Friendship in the OVC: featuring @dvm.roomies

Hey future vets! Emily here.
​
Have you ever wondered about life at the OVC beyond the academics? If you’re like me, you probably have wondered about the social aspect as well… will I make friends? Will I have a work-life balance? Will it be hard to adjust to the new setting if it is drastically different than I imagined?
These are very real concerns, and the answers to all of these questions can be quite hard to come by unless you’re speaking directly to a student there. On a quest to get these answers for myself and for all of the future vets wondering the same things, I found the perfect group of people to help me out.
Kyla Hartt, Bailee Cohen, and Madeleine Melloul are the 3 student veterinarians behind the massively popular instagram page, @dvm.roomies. If you are currently in your undergraduate studies with hopes of attending the Ontario Veterinary College one day, chances are they have popped across your feed before - you may even be one of their 1000+ followers already! However you come across the DVM Roomies (even if only through this article!) it is undeniable that this account has become a resource for future vets like us.  Through chronicling their lives at the OVC in the form of posts and stories, they not only have been able to give undergrads an idea as to what to expect in vet school, but have also served as an important source of inspiration for many (myself included!). I was lucky enough to get to interview Kyla, Madeleine, and Bailee to ask all of our burning questions about the OVC and the reality of day-to-day life there. Thankfully, they were willing to write out their own detailed answers for my mountain of questions - and what you have in front of you now is all of the first-hand wisdom that they were able to share when they were in phase 1 at the OVC. Don’t wait any longer… read on!

Question 1: What were each of your paths to vet school like? 
Kyla’s Answer: I always knew I wanted to be a vet from a young age as I was inspired by the pets I had growing up.I first started gaining animal/veterinary experience at a clinic in downtown Toronto during my grade 11 co-op class, where I truly fell in love with the profession. I then went to the University of Guelph and studied animal biology, and was able to more gain experience at several different clinics including the rehabilitation clinic at the OVC’s Primary Healthcare Centre, small animal clinics in Toronto and Elora, and the Foal Watch program. I was also an executive on the Future Vets Club for 3 years, where I learned a lot about applying to the OVC and the veterinary profession as a whole. I applied to OVC during my fourth year and started Phase 1 in September 2023!
Bailee’s Answer: I loved animals growing up and my goal was to work with them in the future. When I was in grade 11, I worked as a co-op student at a companion animal hospital and absolutely loved working with the veterinary team, the clients, and their pets. After a few years of working with small animals, I decided to step outside of my comfort zone and work at two equine farms. The first few times working with large animals were challenging, but they reinforced my desire to become a veterinarian as I first-hand witnessed the instrumental impact these large animals had on people. Along with my hands-on experiences, I continued to educate my peers about animal health and welfare at Queen’s University through two clubs - Queen’s Protecting Welfare Society and Queen’s Veterinarians Without Borders. I applied to OVC during my fourth year of my undergraduate degree and started Phase 1 in September 2023.
Madeleine’s Answer: Like many pre vet and vet students, I knew I wanted to be a vet at a very young age. When I was in high school I started job shadowing and volunteering at a local vet clinic that my family took our dog to and absolutely loved it. I knew I wanted to eventually apply to OVC so I decided to pursue my undergraduate degree at UofG where I studied Biological Science and minored in Zoology. I graduated in 2022 and decided to take a year off to gain more experience for my vet school application. I volunteered at Aspen Valley Wildlife Sanctuary for 2 months right after I graduated which was an amazing experience. After coming home I started working full time at a small animal clinic and learned so much more about the profession. I applied to OVC about 7 months after I graduated and I started Phase 1 in September of 2023!


Question 2: What did you expect that the OVC would be like? Were there any surprises?
Their Answer: Before coming to the OVC, we knew that the workload was going to be very intense, but we didn’t realize how much fun you could have at the same time! There are so many clubs, sports teams, and other extracurriculars that you can become involved in - there is really something for everyone. We were surprised how close-knit our class would become in such a short period of time coming from large undergraduate programs. It is difficult to go a few steps before seeing a familiar face while walking to class! Not only does our year feel like a community, but we have also managed to form connections with upper year students as well, who are extremely willing to give their advice. Overall, we were pleasantly surprised with the atmosphere at the OVC and look forward to making many more memories in the coming years!
  
Question 3: Do you have any plans for the type of work you’d like to do after vet school? (small animal, large animal, wildlife, etc)
Kyla’s Answer: Growing up in Toronto I gained a lot of experience at small animal clinics, which is where I really solidified that I wanted to be a veterinarian. During undergrad, I was able to volunteer in the rehabilitation department at the OVC’s Primary Healthcare Centre. I really enjoyed this experience, as I saw the dramatic impact you can make in an animal’s quality of life through rehabilitation. Currently, I am interested in small animal general practice while incorporating rehabilitation. Through experiences that I had abroad, I am also extremely interested in shelter medicine, and hope to gain more experience in this field in the future!
Bailee’s Answer: I grew up in a big city primarily working in companion animal hospitals, thus I initially thought this stream of veterinary medicine best suited me. However, once I went to Queen’s University, I connected with an equine farm owner and volunteered with horses and ponies. This experience showed me that the opportunities in veterinary medicine are endless! My experience at the farm inspired me to learn about the unique sectors of veterinary medicine so I joined animal health and welfare clubs at Queen’s where my team and I advocated for the health and welfare of animals and communities in need. My experiences thus far have shown me that I do not know what type of work I would like to do after vet school. However, I cannot wait to continue gaining experience and finding an area where I can make the greatest impact on the people and animals around me.
Madeleine’s Answer: I’ve always been a big dog and cat lover so naturally once I began gaining experience for vet school applications, I started working at small animal practices. I really love the general practice environment as it allows you to make strong connections not only with pets but also with clients over time. I’ve never had any experiences in emergency hospitals, but I love the fast-paced nature of vet med so I definitely want to explore that area of the profession at some point. I also gained a lot of experience with exotics and wildlife after working full time at a wildlife sanctuary last year where I was helping rehabilitate many species such as raccoons, fawns, squirrels, and so much more. I absolutely fell in love with wildlife rehab while I was there and it also opened my eyes to the hardships that many of these sanctuaries face when it comes to limited veterinary care for the animals they are trying to save. I definitely want to incorporate wildlife medicine into my future career in addition to working in small animal practice.
  
