The lives of 55 vets 38 years on

In November 1980, 55 new graduates walked away from Massey vet school and into the big wide world. It made no headline news, but for each of those fresh recipients of a hard earned veterinary science degree it was a mighty big step. Some began jobs in clinics the next week, others had a break before employment and a few headed overseas. After years of study we all left student life, joined the workforce and began contributing to the communities we had chosen to become part of.

A vet qualification leads to many job opportunities. The long list in the careers advice info covers work in clinics with large and small animals, drug companies, government departments, universities, and wildlife centres. There are opportunities in scientific research, animal welfare, areas of policies and regulations, and specialising in disciplines like surgery, eyes or medicine. Graduates from our class have filled nearly all those roles at some stage in their work-life.

As well as wearing white coats, gumboots and overalls in clinics around the world, careers ranged from jobs in NAIT, appointments on boards, lecturing, SPCA, dean of Massey vet school, to some still working at the same practice since graduation and others who moved into teaching, border control, even the kiwifruit industry and a few found their way into farming.

Some followed their hearts and settled in other countries, some followed their God and served at home and abroad, hopefully all have followed their dreams somewhere and made positive use of that piece of paper authorising the letters B.V Sc after their name.

Every five years someone organises a class reunion, which has now been reduced to threeyearly in recognition of time passing and age increasing. We just celebrated 38 years since that awesome achievement of graduating from Massey. Alarmingly, it’s amazing how that time has flown and also wonderfully amazing how much we all still enjoy each other’s company and connect when we get together. It’s great to catch up with dedicated folk even flying in from overseas, and it’s like a reality soap opera with the next exciting episode in people’s lives.

There is news of fresh chapters, moving on and new directions,