Veterinary Interview #1
And now for something completely different!!
When people think of veterinarians, they think of puppies, kittens, white coats, stethoscopes, spaying, neutering, and maybe even cows or horses. However, there are many other roles that a veterinarian can play. For instance, research facilities, zoos, and even Disney World all need veterinarians. I have been fortunate to graduate with brilliant classmates who chose many different career paths. Jackie has been a close friend throughout and after vet school and agreed to an interview about her chosen path. Jackie chose a more nontraditional route with the USDA. It is essential to know where our food comes from and see the work that goes into ensuring your food is safe and humanely processed. On that note, here is my interview with Jackie at the USDA:
Unlike many of our classmates, you took a more nontraditional route after vet school. Rather than working in general practice, you went on to work for the government. Could you describe your job and a typical day?
I work as a Supervisory Public Health Veterinarian in the U.S. Department of Agriculture. I work at various, private meat processing establishments with cattle, pigs, sheep, and goats. Like the job title implies, I'm a supervisor, so I oversee multiple meat inspectors. We check animals before slaughter and do a modified post-mortem exam on 100% of the animals that are killed, looking at the head, heart, lungs, liver, kidneys, gastrointestinal tract, and associated lymph nodes. If there are any animals that appear sick, the inspectors notify me, and I personally examine the carcass and the organs. Based on what I find, I either condemn the organ or the entire carcass, which stops it from being sold for human consumption. If an animal is sick, we may also take a sample to test for drug residues. In addition to all of that, we make sure that the establishments follow the sanitation and food safety regulations.
Like many veterinarians, it's hard to describe a "typical day" since every day is different. I may see only healthy animals for several days and then see one with a bad lung infection. I spend a lot of time working with people, making sure that the animals are handled humanely and that the process is done in a clean manner.
What was it that first motivated you to go into your role?
I wanted to work as a large animal veterinarian, but I didn't want to start my own practice. I liked the opportunities for work-life balance that the USDA offered.
Throughout vet school, we were constantly challenged with learning different systems in different animals. Is there anything you remember from school that has been particularly valuable in your role?
Vet school was so different from what I ended up doing in my career. Even the cases that we saw on the necropsy floor in school weren't really the same as what I see in my day-to-day job. I would say that the soft skills were the most transferable, like being able to learn new things quickly and think critically about new observations.
Veterinary school teaches us a small amount about many things; we are responsible for honing in on the particular set of skills we find essential. Communication is one of the most critical parts of our job. Whether explaining to an owner why heartworm prevention is important, consoling someone over a declining pet, or being able to talk coherently and concisely to others in the field, communication is vital in any veterinarian's life.
What advice would you give to veterinary students or those interested in becoming vets about following a less typical career path?
I would say to go for it, of course. Being a veterinarian is great because there's so much flexibility in the career.
What are some of the biggest career challenges or misconceptions you've faced?
It's been a challenge to move away from clinical medicine since that's what I spent so much time in school learning about. I don't do a lot of diagnostics or prescribe medicine to make animals healthy again, so it's very different from being a traditional doctor. The satisfaction I get from my job is a little more abstract. It mainly comes from knowing that I make sure that the animals are treated well and that the general public can safely and confidently eat meat.
While your role may seem behind the scenes for many of us, could you share an instance where you've positively impacted animal welfare?
Every day, we make sure that establishments follow the Humane Slaughter Act. I daily check the pens for water and make sure that they have food if they're held for more than 24 hours. I watch how the employees handle the animals and make sure that animals are stunned before slaughter. I think that the daily oversight motivates the establishments to treat the animals better.
Do you have any resources or recommendations to give to anyone looking to pursue a similar path as you did?
Since it's a government job, everything is incredibly public. A quick Google search can give you all the information you need about the job position and the locations that have vacancies.
Thank you so much, Jackie!!
Feel free to comment below with any questions, and let us know if you would like to see more interviews in the future.
