What have been impactful events that have led you to this pre-health track?
One event that led me to the pre-vet track was how I was raise. I always had pets growing up and was constantly surrounded by animals. My parents used to take me to reptile expos for fun and we would go to the zoon on the weekends. Because of these events, I have always loved and respected animals. Also, during my years at Emory, I was doing hands on work with animals at Emory's Division of Animal Resources. It was here that I learned I liked working with animals and not only being with them.
What have been impactful events that have led you to this pre-health track?
One event that led me to the pre-vet track was how I was raised. I always had pets growing up and was constantly surrounded by animals. My parents used to take me to reptile expos for fun and we would go to the zoo on weekends. Because of these events, I have always loved and respected animals. Also, during my years at Emory, I was doing hands on work with animals at Emory’s Division of Animal Resources. It was here that I learned I liked working with animals and not only being with them.
What was the most difficult part of your pre-health career?
The most difficult part of my pre-health career was the course load. When taking classes like general chemistry, it was hard to adjust to the idea of not getting an A or the grade I was expecting. However, I learned to accept it and fight to not be “weeded out.” Even though I may have gotten a lower grade in a class than I expected, it was recovering from those grades that was more important. This was especially difficult because I knew certain classes had the stereotype of being “weed out” classes.
What helped guide you to where you are now?
Pre-Health Advising definitely helped guide me to where I am now. Being able to come in and talk to my advisor, Anil Shetty, and knowing that the office was always available was a huge help. I also couldn’t have gotten to where I am now without my friends and strong social bonds. Having a network to fall back on made a huge difference in my pre-health experience and helped get me through the hard times.
What do you wish you knew 5 years ago?
I wish I knew that I could do it and then I wouldn’t have been as stressed. Having just got into vet school, if someone had told me beforehand that I was going to get in, I wouldn’t have worried so much. I also wish I had more advice on what professors to take and how to study for exams. Going from high school to college was a big adjustment and I wish I had known how to change my study habits to fit college. I also wish I could tell myself that one B won’t kill my chances of getting in vet school.
If you could start over, what would you change?
I am honestly very happy with where I am and if I went back and changed things, I may not be where I am today. I am grateful for what I have now and even though there were mistakes, I am happy I made those mistakes. However, with COVID-19 hitting during my last semester, I would have wanted to spend more time with friends and enjoy myself because these four years are very special, and it’s important to make the most of them.
Did you have a specific mentor that inspired you to get to where you are now?
My pre-health advisor, Anil Shetty, inspired me to get where I am now. If I freaked out about anything, he calmed me down. He also made my schedules for me and helped plan out my four years. More importantly, I don’t think I would have been able to do it with a smile on my face if it wasn’t for him.
What challenges did you face and how did you overcome them?
Sometimes I would be upset over a grade here and there but having a support system of friends and faculty helped me overcome it. Also, having a relationship with professors by going to office hours was a great way to overcome a hard class. It made talking with professors easier and I felt better about the class. If I was ever feeling down, having friends and other people at Emory allowed me to overcome difficult times and enjoy myself.
What is the best advice you could give someone pursuing the same track as you?
The best advice I would give is to make personal connections with people– reach out to faculty, teachers, and other veterinarians. Also, get as much animal experience as possible to make sure it’s what you want to do. It is a big commitment. Also, I would say that everything will be okay. If you did your best, that’s all anyone could ask you to do.