Internship prepares veterinary student for a food animal career
As part of an internship with the Virginia Academy of Food Animal Practitioners, veterinary student Carla Gutierrez worked with alumna Melinda McCall DVM '04 and veterinarian Katie Lukowicz at Louisa Veterinary Service in Louisa, Virginia.
Through new perspectives and more hands-on experience, Gutierrez, a student at the Virginia-Maryland College of Veterinary Medicine, left the internship more prepared for her future career in food animal medicine.
It’s hard for many students to get clinical practice with livestock before veterinary school, so the Virginia Academy of Food Animal Practitioners internship program is a way to increase experience and expand upon what they learn in veterinary school.
“It was helpful to get insight from a veterinarian as experienced as Dr. McCall as well as one who has graduated more recently, like Dr. Lukowicz,” said Gutierrez. “They both made me feel much more confident for my clinical year and beyond. Besides learning from their clinical expertise, I also received good advice regarding professional skills, such as how to build rapport with clients, factors to consider when owning a business, and what questions to ask when job searching.”
Interns embark on three two-week rotations with food animal practitioners. Gutierrez’s time at Louisa Veterinary Service happened at a slow time of year for cattle medicine, so she was able to gain more experience with goats, llamas, and even a few pigs.
"I think I saw more goats during those two weeks than I have in all of vet school," Gutierrez said, laughing. “The biggest learning moments during this internship were seeing aspects of food animal private practice that we don’t necessarily learn about or appreciate during vet school, like working with a variety of facilities and getting creative with the resources at our disposal. It was also good to see one system for how to charge our time and services appropriately after a farm call."
At Louisa Veterinary Service, Gutierrez gained perspective on the role of a veterinarian. For example, what started as a call for a goat with a swollen belly turned into a review of the facility’s milking setup, diet, and kid-weaning practices.
“At the end of the appointment, Dr. McCall wrote out a list of recommendations as well as the contact for a different client who could sell them some hay down the road,” Gutierrez said. “The experience exemplified that veterinarians are oftentimes a resource to clients for more than just medicine – people need us for all aspects of animal husbandry.”
Both veterinarians at the practice are involved in the local community, giving back through community events and groups such as 4-H and FFA. The practice has even set up a group for clients who are experienced goat breeders to network and share their expertise.
“One of the main reasons I entered this field is because I love working with people,” Gutierrez said, “and my time with Louisa Veterinary Service has been a big inspiration for how I want to serve my community through my work.”
