Clarke County

UGA camp aims to inspire aspiring veterinarians

By Lori Wilson, WSB-TV
By Lori Wilson, WSB-TV

ATHENS, Ga. — In some counties in Georgia, a trip to the veterinarian can mean driving 50 miles or more.

That is something UGA is trying to fix by hosting a camp for young people and showing them “a day in the life” of a vet student.

Channel 2′s Lori Wilson made the trip to Athens to see what makes this camp so special.

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Dozens of middle and high school students took a bus from Atlanta to Athens for a visit to the University of Georgia’s College of Veterinary Medicine.

While touring the teaching hospital, they saw an MRI and CAT Scan machine for animals, and all of the tools the Veterinary College Hospital has at its disposal.

This is tenth grader Charity Ferguson’s second time taking the trip for this camp experience, which is a partnership with STEM Atlanta Women and UGA.

“We’re going to see different animals in the hospital and learning how to wrap bandages, looking at anatomy,” Ferguson said.

She made the trip with her parents and younger brother.

“I don’t know if I want to be a people doctor, or an animal doctor or something in law, I don’t know,” Ferguson said.

And even though she still has some years before college, she and her family are hoping the visit will help in her decision.

Her dad Bobby says he wants to give her as much information as possible when it comes to deciding her future.

“As a kid everybody loves pets, but you don’t know what you have to do to become a veterinarian,” he said.

Susan Williams is the Assistant Dean for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion, at UGA’s College of Veterinary Medicine.

“We try to recruit students from the entire state of Georgia,” Williams said. “So that they can learn the skills to be a veterinarian here, and then go back to their home community to do that.”

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She says the goal is to have vets from all parts of Georgia, and all walks of life.

“I know growing up for me, I didn’t see any African American veterinarians until I was in college,” Williams said.

But Ferguson will grow up differently, thanks to this camp.

UGA wants to make sure kids see the campus vet school and teaching hospital and all its possibilities early.

“(We partner with) The Georgia Aquarium, the Atlanta Zoo, and we have Emory right down the road,” Williams said.

And while the world of veterinary medicine is much bigger than just cats and dogs, a love for pets goes a long way.

“I’ve always loved animals, Ferguson said. “They’ve always been a big part of me.”

Williams says right now, especially in rural Georgia, people are having to drive too far to get their animals checked, whether they are horses, cattle, cats, and everything in between.

Her hope and the school’s mission is to graduate incredible veterinarians that go back to their communities to live and provide service.

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