Eighth Annual Veterinary Job Fair Features Non-Traditional Career Opportunities
Story by Megan Myers, VMBS Communications
The 2023 Veterinary Job & Externship Fair at the Texas A&M School of Veterinary Medicine & Biomedical Sciences (VMBS) presented a wealth of opportunities for students to explore unique areas within veterinary medicine.
The fair, which is co-hosted annually by the VMBS and the Texas Veterinary Medical Association (TVMA), connects Texas A&M veterinary students and other job seekers with private practices, corporations, and governmental entities offering externships, jobs, and other career-related opportunities.
“The Veterinary Job & Externship Fair is a priority for the TVMA because networking with our colleagues is a priority. Having it at this facility allows people from different areas of the state to come together in a single place and interact with students and colleagues,” said Dr. Jodi Long, president of the TVMA.
“The practitioners enjoy the interaction, not just with the third- and fourth-year students but also with the first- and second-year students who are starting to build those relationships that can support a lifelong career,” she said. “This is a great event and we’re super thrilled to partner with Texas A&M on it.”
Exploring Non-Traditional Careers
Of the 173 practices that attended the fair on Oct. 14, many represented non-traditional career paths for veterinary students to explore, from shelter medicine to governmental veterinary services.
Dr. Roberta Westbrook, chief veterinarian at the Houston SPCA, attended the fair to promote the opportunities available to students at her organization and within shelter medicine, in general.
“We were excited to come this year because we had such a great time last year and the booth was well visited. It’s been the same this year; we’ve had multiple visitors seem very interested in volunteer and externship opportunities,” Westbrook said. “We certainly want younger students to be interested, but we’re also excited to see those students who are closer to graduation who may be more focused on looking for a job and solidifying those opportunities.”
Dr. Kasi Russell-Lodrigue ‘06, who completed a residency in lab animal medicine and a Ph.D. in veterinary microbiology at Texas A&M, attended the fair for the first time this year to represent the Tulane National Primate Research Center (TNPRC), where she serves as associate director for clinical and research medicine.
“I would like to encourage more students to learn about laboratory animal medicine and, particularly, non-human primate medicine. If there’s an interest in research or working with just about any species, lab animal medicine is a very viable option,” Russell-Lodrigue said. “At the TNPRC, we have opportunities for students to come to train with us during summer programs and do externships during their third and fourth years, as well as residencies and job opportunities following vet school.”
Another new group attending the fair was the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, represented by Jemila Roy, Theresa Moye, and Dr. Michelle Morelli ’19.
“I didn’t know a lot about all of the USDA career options when I was a student, so I’m glad that we got to be here and make our presence known,” Morelli said.
Another new group at the 2023 fair was the VMBS’ International Programs office, which organizes study abroad trips and international externships for veterinary students.
“It’s important for students to know that International Programs and the Global One Health programs are available for them through all of their years,” said program coordinator Laura Weber. “The world has globalized, and you can’t avoid having people from all kinds of cultures and backgrounds in your clinic. Having international experiences makes it much easier to perceive when you’re dealing with a cultural difference and find a way to connect with your client usefully.”
Even for students who think they already know what career path they want to pursue, exploring other options can be a great way to discover hidden passions.
“The thing I was looking to get out of the job fair the most was just exploring what companies and practices have to offer and getting a base understanding of what’s in each region,” said third-year veterinary student Xavier Cunnan. “If you shut a door to something you never tried, you’ll never know if that’s what you were supposed to be doing.”
Making Connections
In addition to non-traditional practices, the fair was attended by clinics across the state representing small, large, and mixed animal medicine, as well as exotics and specialty services.
“We’ve had a lot of students very eager to talk, which is great for us; it makes us feel like we came down here and spent our time wisely,” said Dr. Monte White, of Alvarado Veterinary Clinic. “Mixed animal practice is growing, and A&M is a great place to recruit veterinary students. We got two great hires from here last year and it made us want to come back and hire some more.”
For many veterinarians, the job fair also represents a great opportunity to return to their alma mater. Drs. Daniel ’21 and Lauren ’20 Anthony, owners of Atlas Pet Vets in Frisco, enjoyed the chance to reconnect with former colleagues in addition to promoting their new clinic.
“The job fair was a super meaningful experience for us when we were students, and I feel like talking to so many different practices helped open our eyes to what’s out there,” Lauren said. “It’s encouraging, looking back on how far we’ve come and knowing that we were just doing this a few years ago; we’ve come full circle now.”
“Before our clinic is even open, we’re already thinking about the future,” Daniel added. “The future is here, and we want to make sure the people we’re talking to start to do externships with us and grow with us, and then, maybe eventually, we will have that associate position available to them.”
Like the previous two years, students at the VMBS’ Veterinary Education, Research, & Outreach (VERO) campus in Canyon were able to participate in the fair virtually, with a total of 68 interviews taking place between practices and VERO students the morning of the event.
“The Zoom meeting was great,” said Dr. Gayle Long, of Gully Animal Hospital in Arlington. “I really liked one of the first-year students I met. She’s planning on moving up our way after she graduates, so I’d love to have her come and work with us in the summertime. Even if they don’t want to work for us, externs are great and just helping them grow is awesome.”
This year, 11 job-seeking veterinarians also attended the event in the afternoon to connect with hiring practices.
For everyone in attendance, the Veterinary Job & Externship Fair is a great event for networking, reconnecting, discovering new opportunities, and exploring the vast and diverse field of veterinary medicine.
“I came looking to line up externships and potential future job opportunities but also just to make connections and talk to veterinarians in the industry to see where we’re at with some of the important things that can change our profession over time,” said third-year veterinary student Alexandria Inbody.
“I’m pretty much set on going into small animal general practice, but I’m looking for somebody with a lot of surgical experience who can teach me everything they know,” she said. “I’ve found a couple clinics with really great opportunities that I’m planning to take advantage of.”
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For more information about the Texas A&M School of Veterinary Medicine & Biomedical Sciences, please visit our website at vetmed.tamu.edu or join us on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.
Contact Information: Jennifer Gauntt, Director of VMBS Communications, Texas A&M School of Veterinary Medicine & Biomedical Sciences, jgauntt@cvm.tamu.edu, 979-862-4216
