Veterinary medicine: In the beginning

Post graduation interviews gave Dr. Holly Poremski a first-hand experience with some lingering stereotypes. "Some veterinarians think male vets are better because women want to work 20 hour weeks and have children," Poremski says. "But that's not the case, those are generally older veterinarians that think that way."

Poremski planned on working about 12 hours in the university's hospital today but says that's about an average day for an intern.

Dr. Holly Poremski

"I spend a lot of time at the school," she says. "I hardly ever have a weekend where I don't at least have to come in to check on animals in the morning."

Poremski entered her undergraduate college, University of Texas at Austin, as a budding journalist and graduated with a degree in zoology.

"I wasn't happy with the major," Poremski says. "I was lucky to have a friend whose mother was a veterinarian. I volunteered at her clinic for a while, then was hired as a technician. I loved it and figured if I didn't want to be a technician the rest of my life I had better go to vet school."

Poremski graduated earlier this year from North Carolina State University's College of Veterinary Medicine and is now an intern at Louisiana State University's College of Veterinary Medicine.

"The most rewarding moment I've had was within the first month of my internship when a dog was presented to me that couldn't walk," Poremski says. "I diagnosed him with myasthenia gravis, treated him and watched as he ran out the door. I have called his owner, and he is doing well. That is very rewarding."

In the long haul through veterinary school, Poremski says she was encouraged to succeed by some of her professors and the veterinarians she had worked for before beginning veterinary school.

"There was a lot of sitting in classes and reading in school, but the fourth year was fun and practical because it was hands-on," Poremski says.

There are a lot of questions up in the air for the 26-year-old, including if she will specialize in internal medicine, where to begin practicing and if she wants to own a practice.

"I'm married, and my husband has done everything I have asked of him so far, including moving to North Carolina when I was in vet school, then moving to Louisiana when I began this internship," Poremski says. "I think it is time he decides where we move."

The strategy used to keep cases organized throughout the day, is a card file system of all of her patients.

I'm usually working on several cases at a time, so using the cards works well."