Growing up on a farm in rural Missouri, Jessi developed a natural love for animals. From an early age, she understood the joy and responsibility that came with caring for them. But it was Jessi’s aunt, a veterinarian at a local practice, who opened her eyes to the possibility of turning that passion into a meaningful career.

“Once I found out that you could have a career helping animals and making sure they have the best life possible, I never considered doing anything else,” Jessi reflected.

Years later, her aunt decided to partner with Heartland, giving Jessi a new perspective few veterinary students have.

“I’ve been able to see Heartland from several different angles,” she said. “I watched what the process looked like for a doctor who chose to sell their practice, I’ve seen what it’s like to work as a veterinarian within Heartland, and I’ve now experienced the culture myself as both a student ambassador and an extern.”

So, when it came time for Jessi to choose an externship, that firsthand perspective made a Heartland practice a natural fit.

What stood out about Heartland’s externship program most wasn’t just the opportunity to gain clinical experience; it was how personalized the externship was from the very beginning.

Before Jessi even stepped onsite, the practice team reached out to her and asked what she wanted to learn during her externship. Fresh off a radiology course, she wanted to spend time interpreting radiographs, gain more experience in surgery, and observe as many appointments as possible. Together, Jessi and the practice team built out a personalized externship framework around her specific goals.

“It wasn’t a cookie-cutter experience at all,” Jessi said. “The team wanted to know what I hoped to accomplish so they could tailor my experience towards my interests and learning goals.”

That personalized approach paid off.

Over the course of the externship, Jessi was able to actively participate in cases with the practice team and doctors. In one memorable instance, Jessi noticed something unusual during a patient’s check-in and shared her observation with one of the veterinarians. Her instincts were right, and the discovery led the team to make a successful diagnosis and treatment plan.

“As an extern, that experience really made me feel like the team valued the knowledge I already had,” she reflected. “That was a really meaningful moment for me.”

Those moments of trust continued throughout her externship. As Jessi became more comfortable, the team gradually gave her more opportunities to participate, helping her build her confidence alongside her clinical skills.

“Sometimes vet school can feel like such a long journey that you don’t realize how much you’ve already learned,” she said. “Being in the clinic showed me that I could successful apply everything I’d been working so hard to learn.”

For Jessi, her Heartland externship wasn’t just about building technical skills; it was about seeing herself as a future veterinarian.

“My Heartland externship gave me a well-rounded understanding of what it’s like to work in general practice,” she says. “Those are experiences I’ll carry with me throughout my career.”

That’s exactly what Heartland externships are designed to do. By pairing students with supportive teams, personalized learning opportunities, and real-world clinical experiences, we’re proud to help future veterinarians build the confidence, skills, and connections they’ll carry into practice long after graduation.