Premedical Program
Pre-Vet Intern Tests Farm Life
An aspiring veterinarian, Tonie Domino '08 turned a summer internship at a dairy farm into a project that earned first prize at the national conference of the Beta Beta Beta honor society in biology.
The project, a poster presenting her research on the bacteria in cow's milk, won the John C. Johnson Award in the Microbiology divisions at both the district and national levels.
A life-long equestrian, Tonie developed an interest in cows when she interned at the Heart's Delight dairy farm at the William H. Miner Agricultural Institute in upstate New York before her senior year.
Though she'd shadowed veterinarians before, Tonie's intensive work on the farm—especially learning to drive a tractor—took her outside her comfort zone.
"It definitely changed my perspective," she said. "We got to do everything. We helped milk the cows, helped deliver calves, and administered vaccinations and other treatments if cows were sick. We drove tractors and helped when they were getting the hay in, and we fed the calves each morning."
In addition to their farm duties, the interns were paired with calves that they trained and showed at the county fair, and Tonie's calf, Cricket, won a 6th place ribbon.
"She became really friendly and really fun to work with by the time the fair rolled around," Tonie said.
Tonie, who is currently applying to veterinary programs, feels the experience was an important step toward a career as a large-animal veterinarian.
"Veterinary school admissions want you to have a breadth of experience with animals," she said, "and the internship was a great new experience."
300 Washington Avenue, Chestertown, Maryland 21620 | 410-778-2800 | 800-422-1782