VetCat Graduation Stories: Emelia Lawrence

As University of Arizona College of Veterinary Medicine third-year students wrap up their clinical year, they have set their sights on graduation and charting their career course.

Eager to put their skills into action and enhance the health and well-being of their communities, students start their clinical year ready to learn and put their best foot forward for each rotation. Working in real-world settings allows students to evaluate where they fit and whether they enjoy working in a specific type of practice or specialty. For some, the clinical year is an opportunity to test out new locations to decide where they want to land following graduation, with many choosing to stay in Arizona. For Emelia, deciding to stay in Arizona and work for McDowell Mountain Animal Hospital, a small animal general practice, was a choice to serve her local community.

Caring for Community

For Emelia, McDowell Mountain Animal Hospital in Scottsdale, Arizona, offers a chance to stay close to home, giving her an opportunity to serve those she's closest to, her family and friends. Veterinary general practices are similar to human general practices. General practice veterinarians are exposed to various cases, work with families and their pets through every stage of life, and build strong connections with clients. For new practitioners like Emelia, well-versed in communication skills, the opportunity to connect with clients eases the transition from student to doctor.

Learning Experiences Leading to Future Opportunities

Opportunities to learn in clinical veterinary settings during their final year have allowed our students to develop their hands-on skills and diagnostic know-how to become day-one-ready veterinarians. Throughout their clinical year, students in our unique three-year program have completed core and elective rotations, sometimes traveling to clinical sites close to their hometowns. By working at McDowell during her clinical rotation, Emelia could evaluate her fit with the practice and client load, which ultimately led her to accept McDowell's job offer. "McDowell allowed me to be very hands-on. They had me scrub in for surgeries and take on the doctor role. I was already creating relationships with the clients there, and it was a good fit," said Emelia.  

Looking Forward

With a constant veterinary shortage in Arizona and beyond, there's no better time for new veterinarians to enter the workforce. New doctors like Emelia will be integral components of the health of our communities. We can't wait to see the impact our VetCats will continue to have on the future of veterinary medicine.