gough Gough has very reliable Wi-Fi, which is perfect for long study sessions that are fueled by caffeine from their delicious coffee.

POV Coffee House

POV Coffee House in Bryan is also another go-to for me. Something that is unique about POV, other than their beautiful building and aesthetic decoration, is their delicious coffee. If you are a fan of the taste of coffee, POV is perfect for you. POV never fails to have their coffee beans roasted to perfection to create some of the most unique and flavorful beverages I’ve ever tasted. This is definitely one of my favorite spots to meet with friends and simply enjoy and delicious cup of coffee

Carport Coffee

Another popular coffee shop that I made sure to venture to during my first year at Texas A&M was Carport Coffee. Carport Coffee is another beautiful establishment that is not only pleasing to the eyes, but also produces coffee that is pleasing to the tastebuds. One of the most standout parts of Carport is their food. Any food item that I have tasted here has been very delicious and has remained unrivaled by any other coffee shop. Not only does Carport have delicious food, but it is also conveniently located right off University Drive and is within walking distance from main campus.

A college student sitting at a table in the corner of a coffee shop with the thumbs up gesture.

Sweet Eugene’s

The College Station classic, Sweet Eugene’s, was another coffee shop that was on my list to try. Something that is unique to this family-owned shop is the funky and cozy atmosphere, which makes for a whimsical coffee shop experience. Not only does Sweet Eugene’s have a unique appearance, it also has a unique menu that is fully stocked with delectable baked goods all day long. As for their coffee, it definitely stays true to their name in the sense that Sweet Eugene’s never fails to provide an extra sweetness to their coffee which makes this shop perfect for a little sweet treat.

Every coffee shop that I’ve tried has been unique, but what they all have in common are delicious coffee, immaculate customer service, and great places to study or just sit and chat with friends. Exploring the different coffee shops in BCS has been so comforting and has provided so many great memories with my friends. This coffee adventure has instilled excitement in me for the coming years of college because there are still many more coffee shops here in BCS to try!