For Sabina Wallace, the road to becoming a veterinarian will come full circle when she returns to Preston, Idaho, to work at the same rural mixed animal practice that inspired her to pursue veterinary medicine in the first place.
“I started off as that client who was always interested anytime something happened to one of my pets. I would find myself leaving the clinic and researching, learning, and enjoying that process,” Sabrina said. “This clinic sparked my interest, and upon graduation I could not think of a better place to start my career then at the place that encouraged my interest, mentored me, and has continued to celebrate my accomplishments.”
Sabrina’s path to veterinary school is anything but conventional. Originally from Montreal, Quebec, she graduated with a Bachelor of Commerce in marketing before helping run her family’s business.
Despite an early phobia of blood — so intense it kept her from even watching her dog get a vaccine — Sabrina conquered her fear while spending time at the clinic she will soon be a part of. This breakthrough led her to pursue veterinary medicine, and by 2018, she returned to school to complete her science prerequisites at Idaho State University.
Sabrina’s journey led her to Washington State University College of Veterinary Medicine, where she has thrived in hands-on experiences, particularly through her involvement with the Shelter Medicine Club.
“WSU has given me the confidence to face challenges head-on, and I know that will serve me well when I start practicing,” she said.
When not in the clinic or classroom, Sabrina is an avid outdoor enthusiast, enjoying fishing with her three Australian cattle dogs (Bandit, Smokey, and Calypso) along the Snake River. She’s also an artist, known for her polymer clay pet figurines, which she sold through her very first business, Clay Ranch Cuties, beginning at the age of 15.