Meet our Student: Emily Castellanos

We believe that work experience is a very important part of a student’s learning. We also believe that working in summer can help reduce veterinary students mounting debt load! In providing students with real-life, in-hospital, hands-on experience they will gain invaluable skills and exposure to their chosen industry!

Meet our Student!

Name: Emily Castellanos
Age: 21
Hometown: Monterey, CA
College: Pacific Union College

Why did you decide to join the veterinary industry?

Animals have always been a part of my life. I grew up having a wide variety of pets from small animals. These included hamsters and dogs and large animals like horses and alpacas. At the end of high school, I realized how much my pets enhanced my life in such a positive and prominent way. I also thought about how much happiness they contribute to so many other people’s lives, which led me to vet medicine. My desire to educate and serve both owners and their animals, as well as contribute to their happiness is really what moved me to the veterinary industry.

What are you looking forward to most about being a vet?

I am most looking forward to spending each day serving and educating others, and making a positive contribution to the welfare of animals.

What is the most interesting thing you have done/ learned at school?

A couple of summers ago, I was given the opportunity to go on a school-funded research trip to Paraguay. Here I helped in finding and recording the vocalizations of the spotted nothura bird.

As well as adding over 300 new birds to my personal bird watching “life list”! After the trip, we were lent specimens of this bird from the Museum of Chicago and the University of Michigan to make specific measurements and perform statistical tests.

About a year later, the paper was published in a scientific journal. The entire process was both educational and fun! It was a trip I will always remember and talk about.

Emily has been working at California Pet Hospital over the Summer of 2018!