A Week Spent in a Dark Room

Lauren Bynum, Texas A&M University 

This past year, I’ve been struggling with what I want to be when I grow up – a general practice veterinarian or a veterinary radiologist? I loved the diagnostic imaging course I took this spring; every radiograph felt like a puzzle I got to solve. However, I’ve also loved the experiences I’ve had working in general practice getting to know and educate families about the critters they love so much. I figured the only way to make an educated decision was to learn what being a veterinary radiologist actually entails, especially because as an extrovert, I wasn’t sure if I would be cut out to stare at a screen alone in a dark room all day.

The first week of summer after completing second year, I was lucky enough to be accepted as an extern in the Diagnostic Imaging department at Gulf Coast Veterinary Specialists in Houston, Texas. I was determined to see if diagnostic imaging really was for me. One of the first things I learned about veterinary radiology is that you’re not alone in the dark room! At GCVS anyway, there are many other radiologists, interns, and residents all in the same room, all consulting for each other and sharing interesting cases so that a learning experience for one becomes a learning experience for all. Radiology is a team effort, and even when you’re writing a report alone, you’re still working with a referring veterinarian, providing valuable information to help them determine the best path forward for the patient in question.