CondorClub
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- Nov 1, 2024
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Recent graduate in the wildlife field, interested specifically in zoo/aquatic/wildlife medicine. Second time applicant, only applied to one school first time and rejected on a technicality. Lots and lots of wildlife and aquatic/zoo focused experience, not as much small animal experience. Goal is to improve the shortcomings of vet medicine in the interface between wildlife and zoos/aquariums. Undergrad at UW Madison, graduated early with AP credits. In-state in Illinois (as far as I know, I move around too much!).
Cumulative GPA: 3.87
B.S in Wildlife Ecology
GRE results: not taken
Veterinary Experience:
Animal Experience:
Research Experience:
Awards/scholarships:
Extracurriculars:
Employment:
ELORS: Large aquarium vet, small aquarium lab technician, wildlife ecology professor for 2 sems, state wildlife vet, medium rehab clinic coordinator
Very confident about my ELORS, they have all been very open about their thoughts on me.
Applied to:
UIUC, UW Madison, MSU, UC Davis, OSU, NC State
Preference:
UIUC, UC Davis, or UW Madison
Main concern is that my experience isn't varied enough and that wildlife/zoo isn't the best field to be banking on from an admissions viewpoint. I don't come from a very animal-loving or outdoorsy family (no pets) and wildlife was the thing I understood best from exploring over my life. I know that my main goal is to do wildlife/zoo work, but want to also have small animal to fall back on. My small animal experience was limited by the number of hours I could legally (and mentally/emotionally) work in college due to my second job. I think my experience within the specific field I'm interested in is very strong and varied (wildlife rehab, zoo/aquarium medicine, free-ranging wildlife medicine), but my veterinary experience is lacking.
Cumulative GPA: 3.87
B.S in Wildlife Ecology
GRE results: not taken
Veterinary Experience:
- Large metropolitan aquarium Animal Health Intern (210 hours)
- Basic introduction to aquatics vet med, shadowed and participated in procedures on marine mammals, birds, reptiles, amphibians, and fish. Learned basic diagnostics and pathology. Helped extract DNA for a herpesvirus project.
- Small remote local aquarium/rehab/research center Vet Lab Intern (440 hours)
- Similar to prior aquatics experience, added responsibilities of processing blood, urine, fecal diagnostics for mammals and birds both rehab patients and collection animals. "Extracurricular" participating in the rehab team, seabird research team, and husbandry teams.
- Low-cost small animal clinic Vet Assistant/Receptionist (294 hours)
- Basic receptionist and vet assistant duties, limited ability for blood draws and other technical skills due to constraints from other employment
- State wildlife department Wildlife Health Intern (600 hours, current position)
- Largely responsible for the implementation and management of the state's Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD) surveillance program including sampling, public education, data management, and working with federal, tribal, and private partners. Also assist with necropsies and sample collection for the Wildlife Health Program. Opportunities to help with prairie dog trapping, prairie dog colony mapping, bison sorting, and future pronghorn captures. Experience conducting fieldwork in remote locations.
Animal Experience:
- Medium rehab wildlife clinic internship + volunteer (516 hours)
- Basic rehab responsibilities for raptors, songbirds, turtles, snakes, opossums, rabbits including food prep, handling, cleaning, and medicating. Also helped train new interns and volunteers and provided public education at local nature events.
- Bird banding (32 hours)
- USGS federal bird banding station, predominantly songbirds including new world warblers, finches, sparrows, thrashers, cardinals/grosbeaks, and thrushes. Banded birds independently and extracted birds from mistnets.
- Large rehab wildlife clinic internship (72 hours)
- Fewer responsibilities than my other rehab experience. Worked with similar species with added raccoons and gulls.
Research Experience:
- Fieldwork/Fossil Prep Volunteer (78 hours)
- Helped prepare fossils in the prep lab and conduct remote fieldwork in Wyoming to uncover Triassic-age fossils
Awards/scholarships:
- Women's Board scholarship from local zoological society
- Dean's list all semesters
- Distinctive scholastic achievement UW Madison
- Wildlife Ecology scholarship UW Madison
Extracurriculars:
- Student chapter of the Wildlife Society - Outreach Coordinator (120 hours)
- Zoo volunteer during High School, 4 years (633 hours)
- Mostly public education, limited experience with husbandry with a variety of species and research on Mexican gray wolves and Sarasota bay bottlenose dolphins. Leadership experience planning a nation-wide virtual teen conservation conference.
Employment:
- Worked for student housing for two years in college, 20 hrs/week (1320 hours)
ELORS: Large aquarium vet, small aquarium lab technician, wildlife ecology professor for 2 sems, state wildlife vet, medium rehab clinic coordinator
Very confident about my ELORS, they have all been very open about their thoughts on me.
Applied to:
UIUC, UW Madison, MSU, UC Davis, OSU, NC State
Preference:
UIUC, UC Davis, or UW Madison
Main concern is that my experience isn't varied enough and that wildlife/zoo isn't the best field to be banking on from an admissions viewpoint. I don't come from a very animal-loving or outdoorsy family (no pets) and wildlife was the thing I understood best from exploring over my life. I know that my main goal is to do wildlife/zoo work, but want to also have small animal to fall back on. My small animal experience was limited by the number of hours I could legally (and mentally/emotionally) work in college due to my second job. I think my experience within the specific field I'm interested in is very strong and varied (wildlife rehab, zoo/aquarium medicine, free-ranging wildlife medicine), but my veterinary experience is lacking.