Growing up on Handy Lake in Hartland, Tessa Brown was fascinated with the wildlife she noticed in her yard.
She would go on nature walks together with her dad, go to the fish within the lake by her home and as soon as carried an injured Canada goose to her mother, hoping to assist it.
Brown knew early in her life that she needed to be a veterinarian, and this spring, she achieved that purpose.
In May, Brown obtained her doctorate of veterinary medication from the University of Illinois and is returning to Michigan in July to start her veterinary profession.
“It’s very surreal,” Brown mentioned. “My entire life has been focused on this one goal… Now that it’s happened, it’s like ‘what now?'”
Brown’s subsequent step is to work at Millwood Animal Clinic, a small animal clinic in Portage that makes a speciality of unique pets — which Brown mentioned includ most pets that are not canines or cats. She may even full an internet internship the place she’s going to be taught from mentors in quite a lot of veterinary specialties.
She loves caring for all forms of animals, however Brown mentioned her favourite pets to look after are fish. She anticipates that by the tip of June, she’s going to obtain certification as an aquatic veterinarian, which can permit her to assist fish homeowners care for his or her freshwater and saltwater pals.
“The reason I landed on pet fish (rather than aquariums or conservation) is because I discovered this niche that is so lacking and so needed,” Brown mentioned. “Every state has a DNR with somebody who works on fish medicine for conservation, but there is so little for people with pet fish.”
Brown mentioned her final purpose can be to work at – or begin her personal – all-fish veterinary apply.
“My dream would be to have my own company where I could work on fish all the time, ideally pet fish,” she mentioned. “I want to be boarded (licensed) in all 50 states so I could do telemedicine consults with people I can’t see in person.”
Contact Sara Kellner at skellner@livingstondaily.com. Follow her on Twitter @skellner21.