For Emma Mannery, the decision to participate in the Rural Veterinary Internship Program (RVIP) was an easy one to make.
Growing up in a small Iowa town, Mannery has always appreciated and looked up to rural veterinarians. She anticipated that by spending a summer in a rural veterinary clinic, she could gain experience and greater exposure to the veterinary field.
She got that and much more. Mannery spent the summer at the Humboldt Veterinary Clinic where she was hosted by Dr. Aubrey Cordray, Iowa State class of 2014.
“Working in Humboldt alongside an all-female team of veterinarians was particularly inspiring,” Mannery said. “It showed me it is possible to successfully balance a demanding veterinary career while being a mother, an active community member, and maintaining a social life.”
Even more, her summer in Humboldt reinforced her knowledge that strong relationships between a rural town and its local veterinary staff were possible.
That’s one of the goals of RVIP. The program is designed to give students a feel for what life after graduation would be like in a rural veterinary clinic. Third-year student Mannery was one of two Iowa State veterinary students who participated. Second-year student Abbey Pals was hosted by Dr. Tom Hansen (’11) at the Veterinary Medical Center in Williamsburg.
The two were provided a well-rounded summer experience in a rural Iowa setting.
“A typical day was never the same,” Mannery said. “I had a weekly schedule that rotated between surgery, dental and large animal care. Some days began with a puppy vaccine appointment and ended with a bovine hoof trimming. On other days, I might have started with surgeries like a tail amputation and finished with equine joint injections.
“The variety of medicine I experienced was my favorite part of the summer.”
September 2024
