(May 11, 2009 Stillwater, OK) – The Oklahoma State University Center for Veterinary Health Sciences hosted its Hooding Ceremony on Saturday, May 9, at 7:30 p.m. for the Class of 2009. Here is one student’s story:

Making Dreams a Reality

Jessica (Jessi) Carter, Oklahoma State University (OSU) College of Veterinary Medicine Class of 2009, grew up riding horses and going to work with her father, Dr. Joe Carter, OSU College of Veterinary Medicine Class of 1984. She loved it and knew when she grew up she, too, wanted to be a ‘horse doctor.’

“Since I can remember, I’ve wanted to be a veterinarian,” smiles Jessi. “I knew I wanted to be a veterinarian because I love horses. I also know my father loves his job, loves being outdoors, and having a job where he was able to bring his children along, something that is important in a close family like ours.”

Oddly enough, veterinary medicine was not Jessi’s major when she stepped onto campus her freshman year in college.

“My senior year of high school, I changed my mind and wanted to do something else,” she says. “I was a business major my first semester of undergraduate school. By the second semester, I realized that I still wanted to be a veterinarian. So I switched my major and worked really hard to get all of my chemistries completed to be eligible to apply after my junior year of undergraduate work.”

In addition to her father, Jessi has been influenced by other veterinarians.

“Dr. Joe Noble has given me great advice during my time in veterinary school. He also sets a great example of how rewarding this career can be. He’s a great veterinarian and a great family man.”

Before and during veterinary college, Jessi has worked with Dr. Alan Donnell.

“Dr. Donnell has influenced me in the attitude I want to have when I practice,” says Jessi. “He is always in a good mood and is fun to work with because he is happy doing his job. Even in times of frustration, he has great patience, which is truly a quality that I hope to have.”

Jessi was among the 78 veterinary students receiving the DVM degree on Saturday, May 9, at the OSU Center for Veterinary Health Sciences’ Hooding Ceremony held at Gallagher Iba Arena. Her father hooded her.



“It’s quite an honor and an exciting time,” beams Dr. Carter. “Jessi has a great way of relating with people. She also is a good horsewoman. She has an intuition about horses and that combination will serve her well. She was a better student than her father. She has learned her trade well.”

“Looking back, my favorite times were studying our first year for anatomy. Everyone was so overwhelmed, scared, and tired that we would just laugh about anything and everything,” recalls Jessi. “We all knew we felt the exact same way. My other favorite memory was our first fourth-year rotation when no one had a clue what to do. You would hear everyone asking each other for help. We would give ‘HELP’ looks as we passed one another in the hall. It made us all laugh and lean on each other.

“I never believed people when they said this, but veterinary school does go by so fast. It’s over before you know it. As much as we liked to complain about all the studying, I loved the experience and the people I met along the way,” adds Jessi.

Following graduation, Jessi will begin an internship with Weatherford Equine Medical Center in Weatherford, Texas. She has an interest in equine surgery and theriogenology. Upon completion of her internship she may apply for a residency.

“I have a passion for horses and I love science and medicine. The fact that I have a job that combines the two is what makes veterinary medicine so special. But I also love the idea that you get to work with good people, be outside, and you have a career that is highly respected because it is one that has consistently been held by good, hard working, caring people,” says Jessi.

One of 28 veterinary colleges in the United States, OSU’s Center for Veterinary Health Sciences prides itself on graduating competent, confident, practice-ready veterinarians. It is fully accredited by the Council on Education of the American Veterinary Medical Association. The Center’s Boren Veterinary Medical Teaching Hospital is open to the public and provides routine and specialized care for small and large animals. It also offers 24-hour emergency care and is certified by the American Animal Hospital Association. For more information, visit www.cvhs.okstate.edu or call (405) 744-7000.

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