Claire, a third-year veterinary student and VMBS ambassador, gained experience in zoological veterinary medicine and animal outreach during her time as an animal ambassador at the Dallas Zoo!
Claire assisted veterinarians with procedures including radiographic imaging, acupuncture, laser therapy, and more.
She also worked with zoologists to travel across the Dallas-Fort Worth area to present interactive presentations on animals, conservation initiatives, and environmental awareness.
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!”
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!”
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.
One thing that I truly enjoy is traveling. I have had the opportunity to travel to many countries and it is something that I am very passionate about. Traveling to different places allows you to understand different cultures, different people, and different ways of doing things compared to your everyday life. There is so much to learn from people of different backgrounds, which is why when I learned that there are study abroad opportunities for veterinary students, I knew I had to go on one.
During the summer after my first year of vet school, I had the opportunity to go on a study abroad trip to Italy. Every year, Dr. Christine Budke, one of the public health and epidemiology veterinary professors, coordinates a study abroad trip with the veterinary school in Padova, Italy, during the summer — typically in June.
During this trip, I had the opportunity to stay with Italian veterinary students for a week and attend lectures at their school. The first week was online through Zoom and the second week was in-person learning in Italy.
While we were in Italy, we attended lectures in both the morning and afternoon with the Italian veterinary students and also did various labs with them. For example, we had one lab where we tested mozzarella cheese to see if it is, in fact, made from 100% buffalo milk, as some companies mix in other milks because it is cheaper. We also got to do a chicken necropsy in their anatomy lab. In addition, we went on field trips, touring a chicken farm and a seafood packaging plant in Venice; on the last day, we were even able to tour a zoo in Italy.
This trip allowed me to learn not only about veterinary topics such as public health and food safety, but it also allowed me to learn how other veterinary schools work and it helped me learn about an entirely new culture. I was able to make lifelong friendships with people halfway around the world whom I still talk to today.
The VMBS also offers other study abroad trips for veterinary students. For example, every summer there are two different trips to South Africa that veterinary students are invited to attend, and I have heard great things about those from other vet students. Studying abroad is truly a life-changing experience. If the cost is a deterrent for you, there are scholarships available to help offset the expense of travel. For example, everyone who went on the Italy study abroad trip received a scholarship specifically to go on the trip. If you ever have the opportunity to go on a study abroad trip while in veterinary school, I highly encourage you to do it.
During veterinary school, the summer is a great time to take a much-needed break from all the studying and information-processing that happens throughout the academic year. However, many students also use their summers to gain more experience, find potential employment upon graduation, or to explore new fields of veterinary medicine.
For example, I have worked in small animal medicine for six years and I had plenty of offers to work with other small animal practices this summer. However, I decided to go outside of my comfort zone this summer after I received the amazing opportunity to work at the Hattiesburg Zoo in Hattiesburg, Mississippi.
I grew up in Petal, Mississippi, which is a small town outside of Hattiesburg. As a kid, my family and I would go to this zoo weekly, so getting to work there all summer was a “full-circle moment” for me.
The Hattiesburg Zoo is home to more than 100 different animals including a hyena family, giraffes, zebras, a variety of birds, reptiles, and amphibians. While I was there, I got to work with the veterinary team on a variety of cases while also growing more confident in my exotic animal-handling, physical exam, technical, and communication skills.
My favorite thing about this externship was learning how to change the way I give physical exams based on the animal I was examining.
One of the most interesting cases I got to participate in was when a female ostrich named Twig broke her humerus. This accident happened the day before I started working with the zoo, so I was there to assist in her care from start to finish.
First, we helped transport Twig from Hattiesburg to the zoological medicine service at Louisiana State University to have her humerus surgically repaired. After her surgery, she was placed in a quarantined area to make sure she was able to heal appropriately.
I assisted with bandage changes, taking radiographs to ensure proper healing, anesthesia, blood sample collection, and proper handling of an ostrich during my time at the zoo.
By getting to work at the Hattiesburg Zoo, I was able to expand my comfort zone and work with species I never thought I would have. I plan to use this experience to help me gain further opportunities and pursue a career in the zoo field in the future.
