Harold Goldstein
Students get up close and personal with the animals by way of the Pierce College pre-veterinary science program, a series of prerequisite classes that helps pave the way for kids who want to attend veterinary school.
Corinne Leighty, vice president of Agricultural Ambassadors, said, “The pre-vet program is essentially a way for students to proceed in their veterinary careers and have an advising component from Dr. (Leland) Shapiro, our adviser.”
Working on Pierce’s 200-acre farm, the two-year program offers a wide variety of animal-oriented agricultural classes including Animal Science, Animal Nutrition and Veterinary Field Work that give students hands-on training with animals such as sheep, cows and chickens.
“The pre-vet program is an asset to the students in terms of our community involvement and of access (to the animals),” Leighty said.
While working for their veterinary degree, students will be able to receive additional training from local veterinary hospitals and clinics. There is also a pre-veterinary club that engages aspiring veterinary students to work with one another in order to further the completion of their majors.
“(As part of the pre-vet club,) we have a community of our peers so that we can learn from students who are further along in the program and then being able to educate the younger students, encouraging them to proceed in their veterinary careers,” Leighty said.
More information on the pre-vet program and the club is available at http://faculty.piercecollege.edu/shapirls/Drcowsindex.html.
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