Internship at the Old Stone Veterinary Clinic in Northern Ireland

BREVARD COUNTY • MELBOURNE, FLORIDA – In this Scholar-Athlete Spotlight, we feature Gillian Craig of the Florida Tech women’s lacrosse team. This summer, the Merritt Island, Florida native gained valuable experience by interning in her desired field. We caught up with Craig to learn more about this incredible opportunity.

This summer, the Merritt Island, Florida native gained valuable experience by interning in her dream field. We caught up with Craig to learn more about this incredible opportunity.

Which company are you interning at this summer? What is your title and position in the company?

This summer I completed an internship as a veterinary assistant at the Old Stone Veterinary Clinic in Clough, Northern Ireland.

What motivated you to take this internship? What steps did you have to take to earn your position in the company?

I was attracted to this internship because I had the opportunity to work with not only small animals but also large animals. This gave me more experience and a better understanding of each species and their care. I went to Northern Ireland briefly to visit some of my relatives and spoke to them about my interest in veterinary medicine.

They suggested a highly recommended veterinarian in the area who might have an opportunity to do an internship over the summer. I decided to go through with it and after we exchanged resumes and information, I was able to land the position at the clinic.

What exciting tasks or projects have you been able to participate in?

Some interesting activities I had the privilege of participating in were dental procedures on horses, tuberculosis testing on cows, ultrasound examinations on goats, scanning of mares, exploratory surgeries on dogs and many post-surgery rehabilitation activities.

What is your major at Florida Tech? Why did you choose this direction of your education and is it something you always wanted to do?

My major at Florida Tech is biomedical science. I chose this track for my education because it fits well with my plans to apply to veterinary school.

The courses required for my major will help me build a solid foundation to prepare for veterinary school. I have always wanted to pursue a career in veterinary medicine because I have loved animals since I was a child.

As I got older, my love and appreciation for those working in veterinary medicine and the patients who come to the clinic continued to grow!

How did your time as an athletic scholarship student prepare you for the work you are currently doing in your internship? What skills did you gain from your time as an athletic scholarship student that will help you in your internship?

Being an athletic scholarship student has helped me with time management and scheduling.

It helped me compartmentalize, because you’re often working with more than one patient at a time, which requires the ability to focus on the task at hand and then, when you’re finished, move on to the next one.

Teamwork and communication are two essential skills that are important in veterinary medicine.

They constantly communicate with technicians and doctors about patient conditions and scheduling, and provide monitoring during surgeries or perform simple procedures such as taking a blood sample.

What skills did you learn during your internship that will help you in the field at Florida Tech?

During my internship, I learned several skills that will help me in my career, including patience and critical thinking.

How does your internship prepare you for the career you want to pursue after graduation?

My internship helped prepare me for my career by learning/performing various skills in a clinical setting, giving me a good understanding of concepts and techniques that will be used in the future.

What advice would you give to another sports scholarship holder/prospective sports scholarship holder who is similar path?

One piece of advice I would give to another athletic scholarship student is to spend a lot of time in clinics and working with different animals. Veterinary medicine offers a wide range of opportunities. Be proactive about your work and prepare yourself for what’s to come.

The more you know, the better. Don’t be afraid to ask lots of questions and network with the people around you. It’s important to have people who will help you learn and support you.

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