Terra Smith, Class of 2015
Job title: Associate veterinarian, Boulevard Animal Hospital in Shelby, N.C.
Describe your current position.
Full-time associate in a fast-paced, rural, mixed animal practice.
Describe job opportunity trends in your industry. What does the future look like for your industry?
There is a continuing need for rural, mixed animal practitioners.
What advice would you offer alumni/students looking for a job in your field?
Be ready to work hard with very long hours potentially. Don’t be afraid to ask for a generous salary. You are worth it and will definitely earn every penny! Be confident in yourself but also open-minded to learning new things that you didn’t learn in school.
Rural practice doesn’t always allow you to practice the level of medicine you learn in school, but always give the best option for care.
What is the best career advice you have received?
Family first!
Share one “do” or “don’t” that you have learned regarding resumes, interviewing, networking, or job searching tactics.
Don’t be afraid to negotiate!
Anything else you would like to add?
Mixed animal vet med is awesome, but compassion fatigue is real. Be very intentional about planning family or personal time often. Don’t let your job consume you — there is more to life than vet med.
