Interview 29150 – Caption Index: 40
So the residency is different than the internship?… Read More
So the residency is different than the internship?… Read More
So during this residency and, and also the internship, were you thinking about how you would approach zoo medicine?… Read More
Well, there were, at the time there were two internships in zoo animal medicine, one at San Diego and one at National Zoo. And so I applied for both of those along with 60 or 70 other folks from across the country. And, and I actually was first alternate at… Read More
And now that I hadn’t done anything to advance my zoo career, I didn’t even make the final cut on either of those. So recognized that I needed to do something a little more academically rigorous to increase my chances in applying for other zoo positions. So around that time… Read More
So after you graduate from veterinary school, do you start a men an internship?… Read More
Did you have any mentors at this time?… Read More
Well, I, I, I spent time with, with Dr. Beaver at the hospital again, around the time that I, that I started. So by the time, by the time I was full-time in the children’s zoo, Dr. Beaver was established as the full-time vet at the zoo. And the, the… Read More
Or was this something you thought could be the rest of my life?… Read More
And so when I got into vet school and had my first introduction to house cats, it was like, oh yeah, it’s just like a baby leopard. Yeah, I, I, I get that behavior that’s just like a, just like a baby tiger. So I, my exposure was kind of… Read More
And at the time were you thinking about other opportunities in the zoo world as you were doing this keeper job?… Read More
I love it. That was definitely, you know, when you’re, when you’re looking to get into vet school, you want a backup plan because not everybody that applies gets in. And so, so yeah, along those, you know, in those, my first couple of years of college, you know, that… Read More
What was your responsibilities as an animal keeper? Starting out?… Read More
Starting out, it was essentially animal husbandry, cleaning cages we had, and at, at the time, we, we knew more about, we knew less about contracepting big cats than, than we did about, you know, having them in a situation where, where you could get breeding. And so a lot… Read More
Yes. When about what year did you become an animal keeper?… Read More
Well, I had applied for it the year before and they, it was, it didn’t, at the time, it didn’t require any sort of degree. As I say, it was more, more like what we have seasonal employees for here at Brookfield. So they, their qualification was, they wanted to… Read More
A 1971. And it was just applying for it?… Read More
Well, I was in high school, I needed money to go on dates to buy gas for the car, volunteer job, wasn’t gonna do it. And, and I also was, you know, from my experience going to the zoo, I was really interested in, in working as a, working as… Read More
So your first job at the zoo is not as an animal keeper, but you become an animal keeper. Read More
And that’s how you showed that you were a good employee and were dedicated, had a good work ethic. And then I got a call partway through that next summer, early on in the next summer that there was an opening at the Children’s Zoo. And so in early summer… Read More
And, you know, maybe that’s what made the difference for me getting into vet school. So, So at what time, so to speak, in the, in your life, did you start thinking, I want to be a veterinarian?… Read More