CHICAGO, Ill. — I wake up at 5:30 a.m. on a Saturday morning to make it on time to the Medical District Veterinary Clinic in Chicago. After I greet everyone, the volunteers get a quick tour of the clinic. All the rooms and the back area are stacked with supplies. This morning, I am assigned the role of runner.
This is a Spay-a-Thon, a day-long event that offers free spay and neuter services to the pets of people in the community. Soon, our first patients arrive.
I’m responsible for gathering a quick patient history and bringing the animals to the exam room for their physical checkups before surgery. I’m the first face the pet owners see. They’re a bit nervous but genuinely happy that an event like this is taking place. Many start thanking me even before I take their pets to the back. Some speak only Spanish. Their faces light up when they realize I speak their language. They ask my name and tell me how grateful they are for the services we are providing.
I’m proud to offer my veterinary skills to this community, and the event is a learning experience for me. Participating in this outreach helps me see that veterinarians play a huge role in the community. They are the doctors people trust with their pets. Not only are they caregivers for animals but also critical contributors to community outreach and public health, teaching pet owners about disease prevention, vaccination and care.
Being able to help in this fast-paced environment helps me get more comfortable with proper techniques in the care for the animals. It also teaches me the importance of teamwork, focus and adaptability, which are essential in any clinical setting. This hands-on experience reinforces my skills and helps me feel more prepared for future surgical responsibilities.
In clinical settings, we usually work with fewer than five animals at a time. Today, we have many animals, and they all need our care. It is challenging to establish a system and maintain it throughout the day.
After the pets get their exams, we move them to the back for surgery. Then, I return to the waiting room to reassure the owners that everything went well and that we’ll call them once their pet is out of surgery and ready for pickup.
After surgery, the animals need postoperative care. This includes administering vaccines; placing microchips; trimming nails; measuring their temperature, pulse and respiration rates; and ensuring they wake up fully.
Once the services for dogs are completed, I head to the cat ward to begin postoperative care for those pets. Every one of them gets vaccines, microchips and nail trims. We make sure each patient fully recovers before calling their families for pickup.
There are many volunteers, but things proceed so fast that it takes the entire team to make something this amazing happen. I am incredibly grateful to have participated in such a meaningful community event and happy to put into practice what I’ve learned in the classroom, particularly regarding postoperative care.
When I was growing up, I didn’t have a veterinarian figure in my life — it wasn’t even a career that was talked about. I want to make an impact on pet owners but also on future generations of veterinarians. My goal is to present at high schools and serve as a mentor to inspire and guide young people into the profession.
I love being able to give back to my community. I plan to regularly volunteer with local veterinary clinics and animal shelters and eventually help organize outreach events, like this one, that bring veterinary care to underserved areas. I believe that being a veterinarian means being a community advocate, and I’m committed to making service a lifelong part of my work.
Editor’s notes:
Veterinary students and staff based at University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign campus joined forces with sister staff at the Medical District Veterinary Clinic in Chicago for a Spay-a-Thon. The event spayed or neutered 82 dogs and cats and provided basic vaccination care. The event offers essential veterinary care to families with pets that may not otherwise have access to these services.
Hosted at the U. of I.’s Medical District Veterinary Clinic, the event was a collaborative effort involving the veterinary college’s Community Medicine Program, the Medical District clinic’s outreach program, One Tail at a Time and TreeHouse Humane Society.
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