Road to Graduation: Natasha Radic

For Natasha Radic, the path to veterinary medicine has never been a straight line, yet she wouldn't want it any other way. Always drawn to diverse challenges and experiences, Natasha plans to start a rotating small-animal internship at Pieper Memorial in Connecticut following graduation, a step she's known she wanted to take long before her clinical year began.  

While Natasha always had a sense of where she would end up, her clinical year at specialty hospitals and the collaboration among specialists working side by side were particularly impactful. "I saw the collaboration between specialists and how much knowledge there was to gain from having so many departments together under one roof. Seeing this, I knew I wanted to be in an environment where there is so much teaching and learning happening. I am planning [to eventually] specialize, so an internship [was what I] needed to step in that journey." 

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Natasha's clinical year not only provided insightful direction on her post-graduation plans but also gave her the broad exposure she had hoped to experience before starting her career. Before vet school, Natasha had never worked outside a small animal clinic, so she made a point of tailoring her rotations to see as much of the field as possible. Through her clinical year placements, she worked at the Arizona Game and Fish Department, the Oklahoma City Zoo, and the Hawaii Wildlife Rehabilitation Center, alongside rotations in emergency medicine, neurology, shelter medicine, and general practice. Experiencing animal care outside her normal comfort zone provided clarity on future specialization. While she enjoyed nearly every corner of the profession, wildlife work stood out. 

"I found out that I liked it all, but I really enjoyed my work with wildlife and got to experience some amazing things such as working on endangered birds, helping with ongoing wildlife work on endangered wolves, and caring for zoological species and even intubating a jaguar! These amazing experiences gave me broad exposure, as well as working in more traditional avenues of medicine, which I believe have given me a good foundation to prepare me for my internship."

The pull toward wildlife traces back further than vet school. Natasha grew up watching National Geographic, dreaming of one day making an impact in wildlife conservation. Over time, she learned about veterinarians working in wildlife health and conservation across zoos, rehabilitation centers, and research, and realized there were countless ways to contribute. She's still weighing which path fits best, whether that's a master's degree, a PhD, or a specialty internship and residency. "I am still figuring it out, but the beauty of veterinary medicine is that with this degree I have the ability to pursue them once I figure out the perfect fit for myself."

Looking ahead, Natasha is energized by just how many directions a veterinary degree can open. "Every path is so unique and takes many turns depending on what opportunities present themselves," she reflects. "I really look forward to my not straightforward path as I begin my career as a professional."