From animal-loving undergrad to grad student at a top U.S. veterinary college: Q&A with Bella Thovson

A recent University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire graduate currently is living out her dream of becoming a veterinarian, a goal she says she was able to meet thanks to her biology program preparation and out-of-the-classroom experiences she took advantage of as a Blugold.

Bella Thovson, a four-year member of the Blugold swim and dive team, completed a biology degree with a pre-professional health sciences minor in May 2023, and just last week began her graduate program in the College of Veterinary Medicine at the University of Minnesota-Twin Cities.

Amid the busy start to her studies, Thovson took some time to tell us how UW-Eau Claire not only supported her through a few student struggles but equipped her with the experiences she says helped her stand out as a candidate to enroll in her top choice of schools to pursue her career goals.

My hometown is Hutchinson, Minnesota, and I selected UWEC because it felt like the perfect-sized school to connect with my professors and classmates while finding plenty of enriching opportunities and experiences. I also fell in love with the beautiful campus and atmosphere of the city.

Another big factor in choosing UWEC was the chance to further my athletic career as a swimmer on a successful team that became my second family.

When I applied to UWEC, I was considering all options in the biology field but knew I loved animals and wanted to explore veterinary medicine more. After joining the pre-veterinary club my sophomore year and listening to one of our veterinarian guest speakers, I knew veterinary medicine was the career for me. I began working at the Eau Claire County Humane Association and spent the first summer there solidifying my passion for working with animals. That work led to my next job working at Westgate Animal Hospital. 

My ultimate career goal is to practice small-animal medicine somewhere in the Midwest. I also have an interest in veterinary pathology that I am excited to further explore in veterinary school. 

Through joining the pre-veterinary club I made connections with veterinarians, veterinary students and in the community that I might not have otherwise. The club helped me build upon my interest and understanding of the field. I had the opportunity to take leadership roles in the club and I loved helping other pre-vet students explore the profession.

Being a collegiate athlete in swimming throughout undergrad was very influential on my journey to veterinary school. Although we had an extremely busy schedule, it helped me develop my time management skills very early on. In addition, I had a support system of teammates also pursuing health professional careers.

My time as a student-athlete built upon so many qualities like resilience, teamwork and leadership — important attributes of a successful veterinarian.

I conducted collaborative student-faculty research in the biology department through the Biology Research Scholars program with Dr. Bradley Carter. I loved doing research because I could apply my knowledge outside the classroom to a real-life problem. Research also sparked my interest in the many paths within veterinary medicine. As a research mentor, Dr. Carter supported my applications for veterinary school and bolstered my confidence over that summer of selecting and applying.

My biggest challenge was adjusting to the rigorous curriculum of my freshman year. I was not academically successful my first semester and felt very discouraged about applying to veterinary school. I even went as far as looking into other careers because I didn’t feel “smart enough” to be a veterinarian. I overcame this by realizing that I wasn’t taking advantage of all the resources my professors were providing. I began attending study sessions and office hours where my questions and confusion felt validated; most of the time other students had the same questions I did. I suddenly felt more confident in any academic challenge I faced and felt assured I had the resources and motivation to be successful.

As a veterinary assistant, I helped doctors and technicians with administering vaccinations, conducting exams, and sterilizing equipment and treatment spaces. The staff was always helping me learn new skills/techniques. Through my observations and interactions at Westgate, I learned important interprofessional skills I will need to be successful, skills I then highlighted in my veterinary school application.

My biggest takeaway from working as a veterinary assistant at Westgate was gaining a realistic understanding of the challenges veterinarians face. I’ve seen for myself all sides of the profession — it’s not all cute puppies and kittens, and there are some very difficult and stressful situations every day. Despite knowing the challenges better, I still feel just as passionate about becoming a veterinarian and I can’t see myself doing anything else. The road will be challenging, so having a realistic view of the profession is very important before making the decision to apply to school.

I think the greatest strength of my application was my display of resilience. This is an important trait to being successful in veterinary school and is highlighted as a value of the college. My initial academic struggles and continual improvement throughout undergrad demonstrated that I don’t give up when challenged. Being on the college swim team was amazing but also brought occasional disappointments and difficulties of balancing school and athletics. I persevered through all this and learned to adapt to what is thrown my way, resilience I made a point to highlight as an applicant.

I wish I could go back and tell myself to step outside of my comfort zone sooner. I didn’t become involved in campus organizations or start gaining veterinary practice experience until the second half of undergrad; I’m sure I could have had an even longer list of pre-professional experiences and met more wonderful people.