For second-year DVM student Hadley Farnell, being a counselor at Auburn University’s Veterinary Camp was more than a resume builder.
“This was always part of the dream,” Farnell said.
This month, 100 high schoolers from across the U.S. got an immersive look at the veterinary profession at Auburn’s College of Veterinary Medicine. Ninth through 12th graders gained hands-on experience with activities like suturing, hoof care and physical exams while exploring a wide range of topics, including public health, food animal medicine, anatomy and more.
A former camper, Farnell and 13 fellow Auburn Vet Med students helped lead the three weeklong camps, sharing knowledge and skills they gained in the classroom with the next generation of aspiring students.
From camper to counselor
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Growing up in Mobile, Alabama, Farnell felt it was almost “written in the clouds” for her to attend Auburn’s College of Veterinary Medicine. She had dreamed of becoming a veterinarian for as long as she can remember, and that vision always included Auburn.
She looked for every opportunity to get her foot in the door — taking honors and AP classes, building relationships with science teachers and attending Auburn’s Vet Camp in 2019 and 2020.
Farnell had done some shadowing back home, but it was the parasitology lab during her first Vet Camp that confirmed she was on the right track.
“I knew what intestinal parasites and heartworms were, but I had never seen them, especially not fully grown ones,” Farnell said. “Getting to see that, I remember thinking, ‘This so much more than just giving dogs and cats their shots and sending them home.’”
The hands-on experiences she had as a camper expanded her view of the veterinary profession. An encounter with alpacas gave her a deep appreciation for farm animals, which eventually led to her current job at the college’s dairy.
Her second Vet Camp experience in 2020 was virtual and more lecture-based, but she held on to the knowledge she gained that summer, quite literally — she still pulls out the binders full of lecture materials to reminisce.
Coming full circle
Years later, those experiences remained some of her strongest memories from high school and reinforced her desire to return to Auburn as a veterinary student.
From day one of vet school, becoming a Vet Camp counselor was on Farnell’s bucket list. The camp’s impact was transformative and lasting, and she wanted to be a part of making that difference in others’ lives.
“It’s crazy to be sitting here and knowing this has been everything I wanted,” Farnell said.
Dr. Brandi Brunson, the CVM’s director of student services, has led Vet Camp since 2022. In her eyes, the program is as impactful for the counselors as it is for the campers. DVM students teach about half of the educational activities, developing the content, setting up labs, teaching and answering campers’ questions.
“The camp is nothing without the counselors and literally would not happen without them,” Brunson said. “Watching their growth, especially in their self-confidence, during the course of the three weeks is truly my favorite thing about Vet Camp.”
Farnell has enjoyed seeing her campers experience the same light bulb moments she had back in 2019 and 2020. She has had the opportunity to share her passions — like ruminant anatomy and shelter medicine — and see other counselors do the same. “It’s inspiring to be around so many other veterinary students in this environment, because it makes you realize we’re not in this alone,” Farnell said. “Even though I know these people are taking the same classes as me, it can be very individualized. But getting to share our knowledge all together with kids is just another sort of feeling. You can’t really describe it.”
Along with fostering camaraderie among the student counselors, the experience has also given Farnell a chance to reflect on her own growth. By teaching concepts and answering campers’ questions, she realized how much she had learned in just one year of veterinary school.
Next step in her dream? Returning as a counselor next year.
“I want to take that time before heading into clinics to remind myself that this is the big picture,” Farnell said. “This is what we love doing, and this is what it’s about.”
