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Anila Tynan didn’t live in the Inland Northwest before veterinary school, but she survived her first two years at Washington State University and the white winters that have come with it.
Given she hails from blistering Phoenix, Arizona, she is certain others can survive the snow too. “It’s actually pretty fun,” she said.
Anila is interested in small animal medicine, zoo animal medicine, and research.
Before graduating high school in Arizona, Anila volunteered at the Phoenix Zoo as a veterinary technician assistant and as a research assistant at Barrow Neurological Institute. She went on to earn her neuroscience degree from the University of Virginia, where she worked as a research assistant studying the neuroanatomy of tree shrews.
Anila, who also worked at Arrow Animal Hospital as a veterinary assistant for more than two years, said all her experience – research or clinical – has been used in veterinary school.
Eager for more, she joined as many clubs as she could handle, including the Aquatics Club; the Zoo, Exotics and Wildlife Club (ZEW); and the college’s wildlife triage team, a group of on-call veterinary students who take in wildlife at all hours.
“Club opportunities here are abundant and can be tailored to your interests,” she said.
With two years of veterinary school under her belt, Anila said work-life balance is key to success in veterinary school. She manages hers by hanging with friends frequently and taking full advantage of her weekends.
She found skiing in the winter and weekly trivia nights are also ways to de-stress. She said she picked WSU’s veterinary program for its affordability, tight-knit supportive atmosphere, and high NAVLE pass rate.