Blogs from the Field
A healthy future for wildlife, people, and planet.
January 13, 2026
On the first day of my externship with the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife, I shook hands with Dr. Julia Burco, a state wildlife veterinarian, and I felt an overwhelming sense of gratitude and fulfillment....
December 11, 2025
One of my primary goals during my veterinary education was to present at a professional conference to gain experience and build my network. I was able to achieve this goal by presenting at the 2025 International Association for Aquatic Animal Medicine Conference....
December 02, 2025
This past spring, I had the opportunity to travel to Gulfport, Mississippi, where I served as a veterinary student extern at the Mississippi Aquarium. It was my first time working at an aquarium, and I loved it....
November 24, 2025
Veterinary medicine offers a wide range of career paths and options, and one of the most interesting and often overlooked is that of a state wildlife veterinarian....
November 14, 2025
by
Rodman Getchell
Compassion is not just a feeling; it's a call to action. It motivates individuals to actively seek ways to help and make a difference in the lives of others....
September 25, 2025
In an ever-changing society, the roles of biologists and veterinarians remain essential in the conservation of wildlife and biodiversity more broadly....
March 28, 2025
by
Rodman Getchell
I joined my colleagues at the Cornell University College of Veterinary Medicine (CVM), Dr. Kathryn Fiorella, and her PhD student, veterinarian Eric Teplitz, who have been working to examine interactions among environmental change, livelihoods, food systems, and nutritional security....
February 20, 2025
Since deciding to pursue veterinary medicine, I have been interested in conservation medicine, with a focus on improving the health of wildlife populations. More recently, my interest has expanded to aquatic medicine...
December 12, 2024
This past summer, I had the opportunity to travel to Jekyll Island, Georgia, where I served as a veterinary student extern at the Georgia Sea Turtle Center (GSTC). As part of the Jekyll Island Authority, GSTC provides rehabilitation, education, and research programs focused on conserving local wildlife and their habitats....
August 23, 2024
I grab a pair of gloves from the hospital and walk out into the tank area. I am not sure why I put gloves on - 90% of the time they get soaked anyway. As I approach the tank, the other veterinary extern heads into the storage area to grab a net. Turns out there is no need....