June 5 was a red-letter day for Chelsea Himsworth
of Vancouver, B.C. Besides gaining her DVM degree, she
became the 2007 recipient of the WCVM Faculty Gold Medal
— the College’s most prestigious award for undergraduate
students. A few days later, Himsworth talked to The Ark
about her life before veterinary medicine, her time at
WCVM and her next steps in shaping her veterinary career.
Q. What were your experiences with animals while growing up?
I grew up in an animal-loving household that almost always included
Rottweillers and an immortal Yorkshire Terrier (who is about 17 now).
At various times, we also had bunnies, hamsters, finches, lovebirds, fish
and the occasional orphan pigeon. My love of animals
truly flourished when I began to ride at the age of eight,
a passion that continues to this day. Riding was also my
first real exposure to the veterinary profession since my
first pony was re-routed from the auction mart and often
required medical attention.
The Graduate Behind the Gold
Q. What are your strengths?
I’ve always been science-oriented, and right from grade school, I was
especially interested in biology and chemistry. I also liked fashion and design in
high school so when I graduated, I think the school thought it was quite strange
to be giving the same person the proficiency prizes in sewing and advanced
placement chemistry!
Q. How did veterinary medicine become part of your plans?
Ever since I started riding, I thought about veterinary medicine as a possible
career choice and it was a long-term plan to apply. But, like most people, I was
unsure of getting in, so I didn’t really decide until I received my acceptance letter. Q. What did you like about your years at WCVM?
What I found most remarkable is the feeling of community that’s created
by the students, staff and faculty. People at the College genuinely value the
relationships created there, and there’s a sense that we’re all investing in one
WCVM’s Newest Graduates
After four years of hard work and countless challenges, the 71
members of WCVM’s Class of 2007 received their Doctor of Veterinary
Medicine (DVM) degrees on June 5.
They were among the thousands of graduates who participated in
the U of S’s Spring Convocation ceremonies in Saskatoon, Sask. WCVM’s
newest graduates hail from the four western provinces and Canada’s
North — a reflection of the institution’s status as one of Canada’s
regional veterinary colleges.
A highlight was the announcement of the WCVM Faculty Gold Medal
recipient: Chelsea Himsworth of Vancouver, B.C., was selected as the
graduating student who displayed the highest general proficiency “in
the science and art of veterinary medicine” during her four years at the
College.
The day’s finalé was the annual WCVM Spring Awards banquet at
Saskatoon’s Sheraton Cavalier Hotel where more than $32,300 in awards
was presented to students and faculty during the evening. Visit www.
wcvm.com/collegenews (click “College Beat”) to view the complete
listing of award recipients.
another. I especially enjoyed my summer working with the great group of people
in Field Service: my time there was one of the best and most enjoyable learning
experiences in my life.
Q. How did the program fit your interests? What were the challenges?
The WCVM curriculum has a strong background in the pure sciences,
which I could relate to. You’re taught the theory early on and then asked to use
that theory in practical situations later, which really makes sense to me.
The volume of material can be daunting — especially around exam time
— and the breadth of knowledge required in veterinary medicine is an added
challenge. But the biggest challenge is outside of academia: it can be hard to
maintain a balanced life, especially when you really feel that you want to learn
all of the material well.
That’s why the social networks created at the College are so important.
Besides happy hours, round up and hoe-down, I was also involved in the Student
Chapter for the American Association of Equine Practitioners, the Western
Canadian Veterinary Students’ Association, the Health Sciences Students’
Association and co-rec sports. All of these activities offered much-needed study
breaks.
Q. What does the Gold Medal mean for you? Was it a surprise?
It’s a tremendous honour and quite unexpected — especially since I think
that so many of my classmates are so deserving. My parents found out when they
were reading the Convocation booklet during the ceremony: needless to say, they
were quite surprised but thrilled.
Q. What does the future hold for you?
I’m working with the CFIA (Canadian Food Inspection Agency) for the
summer and then I’ll begin an MVetSc (Master of Veterinary Science program)
in pathology with a wildlife heath option next year. I knew almost nothing about
the field when I first started at WCVM, but as soon as I took general pathology
in second year, I was hooked. There are very few fields where you think about a
problem from the level of the microscope to that of global populations, which
makes pathology challenging and rewarding.
I also have to credit Dr. Ted Leighton for his fabulous fourth-year wildlife
health rotation and for his support of my decision to pursue pathology. His
intellectual curiosity and compassion for humanity is both inspiring and
infectious, and I hope to be able to emulate these qualities as I move forward
with my career. A
3