VetCat Graduation Stories: Brittany Johnson

As graduation approaches for third-year students at The University of Arizona College of Veterinary Medicine, excitement is growing among our VetCats. They are ready to begin practicing veterinary medicine at clinics and hospitals around the country. Their time in our rigorous three-year program is paying off, and they are ready for the next step in their veterinary journey.

During her clinical year, Brittany Johnson discovered her calling for emergency medicine. Shortly after graduation, she will begin an emergency medicine internship in Atlanta, GA. We talked with her about her personal journey to graduation.

From Clinical Year to Internship

Brittany spent her clinical year discovering more about her strengths and preferences as a veterinary practitioner. She learned important skills, such as how to communicate with clients in high-stress situations. Her internship will allow her to apply these skills and develop professionally.

What are your plans after graduation?

BNJ: I will be starting Blue Pearl’s emERge program in Atlanta, GA; this is a one-year ER vet training program designed to help new grads feel more comfortable and prepared to enter the emergency medicine field.

The emERge program is divided into three parts:

• 16 weeks of accelerated boot camp and initial training
• 20 weeks of hands-on immersive training guided by an experienced clinical mentor
• 16 weeks of experiential training, with continued mentoring

Upon completing the program, I will have a one-year commitment to work for Blue Pearl as a Full-Time Emergency Veterinarian.

How did your educational experiences influence your career path?

BNJ: I feel my educational experiences helped me realize that emergency medicine is my true calling. Especially during my clinical year, I had a very well-rounded clinical year that helped me quickly realize what was for me and what was not for me. Out of all my rotations, I enjoyed my emergency rotations the most and always just felt like I was right in my element.

How did your clinical year experiences prepare you for your veterinary career?

BNJ: I was very fortunate to have completed two emergency rotations that were both AMAZING! One of them was even with Blue Pearl, which was perfect because I was able to get a taste of how it would be when I work for them. I loved it!

I’m thankful for these rotations because I was able to see so much and get real hands-on experience. In addition, I learned how to properly interact and communicate with clients in high-stress situations such as those in an emergency setting. I feel much more confident about entering the emergency medicine field now after completing these rotations.

Advice for Future Students

Brittany highlighted the importance of embracing one’s place in veterinary medicine and being confident in hard-won skills.

What advice would you give to a first-year student?

BNJ: Be confident in yourself and do not let “Imposter syndrome” get the best of you! You were chosen for a reason and are more than deserving of your spot! Do not compare yourself to your classmates either, because at the end of the day, whether someone is making better grades than you or not, everyone will graduate with the same degree! The only thing you need to focus on is crossing that finish line to become the successful doctor that you were destined to be!

And don’t forget to have fun! You deserve it!