Matt Rafferty doesn’t just want to be a veterinarian; he feels that he needs to be one.
“Specifically, I need to be a theriogenologist,” Matt said. “It is a calling I feel in my soul that is hard to fully express in words. It is more than just a thrill or excitement. When I am assisting in helping an animal through obstetrical manipulation, performing an ultrasonographic exam to find a fetus, or even collecting embryos to transfer, it feels like I am finally doing the things that I was born to do.”
Matt plans to specialize in theriogenology, or reproductive medicine and surgery, by pursuing a traditional residency program. While theriogenology is near and dear to his heart, he knows it is not for everyone.
“I know so many vets and future vets that have no desire to do anything involved with theriogenology, and it completely baffles me. Without therio, we wouldn’t have all of these wonderful creatures that we get to work with,” he said.
Since his third year of veterinary school, Matt has performed over 40 surgeries on a variety of species, collected biopsies or fine needle aspirations of almost every organ, and successfully artificially inseminated cattle and horses – he’s even intubated a grizzly bear.
Matt enjoys road trips and going hiking in new places. Over the summer, he drove from Pullman to Birmingham, Alabama, for the Society for Theriogenology conference. He brought his three boys with him and dropped them off in Mississippi for a few days to spend time with his mom.
“Our route home took us to five National Parks, two aquariums, a drive-through safari, and a stop to jump off the cliff at The Blue Hole in Santa Rosa, New Mexico,” he said.
Matt has two dogs: Cooper, a 12-year-old greyhound/husky mix he adopted from the Humane Society when he lived in Fairbanks, Alaska; and Finn, a 2-year-old border collie/kelpie mix he adopted between the second and third years of veterinary school (he does not recommend this).
Matt has accepted a small animal rotating internship at BluePearl Pet Hospital in Kirkland, Washington, where he plans to solidify his skills in small animal medicine to prepare for his theriogenology residency.