After completing his undergraduate degree as a pre-med student, Varun Seth put his studies on pause. He was passionate about environmental sustainability, conservation, and biodiversity. His family hoped he would enter medical school.
To evaluate his next steps, Seth decided to take two gap years. It was during those years, when he worked at a wildlife rehab clinic, that he developed an interest in zoo and aquatic medicine and discovered a career that combines environmental work and medicine.
An Atypical Path
While many students enter veterinary school immediately after completing their undergraduate courses, Seth cherishes his distinctive journey.
“It was really valuable to me,” Seth said, “I learned a lot about myself, about how the world works, and how this field works. That’s unique to my path.”
As an Illinois veterinary student, Seth immediately joined the Wildlife Medical Clinic and the Wildlife Epidemiology Lab. He fit right in both programs, he said.
From the start, Seth was mentored by Dr. Matt Allender, director of the Wildlife Epidemiology Lab. Seth spent two summers conducting field research on turtles and frogs through the lab’s Summer Research Opportunities Program.
“I love being out in the field, wading through swamps and all that stuff, so it was great, it was wonderful. I’ve loved reptiles always, so that was just another positive,” he continued.
“It was a really good opportunity to work directly in conservation, which is my main passion and why I’m here in the first place.”
Getting Involved
Seth also took on multiple leadership roles at Illinois. He participated in the Student American Veterinary Medical Association, served as vice president of the World Aquatic Veterinary Medicine Association, and served as president of the Association of Asian Veterinary Medical Professionals (AAVMP).
He believes involvement in these organizations has been really valuable to him and his future career.
“It’s taught me a lot about leadership, a lot about collaboration, a lot about multidisciplinary collaboration, and things like that.”
Seth learned the most from his time in AAVMP. The organization was relatively new when he was president, and it was difficult to increase and maintain membership because relatively few Asians are entering the veterinary profession.
However, Seth is proud that the organization held many events. Their Diwali celebration stands out in his memory because it attracted many of the college’s PhD students. Seth enjoyed interacting with students outside the DVM program.
“Having everyone in the same place celebrating the same thing was really cool.”
Moving Forward
Seth said that working at the Wildlife Medical Clinic as a student has given him a passion for teaching, while his experience in the epidemiology lab has given him a passion for research.
He also observed that the college’s administration was open to allowing students to host events and to the changes those activities brought. That recognition makes him hopeful that he will be able to effect changes within an organizational workplace by working with the administrators, he said.
After graduation, Seth will be entering a small animal rotating internship at Oradell Animal Hospital in New Jersey.
By Megan Krok
