Stephanie Erdesz’s interests in veterinary medicine span from soft tissue and minimally invasive surgery to emergency medicine, orthopedic diseases and rehabilitation, to geriatric care.
But as of right now, she plans to do a small animal rotating internship and pursue a surgery residency after she earns her Doctor of Veterinary Medicine.
When the going gets tough, Stephanie knows she can lean on communication and surgery skills she learned from WSU’s Simulation-Based Education program.
“WSU has an amazing communication program and simulation lab. I feel comfortable handling emotionally charged conversations and being able to effectively communicate with the client so they have full transparency on what is happening to their pet and what the treatment options are,” she said.
Stephanie said the lab also gave her the opportunity to perform emergency procedures like tracheostomies and laceration repairs that will be extremely helpful in her career.
Stephanie’s interest in veterinary medicine was sparked by animals and the people who care for them.
“I really love the fact that veterinary medicine allows us to work both with people and the animals. It is super satisfying working with people who are so dedicated to their animals. I also like the educational aspect of veterinary medicine and being able to teach owners about what is going on with their pets and how we can fix them,” she said.
Stephanie has two pets of her own. She adopted Turnip, a 3-year-old chihuahua mix, which happened to be her friend and fellow veterinary student Max Stiver’s spay dog last year. She also has a cat named Yeti.