My name is Kaatje Fisk, and I am a second-year veterinary student at Utah State University. I am so excited to continue my veterinary education at Utah State, and your kindness in selecting me as the recipient of the Utah Veterinary Medical Association Scholarship has significantly influenced my resolve to become an excellent veterinarian.

I have always known that I have a passion for science, but it wasn’t until high school that I realized I wanted to pursue a career in veterinary medicine. I found that, in addition to my love for science, my compassion for animals made veterinary medicine the perfect field for me. The diverse range of career opportunities inspired me to explore many fields, all of which have interested me thus far. I have been fortunate to shadow in small animal, equine, exotic and mixed rural practices. When selecting a veterinary school, I found the two plus two program at USU to be an excellent fit! I was drawn to the small class sizes, research opportunities, and potential for hands-on experience.

Through the USU College of Veterinary Medicine I have been fortunate to gain more large animal experience, which I have found to be incredibly rewarding and something I hope to continue exploring. In addition to clinical experience, USU has provided me with opportunities to develop close relationships with my professors and has opened doors to explore pathology and gain experience at the Utah State Veterinary Laboratory preforming necropsies and interpreting histology preparations.

After graduating, it is my hope to practice in emergency medicine or rural mixed practice. I have also considered the pursuit of a pathology residency program. I want to provide veterinary services at an affordable price to owners and their pets and to producers and their livestock. It is my goal to develop relationships with the community and provide husbandry and animal care education. I believe that USU will prepare me with the knowledge to practice good medicine, the interpersonal skills to thrive and develop relationships in the community, and the professional network to support my dream. I am so grateful to the USU program and its generous scholarship donors who make it possible for me to pursue my education. Your generous contribution alleviates some of the financial and emotional stress associated with the cost of veterinary school, and I am incredibly grateful to have been selected as your scholarship recipient.

Your generous donation has contributed significantly towards my goal of minimizing the debt of earning my DVM. Debt accumulation is a concern for many veterinary students and something that has been weighing heavily on me since beginning the program. It has been my goal throughout undergrad to pay my way through school without accumulating debt, and I was successful in achieving that goal for the first four years of my education. Now that I am in veterinary school some debt accumulation is inevitable, but I am doing my best to minimize that number. This scholarship has already helped relieve some of the emotional and financial stress associated with covering the cost of tuition for next semester.

My first year at USU has been an incredible experience. I am so grateful to have been accepted into this program. The small class size has allowed me to develop close relationships with my classmates and faculty. The opportunities to participate in surgeries at south farm and test our surgical skills learned in POS are unique for first-year students and something for which I am incredibly grateful! Additionally, the ability to learn from local veterinarians through the on-call phone system has been an experience that has exposed me to new and interesting areas of veterinary medicine.

I am very appreciative of your generosity, and I am excited to see what is in store for next year. I know that the year will be challenging, but with the support of generous donors like you, the experience will be far less stressful and allow me to spend more time on my education and getting the most out of my time here at USU. Thank you.