Question 4: How did you find making and maintaining friendships in phase one? Do you have any advice on doing so for future students?
Their Answer: Phase 1 starts with an orientation week, where you meet all of your fellow classmates and bond over group activities! We all found it great to meet so many people, but it was also overwhelming given the sheer number of people we met within the span of a couple of days. After orientation week we started to feel more settled, and began joining various extracurriculars including the soccer team, the veterinary fraternity, and several different clubs. Through these activities we were able to meet more people and solidify the relationships that we started to make during orientation week. We highly recommend joining extracurriculars to meet people in your class and to step outside of your comfort zone to make lifelong friendships!


Question 5: How has having a support system helped you in vet school so far?
Their Answer: Having a support system is very important in vet school since it is so demanding. We are very thankful that we have each other to lean on. Coming home from an 8 hour day can be very tiring, but being able to debrief and talk with one another is extremely helpful to let off some steam. We are also very grateful for our family, friends and support here at the OVC.


Question 6: What does establishing a healthy work-life balance early on look like to you?
Their Answer: In our opinion, establishing a work-life balance is one of the most important skills to learn and work on in vet school. With the amount of content that is taught, you could easily spend 24 hours a day studying. We have found that you have to put in effort in order to maintain a healthy work life balance. For us, this means scheduling in social time, exercise, time to speak with family, and time for ourselves. Using tools like an agenda or calendar can be very helpful both for academic and non-academic commitments and plans in order to achieve a balanced life.


Question 7: What are some of your favourite things about studying at the OVC so far? Any highlights?
Their Answer: One thing that stands out to us are the anatomy labs, where we get hands-on learning with diverse specimens to solidify what we are taught in lecture. Part of the anatomy curriculum includes an oral group test in the anatomy lab at the end of each unit. We love how supportive our groups are and how we all go out and celebrate afterwards.


Question 8: Are there any struggles you three have faced either on your path to vet school or during this first phase?
Their Answer: While in undergrad, we all struggled with the competitive nature of applying to vet school. We learned that it is very important to try your best not to compare yourself to others, although it is not always easy! This is why having a support system to lean on is so important. While in vet school, we found that feelings of inadequacy can still occur, however, we’ve learned that everyone is unique in their own way, with all individuals in our class having different strengths and weaknesses. As well, everyone learns at a different pace, and just because someone knows something you don’t, doesn’t mean that you don’t belong here!
  
Question 9: Do you have any other advice you’d like to offer to other future vets?
Their Advice:
1. Make sure you stay true to yourself throughout the application process. By tapping into what makes you unique you will make yourself stand out!
2. Push yourself out of your comfort zone! You will be surprised at what you can learn and what you will accomplish!
3. Stay positive! While the journey to vet school can be very difficult, your mindset makes all the difference.
4. Don’t be afraid to ask for help! We have found that so many upper years as well as veterinary staff are open and eager to offer their advice.
5. Don’t be afraid to participate in and utilize non-veterinary or animal based experiences while applying! Many important transferable skills can be learned in different work/club/team environments that can help you stand out and prepare you.
​

This interview was held in the Fall 2023 semester, and thus some of the girls’ opinions and perspectives may have changed over time. Now phase 2 students, it is undeniable that they will continue to do great work and be an inspiration to future vets as they embark on their veterinary journey! 
Does Kyla (who was a past Exec. Assistant, Communications Officer, and Senior Website & Marketing Officer for the Future Vets Club, by the way!) still want to pursue small animal and shelter medicine? Did Bailee get a chance to fuel her passion for animal welfare during her studies? Does Madeleine still see herself incorporating emergency and wildlife medicine into her future career path? If you want answers to these questions, or if you would just like an update as to how the girls feelings toward social life at the OVC has changed in their second phase, let us know! 

Reach out via our Instagram (@fvcguelph) or email us at [email protected] if you want more from the DVM Roomies and I will get right on it - your wish is my command!
Thank you again to Kyla, Bailee, and Madeleine for taking the time to answer my questions and share their advice for the Omnis Animalis. We at the FVC are certain that each of you will make outstanding contributions to the profession, and we extend our sincerest appreciation and admiration! The Future Vets look up to you!
If you haven’t yet checked out their account, you can do so on Instagram under the username @dvm.roomies.
See you back here on the Omnis Animalis next month!

Yours Truly,
Emily Camarda, Senior Editor

---