I’m Angie and I am a Golden Kraken heading out to my externship for the months of July and August in Walkerton-Hanover Veterinary Clinic. I wish to pursue a career in public health and international development.

My passion in veterinary medicine and international development was fostered early in life by my parents, who at one point rescued and cared for 13 dogs and cats in the Philippines. Although I initially only wanted to specialize in companion animals and wildlife, I quickly developed an interest in production animals as I saw how small communities in Tanzania thrived though small-scare farming. It was very eye-opening to see that in very remote communities, chickens and their eggs are just as good as cash, and one cow can secure nutritious milk for the entire community’s school children.

After spending three months in Tanzania though Veterinarians Without Borders Young Volunteers Program, I decided that the Rural Community Practice (RCP) stream in fourth year is the best way to get hands-on experience on skills that will be useful for my goals to pursue international development projects. Streaming RCP means I get experiential learning on both companion animals as well as large/food animals. Through my externship at Walkerton-Hanover Vet Clinic I hope to expand my knowledge on herd health practices with dairy cows in Ontario, as well as gain valuable hands on experience from their knowledgeable staff on pet dentistry. Through blogging my experience, I hope to shed light on student experience as a neophyte in the field, as well as inspire future veterinarians who wish to practice in rural/remote areas.