by Rachel Harvey
Over the weekend I had the opportunity to work closely with sheep assisting them with birth. This happened at the Michigan State sheep farm. As someone who wants to go into veterinary medicine, this was a really great experience for me. Being able to work hands on instead of looking at it through power points and pictures was in my opinion, the best way to learn.
Often veterinary medicine is depicted in movies and tv shows as someone who works in a clinic dealing with cats and dogs. There is a lack of representation for veterinarians who go out into the field whether it would be working with wildlife or farm animals. Veterinarians are needed for all of these animals and not just domesticated pets. 
By having the ability to work alongside these animals I realized that there is a lot more career options than just working with dogs and cats. A veterinarian would have to know how to take care of all of these farm animals in the case of an emergency. Working on the farm is a totally different atmosphere. With these animals it was more hands off during birthing but having to know what to do in the case of an emergency.
During this hands on experience, I had the ability to view many live births as well as move and bond the lambs with their mother. I also got to weigh and log each lamb born. These are skills that would not be achievable with just classroom teachings. I have learned that this is very dirty work and not just clean cut as we are often exposed to in the media. This is very true for many professions that we see in the media. Rarely are they accurately represented mostly with the depth and many opportunities that each profession holds. 
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