Before I head off to my 8-week externship at Black Horse Animal Hospital in Kinzers, Pennsylvania and dive into the fun stuff of the externship, I would like to introduce myself. I have wanted to be a veterinarian all my life. I have changed my mind quite a few times on what species I wanted to specialize in but I have finally settled on mixed animal because I couldn’t choose just one.
I grew up in the suburbs of Merrick, New York, about 40 minutes from New York City. I was mostly exposed to dogs, cats and horses. When it came time to decide on a college to attend, I decided on SUNY Cobleskill for my undergraduate degree. It offered great animal science and biology courses as well as a great pre-vet program. SUNY Cobleskill also gave me invaluable agricultural experience and my new passion for large animal medicine. I graduated from SUNY Cobleskill with a Bachelors of Animal Science.
When applying to vet school, OVC was my top choice. I came to visit the school when I was in my third year of undergrad and realized it had everything I was looking for: top world rankings, a great mixed animal stream and its location. I had heard so many great things on OVC that I was determined to get in.
Now, I find myself entering Phase 4 for my final year of the Doctor of Veterinary Medicine (DVM) program at OVC. Before I begin rotations, I will be heading off to my externship. When choosing an externship location, I was looking for more large animal experience as most of my pervious experiences have been in the small animal setting. Black Horse Animal Hospital was a perfect fit based on the amount of bovine cases they experience as well as being able to work with six great veterinarians. Four vets are on the road doing farm calls while two vets stay at the clinic do small animal appointments. Kinzers and the surrounding area have a large population of Amish, where they depend on their animals for production and transportation. Veterinarians at Black Horse Animal Hospital play a crucial role in the care and welfare of these animals.
I am hoping that my experiences will encourage and prepare pre-vet students for veterinary school. It’s a great way to get an inside look at what it is really like to be a veterinary student. I am excited to be able to share my experiences with you and invite you to join along!
Fun fact: Pennsylvania has over 5,900 farms and is the 5th largest milk producing state
Quiz: With Spring insight, which of these plants are toxic to your pets if ingested? Read along next week for the answer!
*If you suspect your pet may have come in contact with or ingested a potentially poisonous substance, contact your local veterinarian or the Pet Poison Helpline at (855) 764-7661