Graduating Texas A&M DVM Student Turns Setback Into Success

For Tyler Glasgow, an interest in veterinary medicine didn’t come from one defining memory but from a lifelong connection to animals.

“I always loved animals — my mom wouldn’t allow them in the house, so it just made me want them more,” Glasgow said. “My grandpa also had a farm, and I helped out there, so I’ve always had that connection.”

Now, less than one month away from graduating from the Texas A&M College of Veterinary Medicine & Biomedical Sciences (VMBS), Glasgow, a fourth-year Doctor of Veterinary Medicine (DVM) student, reflects on the persistence, experiences, and renewed passion that have paved the way to earning his degree.

After graduating from Liberty Hill High School in 2016, Glasgow attended Texas State University, where he became very involved on campus, participating in the pre-veterinary society, animal science club, and other academic groups. He was also a member of the ultimate disc club, where he held several leadership roles, including president his senior year.

To prepare to apply for veterinary school, Glasgow also worked as a kennel technician during school breaks and was later promoted to veterinary assistant.

“As a vet assistant, I started helping doctors in appointments, taking X-rays, assisting with anesthesia and dental procedures, and doing things like drawing blood and placing catheters,” Glasgow said. “That experience was really advantageous coming into vet school because I already had those skills and could help others with the little tips and tricks I picked up.”

After graduating in 2020, Glasgow applied to veterinary school but was not accepted during his first application cycle, prompting him to reevaluate both his experience and commitment to the profession.

“I thought I had done everything right,” Glasgow said. “I’d done my essays, I worked through undergrad, and I’d been involved in clubs — but after I didn’t get in, I had to reflect and decide how to make my application stronger.

“Looking back, not getting in the first time was more of a blessing,” Glasgow said. “It gave me time to step back and think about whether this was really what I wanted to do. I took a few months off, got more experience in the field, went to Honduras, and did things that helped me fall back in love with veterinary medicine.”

Rediscovering Purpose

Before focusing on building his resume, Glasgow decided that he first needed to reconnect with his passion for veterinary medicine. He took a job at a small animal clinic in north Austin, where he became more involved in the clinical side of patient care.

“A few months after I started working, I fell back in love with the profession,” Glasgow said. “I got to do a lot of cool stuff, like more surgery, focus areas, more anesthesia, a lot of radiology, and pulling blood and catheters.”

For several months, Glasgow even spent his days off traveling around Austin and assisting a board-certified orthopedic and soft tissue surgeon. During that time, he assisted with more than 70 operations, significantly strengthening his confidence and his vet school application.

Glasgow also had the opportunity to travel to Honduras with a Christian Veterinary Medicine service group, where he assisted with spay and neuter procedures for dogs, cats, and livestock in underserved communities.

Working in those environments required adaptability and resourcefulness, skills Glasgow said continue to influence his approach to veterinary medicine.

“Those areas didn’t have the same access to care, so we had to be creative with the resources we had,” Glasgow said. “That had an everlasting impact on my ability to navigate complex patient care here in the States.”

He said the experience also reinforced the universal connection people have with animals.

“I specifically remember how grateful the local community members were after our help,” Glasgow said. “Their gifts of food and drinks, thought-provoking questions and curiosity, and sincere words of encouragement demonstrated that the love for animals is truly global; it solidified my dedication to the veterinary profession.”

These experiences had their desired effect — not only did they ultimately reignite his passion for veterinary medicine but when he reapplied for veterinary school, he was accepted to Texas A&M, a program he had long admired for its reputation and proximity to home.

“At the time, A&M was the only veterinary school in Texas, so it was always the top goal for me,” Glasgow said. “It’s close to family, and I knew how accredited it is and high on the scales of the education and experiences you get, so it just made sense.”

Adjusting to the Demands of Vet School

Like many veterinary students, Glasgow said the transition to professional school required major adjustments.

“The first year really rocks your boat,” Glasgow said. “It’s a lot of information coming at you all at once.”

As he adapted to the workload, each year became more manageable. By his fourth year, he found his stride in clinical rotations, where he could apply his skills in real-world settings.

“I really like the rotations that allow you to have those hands-on experiences,” Glasgow said. “During my dentistry rotation, I placed catheters, intubated, scaled the teeth, took dental radiographs and interpreted them with the doctor, and came up with game plans for why they should or shouldn’t be removed or how they should be treated,” he said. “I saw some really cool things, like root canals and more intense surgery cases that you wouldn’t always see in general practice, so seeing that next-level step was really cool.”

In addition to dentistry, Glasgow said he enjoyed the surgery and anesthesia rotations, where students take on a more active role in the operating room.

“I really enjoy being in the OR and helping with procedures and anesthesia, in general,” he said. “It’s a tough rotation — the hours are long — but you’re helping with medications, inducing, intubating and catheter placement. Those rotations that really integrate students in the small animal hospital are the most beneficial.

“Those are the rotations where everything starts to come together,” Glasgow said.

He also participated in a rotation with the Houston SPCA, where he worked and lived alongside classmates to provide care and help animals find homes.

“We would perform diagnostic tests, triage animals in the emergency department, and perform surgical procedures to give the animals a head start with their adoptive families,” Glasgow said.

“It was a great feeling to see the animals we worked with successfully become adopted,” he said. “The meticulous communication skills and work ethic of the students, staff, and volunteers give the maximum number of animals a new shot at life every single day.”

A Life-Changing Motivation

During his third year of veterinary school, Glasgow experienced one of the most significant moments of his life — the birth of his son.

At the time, balancing the demands of veterinary school with fatherhood required major adjustments. After his son was born, Glasgow’s wife and newborn remained in Austin for several months to be closer to family support, while he stayed in College Station to continue his coursework.

The distance meant long weekends spent traveling back and forth, along with finding new ways to stay on top of his studies.

“You find ways to make it work,” Glasgow said. “I would listen to recorded lectures while driving, just trying to use that time as best as I could.”

Despite the challenges, Glasgow said the experience pushed him to grow both personally and professionally. When his family later joined him in College Station, his daily routine shifted to include balancing school with parenting responsibilities.

“Waking up every morning, getting him ready, helping with daycare, it keeps you on your toes,” Glasgow said.

Now, he credits his son as one of his biggest motivators to finish what he started.

“It gives you a bigger purpose every day,” he said. “It keeps you accountable and pushes you to keep going.”

He also emphasized the role his wife, Jaclyn, played in supporting him throughout veterinary school, particularly after she began working full-time while he completed his degree.

“She’s been my rock,” Glasgow said. “She started working in February 2025 and has been the sole provider while I’m in school. I wouldn’t be here without her.”

Finding Support and Looking Ahead

Throughout his time at Texas A&M, Glasgow found support through faculty members and classmates.

His mentor, Dr. Thomas Edwards, an associate professor of emergency and critical care in the VMBS’ Department of Small Animal Clinical Sciences, provided guidance on navigating clinical rotations and balancing major life changes, while his peers played a role in collaborative learning.

“We all leaned on each other,” Glasgow said. “Everyone has their strengths in different areas and teaching each other really helps reinforce what you learn.”

Now, as graduation approaches, Glasgow is looking forward to beginning his career at a small animal general practice in Round Rock, where he will continue to build his skills and grow as a veterinarian.

“I want to be someone people can rely on — for patients, for clients, and for the team,” he said.

Reflecting on his journey, Glasgow is most proud of the persistence it took to reach this point.

“It’s been a full-circle moment,” Glasgow said, “from not getting in the first time to being here now and getting ready to start my career.”