As we approach the halfway mark in the fall semester of my second year of veterinary school, I can’t believe time has flown by so quickly! It seems like just yesterday that I was celebrating the end of my first year of vet school and preparing to travel around Texas for my summer externships.
In veterinary school, we receive three months of summer vacation in between the first two years of our four-year program. Some students spend their summers taking a well-deserved break and choose to relax or travel while others spend their time completing externships at clinics, though most do a mix of both. I chose to do three two-week externships and spend the rest of my time traveling or hanging out with friends and family.
My first externship was located in San Antonio, where I got to stay with my sister, who currently goes to medical school there. On my first day, the clinic welcomed me with open arms and made it a priority that I learned as much as I could every day I was there. Right away, I was able to start practicing taking patient histories from the clients, which is one of the major things we spent time on during the first year of veterinary school.
In vet school, we practice taking histories by having simulated encounters with local actors hired by the school play the role of a pet or livestock owner, which allows us to learn a variety of communication skills. In San Antonio, I put these skills into practice by greeting real clients in the exam room, building rapport, and taking the history for their pet. I was with the veterinarian on each case from start to finish, and I also got to observe a variety of dental procedures and surgeries.
My next externship took me about 40 minutes away from San Antonio to the city of New Braunfels. I had never visited New Braunfels before and was very excited to be staying there for my externship.
One of the most exciting parts of this externship was getting to work with a variety of exotic patients as part of the daily caseload. During my undergraduate years, I went on a study abroad program to South Africa and was an intern at the Dallas Zoo, so I have some experience with large animal exotics and was looking forward to having new experiences with small animal exotics such as snakes, cockatiels, and guinea pigs. One of my favorite memories from this externship was going on a house-call to a kangaroo ranch where we treated a kangaroo that had been bitten by a rattlesnake.
My last externship took place in West Texas in a town called Big Spring. I was looking forward to this externship because it would be at a diagnostic hospital that receives unique referral cases in the area. This hospital also routinely uses ultrasound and CT scans to help diagnose patients.
As an extern there, I got to use many of the clinical skills I had learned during my first year of veterinary school. I practiced blood draws to use for canine heartworm tests, physical exams on cats and dogs, and even abdominal ultrasounds. For each case that came in, I worked closely with the veterinarian. The most memorable part of was performing my first spays on dog and cat patients. I also got to see how a CT scan is set up and performed.
Reflecting back on my summer experiences has made me realize how much I have learned and how often I was able to put the knowledge and clinical skills that I gained during my first year to use in a real-life setting! It was a very busy summer of continuing my veterinary education, but it was worth it because of all the opportunities I had. Thankfully, there was still plenty of time to relax with my family and friends and get ready for the next year.
I think we can all agree that this summer has been… slightly out of the ordinary. In my community, I have sadly witnessed several businesses that have been forced to close their doors with no reopening in sight.
When it comes to animals though, their health cannot be put on hold. I was extremely fortunate to be able to maintain my position in a veterinary clinic during these past few months. Despite the overwhelming hardship that this pandemic has caused, we have been given the invaluable opportunity to use a bit of creativity and see patient care from a whole new perspective.
At my hospital, we have been offering “curbside service” for our clients and patients. Aside from the brief acquiring and return of the pet, all of our communication with the owners has been over the phone – from getting the history, to the doctors sharing their findings, even receiving payment for the services, while the animals are the only ones allowed inside. Although challenges with this are inevitable, I have witnessed so many more successes.
It can be very scary giving your beloved pet to a stranger and not being right by their side in a stressful environment. Yet from this, we are reminded of the importance and value of trust from the owners. Our clients are putting the life of their child into our hands, and we are so honored to be able to care for them amidst the craziness of the world around us. Additionally, these new operations have enabled us to strengthen our bond as a team. In the brief opportunities that I get to catch my breath in between running around and speaking over the phone, I marvel in the help and support that is always evident in the clinic, despite the stressors. Even though things might look a little different right now, and we greatly miss our typical client interactions, we are still here to enhance pets’ lives, one patient at a time.
