When Lillian Zachary ventured to Pullman from Arlington, Washington, to pursue a bachelor’s degree in wildlife conservation and ecology, it was always her plan to leave with her Doctor of Veterinary Medicine in hand.
She’s now just months away from accomplishing that goal.
“I have always felt very drawn to helping others, and I feel fulfilled when I can have a positive impact on the lives of those around me,” Lillian said. “I’ve also always had a deep love for animals. Being a veterinarian is a wonderful way to bring these two passions together because I get to help people by providing health care services to their pets.”
Lillian’s passion is small animal medicine, but she is also interested in wildlife medicine and, after her clinical rotation, possibly a mixed animal practice.
“I would love to do mixed animal practice at some point in my career,” she said. “My equine surgery rotation this year was really enlightening for me, and it showed me that I would be very fulfilled in life working with both large and small animals.”
Lillian said she feels prepared for life after graduation, largely in part to WSU’s communication training within the DVM curriculum.
“The veterinary program here at WSU has a very robust communication training program; and the positive impact that this training has had on my ability to communicate with our clients is tangible. These are skills that I will be utilizing every day for the rest of my career,” she said.
Fun Fact: Lillian won multiple state titles in precision rifle and air rifle shooting during high school and competed in regional and national competitions five times.