Alyssa Ettinger, DVM (Surgical Intern)

“I had always wanted to be a veterinarian, since before kindergarten, so I could work with animals. I had a lot of animals growing up (dogs, cats, hamsters, mice, rabbits, ducks) that I liked to take care of.  When I got older, I realized how much good a veterinarian does not only for the animal, but for the people who care so deeply for their animals, and it made me want to become a veterinarian even more. 

When I was old enough to shadow in a veterinary clinic, I was always most interested in the procedures they would perform, especially when the traveling surgeon would come and perform more advanced procedures. Then throughout veterinary school, my interest in surgery never faded, and surgery-related courses and rotations were always my favorite. I also like how surgeons can see a problem and fix it quickly in the grand scheme of things.”