EXTERNS ON THE HILL

Submitted by Meg Knox, Washington State University

"Not just dogs and cats

When I began my externship at the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) Government Relations Division (GRD), I had a major goal in mind: to branch out. Like many small animal oriented veterinary students, I spent the better part of my life grasping for experiences and opportunities in clinical settings. My laser-like focus on gaining hours, technical skills, and connections led me to pigeon-hole myself in the small animal general practice world. This is the last summer before my third year and clinical rotations, and it came as a wake-up call. I wanted to do something different for a change! I wanted to feed my passion for animal advocacy, public policy, and leadership - passions I had been unintentionally neglecting. I wanted to dive headfirst into non-traditional pathways in veterinary medicine, to see what else I could do with my DVM - and dive headfirst I did. 

In the past month, I have met many outstanding and interesting individuals in the veterinary community. I’ve talked to veterinarians who work in the federal government, from USDA to FDA to NIH to NABR (National Association for Biomedical Research). Basically, every acronym organization you can think of. Each story has been unique and inspiring. Some veterinarians went directly into inspection work or laboratory medicine; some had years of experience in more veterinary areas than I could count on my hand.

I’ve met with veterinarians from organizations that advocate for animal health and veterinary-related legislation on Capitol Hill, including my colleagues at the AVMA GRD. During these interactions, I’ve learned about the importance of veterinary medicine representation in both state and national politics. The unique perspective of a veterinarian when lawmakers are discussing agricultural, pharmacological, and appropriations issues is essential. The compassion, intelligence, and strength we have throughout our field is impressive, and now I realize how important it is to use those attributes.

As an extern, I also met with veterinarians who work for Zoos, at sea on humpback whale research investigations, and on East Coast shores doing necropsies on dolphins. Every single person has outlined a wild and unique journey, and everyone was excited to tell me about it. 

At times, I’ve walked away from these conversations overwhelmed, but in a good way! There are so many more opportunities for a veterinarian outside of the exam room. Though I still want to start in small animal practice when I graduate, I now know veterinary medicine is not just dogs and cats. It’s reading 30 pages of confusing legal jargon to understand a bill amendment. It’s petting an Aotus research monkey as it comes out of anesthesia from a dental extraction. It’s talking to a lawmaker’s chief of staff about their puppy. It’s feeding a pig a Starburst candy. It’s talking about learning retention in higher education. It’s discussing withdrawal times in dairy cattle. It’s whatever you want to make of it, really. 

Through all these meetings, I am happy to know that people in our community are comforting and willing resources for one another. I’ve been met with kindness and enthusiasm at every visit. I’m also happy to say that I’ve met my goal of branching out during my time in Washington, D.C. I’m excited for what’s next, whether that be with dogs and cats, or otherwise."

PHOTOGRAPHY

Submitted by Anila Tynan, Washington State University

CASES/ ABSTRACTS

Submitted by Regan Smith, University of Georgia

STUDENT EXPERIENCE

Submitted by Joanna Itrich, North Carolina State University

"In April 2023, I traveled to Glossop, England to participate in an externship at the Ashdale Veterinary Centre. I truly loved every minute of my experience. From the welcoming people and many sweet patients, to the wonderful views, I regret that I was only able to stay a week, but I am looking forward to going back! I met the owner of the clinic at the VMX conference in Florida and after talking, she invited me to come see her clinic. Our brief encounter at VMX was followed by a year of planning and emailing back and forth, but I am so happy I was finally able to go! 

Glossop is a little, old town about 25 kilometers from Manchester. The town itself is lovely and full of old English architecture and history. There is evidence that the Romans arrived there in 78 AD. The town is on the very edge of the Peak District National Park – an English gem. Every day after the clinic closed, I was able to go hiking around the wonderful area and explore the English culture. English law allows for crossing private lands by foot if you will not disturb the environment – these types of trails are called “public footpaths.” I had the opportunity to try their traditional dishes like black pudding and drink their famous beers. Each day was an adventure! I spoked with the locals and they directed me to the hidden gems in the area. This part of England is well known for raising sheep and April is a lambing season, so I was able to see many adorable babies. Additionally, Manchester was easily accessible by a 30 minute train ride. I was able to visit Manchester one night, which also has many fun things to do and see. I was in awe of the diverse architecture, which highlighted all eras of English history. I am originally from Poland and Glossop was able to make me feel a lot closer to home than any other place that I have visited recently.

Ashdale Veterinary Centre is a cozy general practice located right in the middle of town. Everything was walkable and my hotel was located about 2 minutes walk from the clinic. All the clinicians were super welcoming and happy to teach. They asked me what I wanted to improve in and we worked on my goals together. 

This clinic also sees exotic species, which was very interesting and taught me so much! I was able to become familiar with drugs that are not approved in the US, which is helpful because I am considering going back to Europe after graduation. Furthermore, I learned a lot of different procedures and techniques that are rarely used back in the United State, like hand tying feline neuter or flank feline spay and was able to discuss the advantages and disadvantages of both. It was very interesting to see and learn about different techniques approaching the same problem. It also seemed like this part of England did not have a lot of mixed breed dogs, therefore, knowing breed predispositions were very handy! Every day I gained critical thinking skills and hands-on experience. 

Overall, this was an unforgettable experience. I was able to connect two of my passions, veterinary medicine and travelling. This experience also showed me that traveling alone to different countries is possible and can be safe if you take the time to plan and prepare beforehand. Furthermore, this experience helped me to see that my dreams are possible, I just need to work hard for it."

CUTEST PET

Submitted by Janelle Thomas, Washington State University