A picture of Liakos as she holds off the jugular just before blood draw.
This summer Elle Liakos, a junior who is dually enrolled as an Institute of Applied Agriculture student and as an animal science major in the College of Agriculture and Natural Resources (AGNR) at the University of Maryland, worked at Severna Park Veterinary Hospital located in Severna Park, Maryland as part of her internship for her two-year certificate. Liakos expects to earn her Certificate in Applied Agriculture this fall and her bachelor’s degree a few semesters later.
Liakos credits her internship supervisor, Dr. Jessica Heard, with convincing her to change her major back to pre-vet and apply to veterinary school in the spring of 2023. Heard had some moving words that got through to Liakos, “Going to vet school was the best decision I have ever made, and I am so happy knowing that every day I come to work I am making at least one person or animals’ life better.” Liakos admits that if it wasn’t for Dr. Heard, she wouldn’t be pursuing her careers goal of becoming a veterinarian.
Working as a veterinarian technician for her internship, Liakos’ day-to-day routine incorporated a plethora of different jobs and tasks. She accompanied owners and their animal(s) into a room, ask the owner what issues or problems the animal seems to be having, take the pet’s vital signs, and relay the information to the doctor she was assigned to that day. Other tasks included taking x-rays, drawing and administering vaccines, filling prescriptions, drawing blood trimming nails, performing ultrasounds, and more. She loved the hands-on experience and says her favorite part of the job was educating new pet owners.
Liakos went into the internship feeling hesitant and anxious because she wasn’t sure if she would enjoy and embrace the work environment. One of her close friends had worked at a hospital for humans, hated it, and changed majors. Luckily, Liakos’ pure love for animals made this internship experience enjoyable and memorable. Liakos smiles as she thinks back on her summer, “My favorite client was a rottweiler named Buttons. When I first began my internship, Buttons started coming in for her vaccine appointments when she was just six weeks old. As I became more comfortable with my position, I had the opportunity of watching her grow and I loved that.”
This summer, Liakos became confident in her ability to communicate medical knowledge to the pet owners and with performing specific duties to assure an animal’s health. Most importantly she gained a clear insight into her career goals. She hopes to graduate with a bachelor's degree in 2023 with hopes to be accepted into a veterinary school where she will work toward her doctorate in Veterinarian Medicine. Once that happens, she will have Dr. Heard and the other staff members at Severna Park Veterinary Hospital to thank.
