NC State is full of opportunities, but sometimes searching for resources that will help a student meet their individual needs can be overwhelming, particularly in competitive fields. For students interested in veterinary medicine, there is an organization that can help them: the Pre-Veterinary Medical Association (PVMA) here at NC State.
The Pre-Veterinary Medical Association exists to not only promote interest in and emphasize the importance of veterinary medicine, but to also provide resources and opportunities for NC State’s pre-veterinary students to get involved with. According to Sarah Swartout, a third-year studying animal science and the group’s current president, the organization provides a great opportunity for pre-veterinary students to help and be helped.
“I was originally interested in all of the internship and service opportunities that PVMA offered to its members,” Swartout said. “Later, as I became an officer, I discovered that I really love helping other pre-vets on their path to veterinary school.”
One of the opportunities that Swartout mentioned was in providing opportunities for gaining actual veterinary experience. The organization provides students with chances to connect with NC State faculty and professionals in the veterinary field. These connections are extremely important in the long run, as they can provide students with networks to expand upon after they start moving into the professional world.
Abigail Hiley, a third-year studying animal science with a minor in agricultural business management who acts as the organization’s secretary, emphasizes the PVMA’s ability to help students transition into the world of pre-veterinary medicine.
“[We aim] to provide resources for pre-vet students for being successful, and help connect them with faculty of NC State and actual veterinary schools to gain experience with actual veterinarians in the area,” Hiley said.
The organization also has service events where students get hands-on experience working with not only animals but also with other people. These opportunities allow students to gain insight as to what working in the field is like while working with other pre-vet students. Recently, members of the organization participated in a spay/neuter clinic for feral cats; having experiences like that is beneficial for students, particularly for when they start applying for veterinary school.
The organization’s objectives are primarily to help students prepare for their futures in the field of veterinary medicine and help guide them as they finish up with their time in the pre-vet program.
“Our organization mainly seeks to introduce students that are interested in veterinary medicine to the diversity of the career,” Swartout said. “Many people are not aware of the options and specialties a veterinarian has to choose from and our organization really helps to inform people about them. Our efforts are also aimed at helping pre-veterinary students gain the experience hours and professional relationships needed for their applications to vet school.”
Members of the club get to experience events of varieties, whether it be service events or social events, as Swartout explains.
“Members attend a mixture of general body meetings that usually feature a guest speaker from an area of the veterinary profession, service events that allow our club to give back to the community in ways that may not be animal-related, social events to promote friendships between younger and older members that may not meet otherwise and peer mentor events, which are an optional pairing system that gives our underclassmen members the opportunity to gain intimate perspectives and advice from our upperclassmen members,” Swartout said.
Members of the group attend meetings twice a month where guests speak and provide members with information that they most likely did not know before. Many of these speakers are professionals who give members a sense of the different fields of veterinary medicine.
“It doesn’t matter how late into the semester it is,” Hiley said. “Even if someone is not pre-vet and they just want to have some opportunities with animals, we have opportunities for everybody.”
Those interested in joining this organization can email the PVMA at ncsupvma@gmail.com to be added to their email list. From there, people can attend their upcoming meetings and events and see all that the organization has to offer.
