Bogan: Animal care program helps high school students prepare for the real world

I began assisting with the Animal Care Program in 2013, guided by the previous director, Kristen McDaniel. Animal Care is a condensed version of veterinary school, designed to teach students about animal anatomy, common diseases affecting dogs and cats, and what it’s like to be a veterinarian in the real world. Since its inception, we have explored multiple formats of the class, eventually tailoring the curriculum into a semester-long opportunity for high school students across the valley to learn about veterinary medicine and careers in the field. We meet once a week during the autumn semester.

This is our fourth year using this format. Throughout the semester, students learn about general medicine, the daily life of a veterinarian, animal handling, basic physical exam skills, suturing, and how to work through medical cases from start to finish. Each week, I watch them develop their ability to think like doctors and work as a team to complete their assignments. The students come from various schools and grades, and I’m always proud of how they form friendships over the course of the program.

This year, we have 15 students enrolled, and we’ve spent the majority of our time at my clinic, Mountain Paws Vet, in Carbondale. Our office cats and staff dogs patiently serve as demonstration patients, allowing students to listen to their hearts and lungs and practice examining an animal — often while it attempts to escape during the entire exam. Students have also observed us examining different patients, watched dental cleaning procedures, and had front-row seats to view X-rays and learn how veterinary nurses process laboratory work.

A program like this is invaluable to the students in our valley. It provides an honest and in-depth look at careers in the medical field, giving students a sense of what it would be like to pursue a degree in veterinary nursing or a career as a veterinarian. They also have the opportunity to ask open and honest questions, helping them gain a true understanding of their potential career paths.

Youthentity is incredibly fortunate to have generous donors who make programs like this possible, and continued support is vital to ensure these opportunities continue to grow for the kids in our community.

I am proud to be a Youthentity instructor and hope to continue helping students explore careers in my field.

Dr. Oneal Bogan is a local veterinarian and owner of Mountain Paws Vet in Carbondale. She graduated from CSU’s College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences in 2013 and has been a Career Academy instructor since moving back to Carbondale after graduation.

Youthentity, located in Carbondale, serves high school students in the Roaring Fork Valley through Career Academies including Animal Care, Construction, Culinary/Hospitality, and Health Occupations along with our Career Expo. Middle School students across the state benefit from Financial Literacy classes. Youthentity prepares youth for successful futures through financial education and career readiness. Learn more at youthentity.org.