From vet assistant to extern: Macey's journey comes full circle at NVA

Some externships take you somewhere new. For Macey Kaczorowski, this one brought her back to where it all started.

Before enrolling at the University of Georgia College of Veterinary Medicine, Macey worked as a veterinary assistant at Animal Hospital of Signal Mountain (AHSM) in Tennessee. Now a rising second-year veterinary student, she returned to spend the week shadowing the doctors who helped inspire her path and left with more than she expected.

What was it like coming back to AHSM in a different role?

It was wonderful to see my AHSM friends again! What stood out to me is the intentional effort many of the veterinarians and vet support staff made in facilitating my role as a student doctor rather than allowing me to revert to my prior role as a vet assistant out of habit and familiarity. My goal of practicing the skills involved in being a clinician (performing physical exams, interpreting diagnostic tests, clinical reasoning, etc.) was made a priority.

What made you choose an NVA hospital for your externship experience?

As a pre-clinical veterinary student (in my first two years), I wanted to go somewhere familiar for one of my first experiences as an extern. I trusted the veterinarians at AHSM to practice high-quality medicine and teach me to do the same. I had witnessed them grow as clinicians in their own right and tenaciously take on new skills and techniques during the three years I worked as a vet assistant there.

What stands out to you about NVA as a whole?

I appreciate that NVA supports the autonomy of their veterinarians to practice medicine as they see fit for their patients’ needs and their own clinical judgment. One of the aspects of veterinary medicine I love most is that I will continue to expand my knowledge throughout my career. I appreciate that NVA supports this venture.

More about Macey:

Macey is a rising second-year veterinary student at the University of Georgia College of Veterinary Medicine. Before pursuing her DVM, she worked as a veterinary assistant at Animal Hospital of Signal Mountain in Tennessee, where she first discovered her passion for veterinary medicine. She recently returned to AHSM for an externship, spending the week shadowing the team that helped set her on this path.

Macey's professional interests include surgery, internal medicine, and feline medicine. She aspires to earn her Doctor of Veterinary Medicine degree and go on to become a Diplomate of the American Board of Veterinary Practitioners (DABVP). Outside of school, she can often be found running or hiking with her dog, Scarlett, by her side.