FINAL UPDATE

As I wrap up my final weeks in South Dakota, I’m incredibly thankful for the wide range of veterinary experiences I’ve had while working with Dr. April Schilder. This summer has been filled with opportunities to grow my clinical skills and deepen my understanding of rural food animal practice.

This summer I’ve gained extensive experience in beef cattle medicine — performing semen evaluations on bulls, checking pregnancies and dating cows through ultrasound, and assisting with artificial insemination. I’ve helped treat uterine and rectal prolapses, managed pink-eye cases and worked cattle at the local Sale Barn. I also had the chance to observe follicle aspiration at Trans Ova as part of the in vitro fertilization process, which was a fascinating look into advanced reproductive technologies. One memorable moment was assisting with a necropsy on a cow, where I was able to apply my anatomy knowledge and gain insight into disease investigation and postmortem diagnostics.

While cattle have been the primary focus, I’ve also had the opportunity to care for ranch and rodeo horses in the local community — performing castrations, wolf tooth removals, dental floats, laminitis treatments and vaccine administrations. In small animal practice, I’ve assisted with spays, neuters, dentals, a mammary tumor removal (mastectomy) and a digit amputation. I also helped prepare health papers for animals attending the local county fair and performed ultrasaounds on some herds of sheep as well.

Outside of work, I’ve been welcomed with open arms by Dr. Schilder’s family and the local community. I’ve enjoyed horseback rides around the ranch, gardening, lake days, little league baseball games and even golfing with new friends. A highlight was visiting the Black Hills, where I hiked, drove the Needles Highway and saw Mount Rushmore — an unforgettable experience.

This summer has pushed me outside of my comfort zone in the best ways. I’ve learned so much from Dr. Schilder’s mentorship, not only about veterinary medicine but also about what it means to serve a rural community through veterinary care while also being a great mother and ranch owner. 

The friendships I’ve made here are ones I hope to keep for a lifetime, and I truly hope to return. I’m incredibly grateful for this opportunity and will carry everything I’ve learned back with me as I continue to serve the producers and animals of North Carolina.

UPDATE #2

My summer with Dr. April Schilder in South Dakota continues to be an incredible hands-on experience in food animal medicine. Over the past few weeks, I’ve worked extensively with beef cattle — placing Controlled Internal Drug Release devices, performing breeding soundness exams and working cow-calf pairs where I’ve branded, vaccinated, castrated and run the chute. 

One highlight was helping at the Fort Pierre Sale Barn’s Annual Sale, where we worked over 1,600 head in a single day. At one farm, I assisted in placing bull trackers that provide producers with valuable data on mounting activity, health alerts and location — an exciting intersection of technology and herd management.

Beyond cattle, I’ve also gained small animal experience by assisting with spays and placing a drain in a dog with a puncture wound. One of the most intense moments so far was assisting Dr. Schilder with a fetotomy to save a cow during a difficult birth while on call.

Outside the clinic, I’ve enjoyed connecting with the local agricultural community — attending the Annual Prime Time Gala hosted by South Dakota’s Cattlemen Foundation and joining a dinner with Elanco representatives, where I had the chance to meet Dr. Jeremi Wurtz, a beef cattle technical expert. 

This summer continues to deepen my clinical skills and broaden my understanding of rural veterinary practice, and I’m excited for all that’s still to come!

UPDATE #1

This summer, I’m thrilled to be working with Dr. April Schilder, a beef cattle veterinarian and producer in South Dakota. Living with her family on their ranch has given me a unique opportunity to experience both veterinary practice and daily life as a producer. In just one week, I’ve assisted with breeding soundness exams, castrations, artificial insemination, laceration repairs, a uterine prolapse and even an elk dystocia (or difficult labor)  — an unforgettable experience!

Outside the clinic, I’ve helped with my first cattle drive, planted in the garden, cheered at the kids’ baseball games and connected with members of the local community. Dr. Schilder’s dual role as veterinarian and producer is teaching me how to approach food animal medicine with practical, production-minded solutions. 

I’m excited to bring this knowledge back to North Carolina to better serve the producers in my home state with insight, efficiency and a deep respect for their work.