VMCVM Alumni Spotlight: Courtney Conroy
Courtney Conroy '13, DVM '17
Associate Veterinarian, Clevengers Corner Veterinary Care in Amissville, Virginia
How VMCVM equipped me for the 'real world'...
Fourth-year clinical rotations provided a structured framework to learn how to work through a variety of cases in a methodical manner.
Best part of being a VMCVM alum...
The shared sense of community. The veterinary community is so tightly knit, you can always find common acquaintances, experiences, triumphs, and tribulations. I love meeting other VMCVM grads and learning how we might be connected. It's so fun to relive shared memories of professors, classes/labs, and college events. I think quite literally every graduate knows Dr. [Marion] Ehrich and has gotten to enjoy her piano playing!
Best advice I've gotten....
No patient walks itself into a veterinary clinic.
Which is funny, because we've actually had that happen once. A dog with a UTI walked herself down the road to our front door.
How would you capture the essence of your work in a newspaper headline...
I jokingly explain my job poorly by telling people I take animals apart and put them back together. But that's probably not super appropriate for a newspaper. So I'll go with: Taking care of pets and their people.
My hidden talent...
Hobby farming! I'm very proud of our fruit and vegetable garden at home. A friend's son once referred to me as "Farmer Courtney" and some days it's honestly my preferred title.
A person who has inspired me...
There are so many practitioners that each generously allowed me to shadow or learn from them, starting as a pre-vet major in undergrad, all the way up until today. The learning never stops.
Biggest misconception about my job or industry...
That our education is paid for by big kibble or pharma. I must've missed the sign up on that one.
Words of encouragement to a current veterinary college student...
This field is tough, but oh so rewarding. We're so lucky to be able to take on the challenges of being a veterinarian, and a part of such an exclusive club of folks who really are the forefront of the welfare of animals, humans, and the environment all at once.
Fondest college memory or tradition...
Jumping for "Enter Sandman" is second to none as far as traditions go. But my fondest memories are actually far more simple: studying with my classmate, Jessica Lambert. We would find the silliest ways to remember things, and commiserate or laugh over the day's events, and then get back to business. I definitely wouldn't have gotten through vet school without her!
A cause I'm most passionate about... the most formative experience I've had...
I've really enjoyed participating in organized veterinary medicine over the past several years. The individuals involved in these organizations really do some incredibly important work behind the scenes, most notably in political rings, to make sure veterinarians can keep practicing the best possible medicine for our patients and people.
Top of my bucket list...
Professional Bucket: Practice Ownership
Personal Bucket: Travel to New Zealand
How many pets/animals live at home? Can you tell us about them?
3 horses, 1 token mule, 1 dog, 3 cats, 26 chickens, and 2 bee hives. My husband and I are both Hokies, so naturally, our dog, Skipper, is named after the cannon the football team shoots after a touchdown.
Anything else to add?
Go Hokies!
