Jacob Fillman originally wanted to go to medical school to be a human doctor, but he found experience in human hospitals cut into his time volunteering at the local animal shelter.
“It wasn’t until my junior year of college that I realized veterinary medicine was my true calling,” Jacob said.
Jacob, a native of Bothell, Washington, plans to practice small animal medicine after earning his degree. He will be moving to New Mexico to follow his partner, Toniley, who is also graduating this year.
“WSU has equipped me with a wealth of information and clinical experience,” Jacob said. “But beyond that, the communications courses and OCSL have been incredibly impactful. Thank you, Dr. Cary!”
In his free time, Jacob enjoys indulging in various games, whether they’re video games, board games, or tabletop games.
At home, Jacob shares his life with a lively crew of pets, including Penny, a 2-year-old German Shepherd; Nori and Vivenna, both 2-month-old kittens; and two goldfish, Orpheus and Achilles, both 1 year old. He also has Vinny, a 3-year-old crested gecko, that technically belongs to Toni but is an integral part of their shared living space.
Fun fact: Jacob has an interesting quirk—he’s never had a reaction to a bug bite. “I’ve seen them bite me, but I’ve never gotten bumps or itchiness,” he says. “I also know the alphabet backward, which makes filing things alphabetically very easy!”