The field of veterinary medicine offers very broad career options, and many students come in with different ideas of what they want their future career to look like. But because students are in class all day and studying when they’re not in class, it can be difficult to explore the different career options veterinary medicine has to offer. At the University of Illinois College of Veterinary Medicine, there are over 50 clubs a student can join. You can even start your own student club!
As a third-year student, I have joined plenty of clubs, attended many wet labs, and sat in on as many lunch lectures as I could, so I have a pretty good handle on what clubs at U. of I. have to offer. (The photo above, of me with my cat, Delta, was taken as part of a fundraiser by the college’s student chapter of the American Veterinary Medical Association.)
Student Clubs Host Labs and Lectures
There are so many options for clubs to join at Illinois, and some students advise to only join three to five clubs a year. Some clubs are targeted to fields of veterinary medicine (such as lab animal, ophthalmology, and diagnostic imaging), some to community for students (Omega Tau Sigma Theta, Women’s Veterinary Leadership Development Initiative, and Association of Asian Veterinary Medical Professionals), and many more in between!
I chose clubs that filled those specifics for me and honestly, that was only 10 clubs! So my advice when choosing students clubs to join is to find your passions and curiosities, and follow those.
The types of events clubs hold are definitely a draw to students. I am a huge hands-on learner, so I love going to events that fuel that experience, such as surgery club’s enucleation lab, holistic medicine club’s acupuncture lab, and production medicine club’s tagging lab. It is great exposure for things you will learn in the future, or even practice for some things that are a little more niche. I also love attending lunch lectures hosted by clubs; you get so much insight on the veterinary profession when you hear real vets come and talk about their careers or certain practices.
Lead with Passion
I also hold leadership roles in a few clubs, and it’s not as intimidating as you might think. I was very hesitant to join clubs’ boards at first because I thought I “wasn’t the leader type” or I just didn’t have enough time. The trick for me was finding clubs I was truly passionate about and not just joining a club board for the fun of it. Christian Veterinary Mission Fellowship and the Holistic Medicine Club where those clubs! I love the duality of getting a little closer to these groups and getting to expose other students to something I feel is very important.
If you’re looking toward vet school on the near or far horizon, student clubs are definitely something to look forward to. Exposure to new ways of medicine and thinking are great to make you a well-rounded vet!
By Annie Marlowe, Class of 2026
