Dr. Brooke Weinstein. Those three words echoed in the Oregon State University auditorium on June 18, 2023. After four long years, my daughter, Brooke, had attained her dream and, in full graduation regalia, marched across the stage in celebration. Her dad shed a tear or two. Our family now had two Dr. Weinsteins — one on the way up, the other lingering and influential in his own way.
Brooke’s future is bright. This fall, she started as a small animal associate veterinarian in Cairns, Queensland, Australia. Her four years of veterinary school went by in the blink of an eye, or at least it felt that way to me, the one who didn’t go through the process.
Approaching Graduation
The final year at Oregon State is composed of clinical experiences, many of them chosen by the school and presented on campus using the teaching faculty, residents and interns. However, students can customize a portion of the year with electives to bolster their resumes and get hands-on familiarity with the work they hope to do after graduation.
Somewhat uncertain about her future, Brooke wanted to learn more about different facets of veterinary medicine. She recognized that surgery at the school and practice levels aren’t the same. For example, tertiary care at an academic clinical institution is an excellent way to learn what’s available at the highest level. On the other hand, learning about dog and cat ovariohysterectomies and neuters off campus can be much more practical.
To that end, Brooke spent two weeks with Portland Humane, where she performed around 50 basic hands-on procedures. That was about 49 more than I remember doing decades earlier. Soft tissue surgery is a daily aspect of veterinary life, so getting the experience is foundational to success.
Externships and Testing
Shelter and wildlife medicine were on Brooke’s radar as she entered her final year in Corvallis, Oregon. She applied for a four-week externship with the San Diego Humane Society and accepted an offer to work with the organization’s Project Wildlife, which cares for injured, orphaned and sick wild animals, many of whom are rehabilitated and released.
Assisting with physical exams, wound care, anesthesia and treatment plans, Brooke was exposed to and cared for raptors, songbirds, corvids and owls. She also helped rehabilitate coyotes, skunks, bats and raccoons.
At the end of the San Diego job came one of the scariest days for veterinary students worldwide: the North American Veterinary Licensing Examination. For weeks and months before the grueling seven-hour assessment, students review notes, take practice exams and work themselves to fevered anxiety.
The NAVLE consists of 360 clinically relevant multiple-choice questions. Brooke took the test the Monday after Thanksgiving and then encountered the really hard part. As Tom Petty sang famously, the waiting is the hardest part. However, on Jan. 18, 2023, Brooke learned that she had passed.
The NAVLE celebration was short-lived because only a week later, Brooke flew from Los Angeles to Australia for six weeks of externships and investigating. First stop: Brisbane and the city’s Animal Emergency Service, a fast-paced hospital staffed by emergency and critical care specialists.
Working in the center of ER and ICU medicine, Brooke triaged patients and assisted in everything from shock and a suspected brain abscess to gastric dilatation-volvulus, heatstroke and cane toad toxicity.
Between work, hikes and the farmers market, Brooke took full opportunity to sightsee. Among her stops were:
- Australia Zoo
- Sea World Australia, where she toured the veterinary hospital
- The Gold Coast
- Moreton Island
- Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary
After her overseas trip to Brisbane, the flight to Cairns was a hop, skip and jump. Cairns, a beach city in tropical northeastern Australia, is a popular jumping-off point for scuba divers headed to the Great Barrier Reef. February in Cairns is summertime, which means hot and humid, much like in the Southeastern United States. Cairns also gave Brooke the chance to dive deeply into small animal clinical medicine from an Australian standpoint.
Beachside Veterinary Hospital hosted Brooke’s second externship. The small animal clinic provided plenty of hands-on case management of dogs and cats. Spays, neuters and mass removals were part of her surgical training at Beachside. She also handled wellness and basic care and, due to the significant number of allergy cases in the community, many skin and ear patients.
One of Brooke’s most interesting learning opportunities was getting to know the drugs used in Australia, some unavailable in the United States. She also found a high level of heartworm disease in Cairns, which means the Beachside team provides a lot of client education on the topic.
It wasn’t all work, however. Besides visiting Daintree Rainforest, Brooke engaged in one of her favorite pastimes: scuba diving. But not just run-of-the-mill scuba diving. She traveled to the Great Barrier Reef.
At the end of her two-month stay in Australia, Brooke wanted to return someday, and the practices wanted her back. But what about U.S. hospitals? Her time in San Diego convinced her it was a backup location, so she contacted a few clinics to learn about them and their need for young associate veterinarians. They offered quality medicine and mentorship, both paramount needs for new graduates, but her heart (and head) were focused on Australia.
The Home Stretch
Shortly after returning to Corvallis, Brooke received an official offer to practice in Cairns. But wait! How do you obtain a visa and work permit in a foreign country? And concurrently, if you don’t move to Australia and choose San Diego, you must work on things like a California veterinary license and the requirements for a graduate of an out-of-state school. For Brooke, there also were rotations to complete and a senior paper (an Oregon State requirement) to turn in.
The last few months can be a blur as far as internship matching, job interviews, resumes, rotations, packing and selling four years’ worth of furniture. But it all culminates in a grand day of celebration for students, friends and families.
We went to Corvallis a few days early to participate in events leading to graduation. Among them were student award evenings and opportunities for the Class of 2023 to get together and share memories. It was also time to show how proud we were of Brooke.
As one of only two guests permitted to hood their family member veterinarian, I had a great responsibility. As Brooke walked across the stage after being hooded and I returned to my seat with a smile and tears in my eyes, I felt deep pride in having watched my daughter accomplish her dream. I had a similar vision some 37 years earlier.
Congratulations, Dr. Brooke Weinstein. We look forward to seeing what you accomplish as a doctor of veterinary medicine. Don’t forget to text or email us from Australia.
“I SOLEMNLY SWEAR”
The pomp and circumstance of graduation reflect on the years of hard work and project the commitment spelled out in the Veterinarian’s Oath, which reads:
“Being admitted to the profession of veterinary medicine, I solemnly swear to use my scientific knowledge and skills for the benefit of society through the protection of animal health and welfare, the prevention and relief of animal suffering, the conservation of animal resources, the promotion of public health, and the advancement of medical knowledge.
“I will practice my profession conscientiously, with dignity, and in keeping with the principles of veterinary medical ethics.
“I accept as a lifelong obligation the continual improvement of my professional knowledge and competence.”
STORY ARCHIVE
Dr. Peter Weinstein documented his daughter Brooke’s veterinary school journey in previous issues. Readers can catch up with:
- “My Daughter, the Veterinary Student” bit.ly/Brooke1-TVB
- “An Unforgettable Freshman Year” bit.ly/Brooke2-TVB
- “Creating Virtual Virtuosos” bit.ly/Brooke3-TVB
- “Surgeries and Resumes” bit.ly/Brooke4-TVB
- “From the Finish Line to the Starting Line” bit.ly/Brooke5-TVB