Graduating Texas A&M Student Pursues Passion For Beef Cattle Medicine
Story by Megan Bennett, VMBS Communications
Photo by Jason Nitsch ’14, Texas A&M School of Veterinary Medicine & Biomedical Sciences
Since she was a young girl walking among her family’s cattle, Madison Roberds has dreamed of becoming a food animal veterinarian and serving the hard-working ranchers of South Texas.
This May, as she graduates from the Texas A&M School of Veterinary Medicine & Biomedical Sciences (VMBS) and joins South Texas Veterinary Clinic in Beeville, Texas, Roberds will get to see her years of hard work pay off and her dreams fully realized.
“Beef cattle is my background; I always knew I wanted to go into large animal and production medicine,” Roberds said. “When I was around 5 years old, I remember going out to the ranch with all the cows and thinking, ‘This is it.’ So, literally everything I’ve done since then has been to get to where I am now.”
In both Texas and the United States as a whole, rural communities are experiencing a record-high shortage of veterinarians, especially those trained specifically in food animal medicine.
The United States Department of Agriculture’s Veterinarian Shortage Situations map shows shortages in 47 states, including more than 30 counties in Texas alone.
Recognizing this need is one of many factors that drew Roberds to dedicate her career to caring for beef cattle in South Texas.
“I love the farmers and ranchers,” she said. “They are what our country runs on, and we have to protect that livelihood. If not me, then who? They have such a need for someone down there, and that’s my big driving force.”
Hitting The Mark
Growing up, Roberds took every opportunity she could find to strengthen her veterinary school application, whether that be raising show pigs for FFA, shadowing veterinarians at her local clinic, or excelling academically in high school to ensure her acceptance to Texas A&M.
“I knew I was going to go to Texas A&M; it was just another one of those things that was never a question,” Roberds said. “I fell in love with the culture of A&M. Aggies take care of Aggies, and I knew the Aggie network would take care of me. There are so many Aggies who have helped me get to where I am today, and I am forever thankful.”
After earning her undergraduate degree in biomedical sciences in December 2019, Roberds was thrilled to be accepted into the VMBS’ Doctor of Veterinary Medicine program for the following fall.
Photo by Jason Nitsch ’14, Texas A&M School of Veterinary Medicine & Biomedical Sciences
“This place is so special. You have a cohesive group of people working toward the same goal. We’re all striving for excellence and we hold ourselves to a very high standard,” she said.
During her time at the VMBS, Roberds dedicated herself to her studies and participated in student organizations such as Swine Vets and the Texas A&M Student Chapter of the American Association of Bovine Practitioners.
Through it all, with the help of her classmates and professors, Roberds remained committed to her chosen career path.
“Dr. Jennifer Schleining (a food animal veterinarian and head of the VMBS’ Large Animal Clinical Sciences department) was my mentor, and without her, I don’t know if I ever would’ve ended up fully pursuing my dreams,” Roberds said. “I walked into her office one day and said, ‘I am a woman trying to go into a male-dominated industry. How is this ever going to happen for me?’ And she said, ‘It’s going to happen because we’re going to make it happen.’
“That was definitely a blessing and I am always going to be very grateful to have her in my corner,” Roberds said.
Preparing For The Next Chapter
At South Texas Veterinary Clinic, Roberds will be focusing on beef cattle while also treating other large animals like horses.
“It’s the perfect place for me because it’s deep cattle country with genuine South Texas folks,” she said. “It’s a place with the facilities, the mentorship, the clientele, and the resources I wanted.”
Looking back, Roberds believes that the key to achieving her dreams was believing all along that it was possible.
“If you had asked me 15 years ago if, at the end of the road, I would actually sign for my dream job, I would’ve said, ‘Yes,’” she said. “If you put your head down, work hard, and truly believe it, it’s going to happen.”
“I’m proud to be an Aggie twice over, and I’m really proud to be a woman in large animal medicine,” Roberds said. “I’m extremely honored to be part of the beef cattle industry.”
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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
