My journey to a career in veterinary medicine began, as most do, with a passion for the animals I grew up with, both wild and domesticated. But my introduction to animal prosthetics first came with the 2011 movie, “Dolphin Tale”, the story of a dolphin outfitted with a prosthetic tale. I knew that veterinarians treated, even cured, injured and sick animals, but I will never forget the wider message of hope from Dr. Cameron McCarthy, played by Morgan Freeman, persuading us to care for each other, for animals, and for our environment. It inspired me to see veterinary medicine, and especially the use of technology, as a way to advance the wellbeing of all animals.

On a campus visit to the University of Massachusetts at Amherst, in 2020, I met Dr. Susan Marston. We spoke about the intersection of veterinary medicine and technology. She encouraged me to read “Animals in Translation” by Dr. Temple Grandin. I became fascinated by Dr. Grandin’s theory that people with disabilities and animals see differently from others and have abilities that others do not have. My desire to learn how animals “see” the world, and the passion to use my STEM skills to improve their life’s journey are two major contributions I hope to bring to the field of veterinary medicine.

Determined to understand Grandin’s words, and with veterinary medicine as a career path, I started working, first as a volunteer and then as a paid employee, at the UMass/Hadley Farm Equine Center. Mucking stalls, walking, feeding, watering, and fitting horses with protective gear gave me direct contact with the horses and an opportunity to observe their behaviors. Through my interaction with professors, veterinarians, and owners, I learned about the often-difficult decision to euthanize sick and injured horses. I often wonder whether future technologies will make such decisions unnecessary and allow veterinarians to provide higher-quality care to sick, injured, and aging horses.

In addition to working closely with various species, I have sought to explore the connection between STEM and veterinary medicine through the Integrated Concentration in STEM (iCons) certificate program at UMass. I am studying the impact of human decisions on our environment, including animal habitats. Our cohort has identified the global and local impacts of the COVID pandemic, HVAC systems, and climate change—including the effect of carbon emissions on animal ecosystems. Our goal is to recommend alternatives to current harmful choices. I have also developed my programming skills, using Excel and Python, to calculate feed and nutrition ration balances to help animals live fuller lives.