VMCVM Student Spotlight: DeAndrea Gray
DeAndrea Gray
Degree: DVM, 2028, Small Animal Track
Hometown: Burnsville, Minnesota
My undergraduate was in…
Animal Science at North Carolina State University
The moment I knew I wanted to be a veterinarian/public health professional was…
When I was in kindergarten, my school took us all to a petting zoo and after spending time with some of the animals and bonding with a kitten I fell in love with being around animals. My mom always told me from that moment on, I was set on becoming a veterinarian.
A person who has inspired me...
My mom! She has always been so nurturing and loving and is the epitome of strength and beauty.
Biggest misconception about being a veterinarian/public health student…
That you can only work with cats and dogs. Growing up I was convinced that's what it meant to be a veterinarian. It took exploring different sides of veterinary medicine, like traditional Chinese veterinary medicine and exotic animals, to figure out how diverse this field is!
If I had a superpower, it would be...
Telepathy or elemental manipulation.
What excites me the most about the future of my industry...
I'm extremely excited to finally be able to make a difference. Helping animals and their humans has always been the most satisfying part about being in veterinary medicine. Soon I'll be able to take my knowledge and interests/passions and combine them into something I'm proud of and enjoy!
Top of my bucket list...
Having my own practice and TV show. Taking a trip to Japan and Bali is also pretty high on my bucket list!
How many pets/animals live at home? Can you tell us about them?
I don't have any pets of my own (yet), but I am a proud auntie to all of the adorable fur babies in my collage!
Anything else to add?
I also have my master's degree in agriculture and environmental systems with a concentration in Integrated Animal Health Systems. My thesis was on reducing greenhouse gas emissions in cattle using essential oils. If you're interested, you can read about it here.
