Hannah Miles
From Pre-Vet to Biovet
鈥淎s far back as I can remember, I have always wanted to be a vet.鈥�
Second year AC student Hannah Miles has been an animal lover her entire life. With 13 pets at home and her summers spent working at Dr. Barry鈥檚 Burnside Veterinary Hospital, it鈥檚 evident that the Upper Tantallon, NS, student chooses to surround herself with animals as much as possible.
That鈥檚 why attending the Faculty of Agriculture to further her studies was a no-brainer for her. The Pre-Veterinary Science program provides the prerequisite courses needed to apply for Veterinary Medicine programs after two years, and had been recommended to Hannah by those working in the industry.
Pre-Vet also counts as the first two years towards a degree in Animal Science from the Faculty of Agriculture, should things not work out with vet school right away. However, Hannah鈥檚 interests lie heavily in animal care and medicine, so a degree in Animal Science is not exactly what she鈥檚 looking for. When she heard about the new Bioveterinary Science program, she knew it made sense for her.
鈥淚 decided to transfer into the Biovet program because it鈥檚 more focused on animal health, compared to my previous program, which focused on animal production,鈥� says Hannah. 鈥淚t still allows me to apply for vet school after my second year, which is my ultimate goal.鈥�
Although not completely sure of which type of vet she鈥檇 like to be, Hannah is considering focusing on small animals, wildlife, or exotics. She started volunteering at Dr. Barry鈥檚 Burnside Veterinary Hospital during high school, knowing it would provide her with the firsthand experience she was looking for. 鈥淚 love working at this clinic,鈥� she says. 鈥淣ot only do I get the chance to work with dogs and cats, I also get to work with wildlife, thanks to Dr. MacEachern鈥檚 close relationship with Hope for Wildlife.鈥�
Hannah will be among the first intake of students for Bioveterinary Science. Although she has transferred out of the Pre-Vet program, Hannah will be in classes with most of her first-year classmates, due to the crossover between the two disciplines. She will also remain active in the Pre-Vet club on campus, for which she will serve as secretary for the upcoming year. Being a member of this club also allows her to gain volunteer experience at the Ruminant Animal Centre on the campus farm.
鈥淚 love studying at the AC,鈥� she says. 鈥淚 fell in love with the small campus feel immediately. It very quickly felt like home, and it鈥檚 so easy to become involved.鈥� Along with acting as secretary of the Pre-Vet club, Hannah will serve as vice-president of Chapman House during her second year.
鈥淢ost importantly, studying at the AC is providing me with the exact training and hands-on experience I need to realize my dream of becoming a vet. I can鈥檛 wait for my second year to start.鈥