Veterinary graduates
UD alums graduate from Penn's School of Veterinary Medicine
8:12 a.m., May 16, 2013--In 2009, 14 students from the University of Delaware’s College of Agriculture and Natural Resources (CANR) were accepted into veterinary schools.
The group included an impressive array of highly decorated students whose accolades included being named Science and Engineering Scholars and members of UD's Panel of Distinguished Scholars, receiving dean's awards, earning honors degrees with distinction, completing impressive internships, and demonstrating dedicated participation in college and University activities and organizations.
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Of those 14, 10 went on to study at the University of Pennsylvania’s School of Veterinary Medicine. As those students are now finishing their programs and getting ready to move on, several discussed post-graduation plans and offered advice for current undergraduates interested in entering the veterinary field.
Daniel Lantz
Daniel Lantz, president of the Penn graduating Class of 2013, will be completing a one-year internship at Red Bank Veterinary Hospital in New Jersey, after which he plans on entering a career that is half clinical veterinary medicine and half teaching, hoping that he can teach either veterinary or pre-veterinary students.
Lantz said that his education provided by CANR was “an amazing preparatory tool for veterinary school. My best advice [for current CANR students] would be to take advantage of every opportunity you have to learn more and be a part of extra labs and club opportunities that allow you to work with animals.”
Thomas Hart
Thomas Hart will also be doing an internship at Red Bank Veterinary Hospital, where he will perform cardiological, surgical and emergency duties.
Hart said of his time at CANR, “It goes without saying that the animal science and agricultural foundation education that we received from CANR was instrumental to my success. Not only was there a focus on the sciences, but CANR brought to the forefront the important real world applications that allowed transition from the class to life.”
Hart said that current CANR undergraduates interested in attending veterinary school should “work hard but don't forget to enjoy yourself. There can be a lot of pressure to preform well academically and, especially in the sciences, to be competitive for veterinary school acceptance, but don't lose sight of your own interests that make you unique.”
Sarah Mainardi
Sarah Mainardi said she is currently seeking a career in large animal ambulatory medicine. For undergraduates considering veterinary school, she encouraged them to “take the time to make sure they really want to go to veterinary school. With current prices of veterinary school, starting salaries, and job availability, it is a huge decision to take on the loans associated with veterinary school.”
Mainardi said that she had her “first experiences with farm animals and with the medicine associated with production medicine” while at CANR and that those experiences helped contribute to her wanting to become a large animal veterinarian.
Vincent Baldanza
Vincent Baldanza will be heading to the University of Minnesota to complete a small animal rotating internship, after which he plans to apply for a residency in medical oncology or internal medicine.
Baldanza said he feels he was “much more prepared than many people thanks to my experiences at UD, particularly in terms of experience working hands-on with large animals and a strong knowledge base thanks to the biology, chemistry and biochemistry courses I took as an undergraduate.”
Baldanza said that anyone interested in going on to veterinary school should make sure that they are 100 percent committed to the career path. “Veterinary school is not easy and I can't imagine making it through these past four years if I didn't love the material and what I do everyday.”
Lorna Dougherty
Lorna Dougherty will be starting an internship at the Veterinary Specialty Center of Delaware, and she echoed Baldanza’s thoughts about how the classes she took at UD helped prepare her for veterinary school. “The anatomy and physiology provided a great base for learning more intricate details. I really enjoyed the opportunity to be a teaching assistant for anatomy and Animal Science 101. It is true that you don’t really know something until you have to teach it, and it gave me a greater understanding of the material, and improved my communication skills.”
Adam Seth Yoskowitz
After graduation, Adam Seth Yoskowitz will start an internship at the Animal Medical Center in New York City, a year-long program that will help him further develop his veterinary skills and give him the opportunity to rotate through several veterinary disciplines.
Yoskowitz said that being in veterinary school is “very rewarding, but it is not easy. You have to work long hours, routinely confront difficult situations, and you may not get the recognition that you deserve. However, if veterinary medicine is your passion, then it is all worth it.”
Yoskowitz also reflected fondly upon his time at UD, specifically in CANR. “The deep sense of community, and the faculty and staff’s constant mentorship and inspiration is what most profoundly affected me and enhanced my personal and professional growth. The relationships that I developed and the lessons that I learned as a student at CANR will continue follow me and positively influence me for the remainder of my career and the rest of my life.”
Article by Adam Thomas
Photos by Danielle Quigley