This summer, I was lucky enough to be selected to participate in Banfield Pet Hospital’s Summer Job Program. Back in March, I was assigned to work at a clinic in Houston. The program is designed to be a mix of working as a technician and learning alongside the doctors. While I was initially concerned that the experience would be canceled due to COVID-19, everything continued as planned!
At the start of the experience, I was asked to rank my comfort level in different areas- clinical skills, communication skills, and business skills. This allowed to me to evaluate myself and think of what I wanted to get out of the program. I was able to talk with both my assigned coach doctor and the practice manager to discuss my goals- placing IV catheters, practicing drawing blood from the jugular vein, and performing physical exams. I was eager to practice the skills I learned my first year of vet school in a real clinic!
Starting day one, I was surrounded by supportive and encouraging technicians and doctors. Everyone asked what skills I wanted to hone, and were quick to say “Tabitha, come do this!”
Not only did I perform routine physical exams, but I also got to do orthopedic and neurologic exams. I also became much more confident in interpreting diagnostic tests like fecal exams and ear cytologies. I even got to scrub in on surgeries!
Getting to put everything I learned into practice this summer really enforced that I love the veterinary medicine industry. I love interacting with clients, learning new things, and working with animals with totally unique personalities. I am already looking forward to everything I will learn this coming school year.
This summer, I went on an adventure. Really, I went on many adventures, but one of them was completely veterinary related and I loved it a lot.
To better understand my adventure, you should know that I would like to move to the mountains when I graduate. I love the mountains and snow, and I don’t like it being summer until October.
So, this summer, I decided that I should try to figure out where I want to live when I 
graduate.
The best thing about being a veterinarian is that the entire U.S. is open to you when you graduate—everywhere needs a vet.
The worst thing about being a veterinarian is that if you have no idea where you want to live, it is hard to narrow it down—the entire country is open to you. I had narrowed it to the mountains, but there are so many mountains, so I needed to figure out more.
On July 5, I loaded up my car and started my three-day solo road trip to Idaho. Solo road trips might not be everyone’s favorite thing, but I love them.
I downloaded some books on tape and drove through areas of the U.S. that I had never been to before, like Utah and northern New Mexico. It was quite an adventure, and I am grateful that my 21-year-old car made it to Idaho. I think I worried my parents, but I was having a great time.
In Idaho, I rode with a few dairy veterinarians in the area that I was in. I had never been exposed to dairy medicine, so it was quite a new experience.
I got to see the difference in working for an operation versus having many large dairies as clients. I also had the opportunity to work with pregnant cows and got to see what the role of the veterinarian was in large-scale operations. It was a great experience that opened my eyes to the different roles of vets in different industries.
I was only in Idaho for a week, so after that week was done, I packed up my car again and drove to Bozeman, Montana, where I spent two weeks at a clinic.
Let me tell you, Bozeman is gorgeous. I loved it there. I would wake up in the mornings, and it would be 45 degrees. To put that in perspective, it is the middle of October in Texas, and I don’t think that is has gotten into the 40s yet.
I really enjoyed the clinic in Bozeman. They were willing to teach me and give me opportunities to work with them.
I really appreciate the veterinary field as a whole because most vets are willing to teach; that means that as students, we have the unique opportunity to reinforce what we are learning in class and learn about what it will be like when we graduate.
My adventure ended with my dad flying to Bozeman and driving to Yellowstone with me. We camped and hiked and saw one of the most beautiful places that I have ever been. The bison that were on the side of the road were also great!
We stayed for three days, and I was sad when we had to leave. I hope to move somewhere that will allow more access to gorgeous outdoor scenery like that.
My adventure ended on July 31 when we got home. I drove 4,330 miles in 26 days on this trip. I had so much fun, and I am so grateful for the time that veterinary students get off during the summer, which allows us to have time to choose what we want to do, whether it is veterinary related or not.
This was my last summer off before I graduate because next summer, I will be in fourth year, when we spend an entire calendar year working through the different services in the 
Small and Large Animal Hospitals.
I will look back on this adventure fondly, and, thankfully, I think it helped serve the purpose of learning more about the veterinary field and about where I want to move.
