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.”
Kara, a sophomore animal science major and VMBS ambassador, visited the Texas Panhandle to study and learn about the dairy industry, giving her a solid foundation in her pursuit to begin a career in large animal medicine.
“I loved having the opportunity to learn under a variety of different professors from all around the U.S. who specialize in different areas of dairy herd management and medicine,” Kara said. “It truly was a one-of-a-kind experience to observe such a vital industry in our day-to-day lives.”
Reagan, a second-year veterinary student, learned the importance of veterinary role models at a young age. Oakridge Equine Hospital had been treating her horses for more than 15 years, and when she reached out to the veterinarians for mentorship and guidance, several also began mentoring her as she began working toward her veterinary dreams.
She is especially grateful for Dr. Jason Throne, whom she shadowed for more than 250 hours, and Dr. Lauren Lamb ‘07, who shared his experience attending veterinary school at the VMBS.
“If you’re interested in vet school and don’t have a veterinary mentor, start by asking local vet clinics if they allow shadowing, or possibly work as a veterinary assistant or technician at clinics,” Reagan said. “One of the best ways to learn about veterinary medicine is to get involved in a veterinary practice.”
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.”
“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.”
“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.”
“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.”
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!”
Before and After
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.
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/
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.
