Kimberly Palgrave
Kimberly Palgrave graduated from R(D)SVS in 2007 and has gone on to work in mixed animal practice in North Carolina, USA.
The international option
I have always dreamed of becoming a vet, and during my undergraduate degree at Texas A&M University, I started looking into the many available options for veterinary schools which I could choose to visit and apply to.
Initially, this search only included vet schools located in the US. However, as a suggestion from my mother (who is originally from Scotland herself), I decided to extend my search to include vet schools located in the UK.
Visiting Edinburgh and the vet school
So I contacted the Dick Vet and arranged to come for a visit (and a holiday). When I first arrived in Edinburgh, I was struck with a sense of amazement at the beauty of the city!
I then visited the vet school and was equally impressed by the facilities, the curriculum and the friendliness of the staff and students. Upon my return to the US, I sent in my application and later received my acceptance letter.
A unique experience
Throughout my five years at the Dick Vet, I had the opportunity to experience a new culture while receiving world-class instruction in veterinary medicine and surgery.
The knowledge and clinical skills which I developed as a result of excellent tuition and mentorship, as well as a great deal of hard work, prepared me for any future career path.
I acquired the tools necessary to successfully work as a veterinary surgeon, while also gaining valuable experience which I could not have received had I attended vet school in the US.
The knowledge and clinical skills which I developed as a result of excellent tuition and mentorship, as well as a great deal of hard work, prepared me for any future career path.
Experiences such as lambing on a sheep farm in Wales and seeing practice at various clinics in the UK, with people of a different background and culture to myself, helped me to develop communication and interpersonal skills which will continue to benefit me in both my personal and professional life.
However, my experience at the Dick Vet was made truly unique by the people which I had the great pleasure to work with on a daily basis and whom I now call colleagues (one of whom is also my husband).
Graduation and beyond
Upon graduation, I began an equine internship in the US at a large referral practice. The skills and knowledge I developed while at the Dick Vet have given me the confidence and abilities necessary to be an asset to the veterinary profession and I will continue to be thankful for the education that has allowed me to live my dream of working as a veterinary surgeon.