Over the summer I was involved in an internship at Countryside Veterinary Service where I used my STEP funds to help with my living expenses. This internship was used to help me gain a better understanding of what being a large animal veterinarian means as I was an assistant to two of the large animal veterinarians. I rode along with traveling veterinarians along Ashtabula county and assisted with consults, appointments, surgeries, and other procedures.
As an Animal Science major, I am on track to become a veterinarian. I had previously decided that I was going to become a dairy veterinarian, as I have always had a passion for working with dairy cattle. At home, my family owns and operates a commercial dairy farm, where I spent many hours working with cattle and learning about the field of veterinary medicine. I always thought I wanted to become a veterinarian and work on dairy farms, not necessarily with other animal species. My viewpoint on my career, however, changed after completing my internship and realizing the enjoyment of working with a variety of large species such as equine, swine, and sheep.
During this internship, I was able to clarify that I did choose the right career path for myself. In the past, I interned at animal hospitals for small animal and equine practices. During those internships, I never felt completely fulfilled or had the same sense of passion as I had while working on my family’s dairy farm. I still did medical procedures, interacted with patients and clients, and did the same sort of medical tasks; but never felt as though I was in the right sector of my field. I thoroughly enjoyed working with the veterinarians and liked the small animals and horses that would come in, but still felt like I may have chosen the wrong field. When starting at Countryside, I decided that if I didn’t feel the same spark of passion for being a veterinarian as I had in the past, then I would remain on the path of becoming a dairy veterinarian. I went in with high expectations for the quality of learning I would receive at this clinic, and was not disappointed with the results.
At the beginning of my internship, the veterinarian and I worked with breeding horses for the first half of the morning. It was here that I noticed how much I liked working with horses in a low stress environment. Previously working at the equine hospital, there were many emergencies and high stress scenarios where I often felt overwhelmed, which made me believe I just didn’t enjoy working on equine patients. The more time I spent at Countryside with Dr. Elliott on equine patients, performing lameness exams, taking blood samples, and working with reproductive and overall health, the more I enjoyed the work that was taking place. This did not apply to just horses, I found enjoyment when working with him and Dr. Hajny on swine, sheep, goats, and cattle. After appointments, we would discuss and explain the prognosis of animals, answer question I had, and talk about the career of veterinary medicine. The quality time and attention to detail that the vets payed to their clients was something I aspired to have.
After completing my project, I have decided to pursue a career in general large animal medicine. I have submitted my applications to veterinary school as well as decided to go back to work for Countryside in the future. My outlook on general large animal medicine has changed and helped me to realize that this is what I want to do with my career. Specialization was what I thought I always wanted, but it turned out that I wanted a broader understanding of species. This internship was significant in my life because it has helped me to not only confirm my career path, but help me find a new sense of passion working across multiple species. As I hopefully move on to veterinary school I will reflect back on this internship and ask more questions regarding large animal medicine. Through this experience I have gained a better understanding of myself as well as a larger network of people I can confide in over veterinary topics.
*Unfortunately, due to client privacy reasons I do not have pictures to upload from my internship.*