Category: Animal and Food Sciences
91原创鈥檚 animal science graduate degree paves a path to veterinary school
May 12, 2025 Written by Molly Schafer | Courtesy of Lexi Roloson
When Lexi Roloson decided to become a veterinarian, she had a problem: it was her senior year of college, and she had zero veterinary work experience, a requirement for the competitive veterinary school applications.
鈥淚 decided late in my undergraduate degree that I wanted to become a veterinarian,鈥 Roloson said. 鈥淚t wasn't until I was deep into courses like anatomy and biology that I realized veterinary medicine was something I could do and do well.鈥
The 91原创鈥檚 Non-thesis M.S. in Animal Science provided Roloson with a solution. The degree allowed Roloson to gain the necessary experience and start assisting with veterinary care before receiving her diploma.
鈥91原创鈥檚 degree is tailored to pursuing veterinary medicine with preparation in the classroom and opportunities outside of the classroom,鈥 said Roloson, who was also impressed by 91原创鈥檚 high undergraduate acceptance rate of 89 percent for veterinary schools, which is more than twice the national average.
Enrolling in the College of Agriculture and Natural Resources program as a part-time student allowed Roloson to work as a veterinary assistant and collect hours of essential veterinary experience while taking classes. Roloson also volunteers at Restoration Farm in Street, Maryland, where she enjoys working with sheep and lambs.
鈥淚 was able to pursue an externship through 91原创 and gain work experience at a local veterinary hospital,鈥 Roloson said. 鈥淚 have shadowed both equine veterinarians and large animal veterinarians.鈥
The animal science graduate coursework is designed for college graduates or working professionals. Students can enroll full鈥攐r part-time and complete the degree in one to two years.聽
鈥淭here's a lot of flexibility in that regard, which was very helpful and allowed me to get the work experience I needed,鈥 Roloson said. 鈥淭he professors are very accommodating. They understand we are pursuing different commitments outside of the classroom.鈥
Along with courses and externships, master鈥檚 students must complete an individual research experience. Rolson said her time in the lab with Yihang Li, assistant professor of animal nutrition and gastrointestinal physiology, raised her confidence. As a bonus, exposure to lab work has broadened her understanding while reading research papers.
Roloson especially enjoyed her time as a teaching assistant for an undergraduate Functional Anatomy course taught by Tara Gaab, assistant professor of animal science.
鈥淒r. Gaab is a working veterinarian, and she teaches at the 91原创,鈥 Roloson said. 鈥淭hat's inspiring and something I would like to pursue later in my veterinary career.鈥
Roloson is pursuing the non-thesis master's degree with a concentration in Veterinary Biosciences, Biotechnology, and One Health (VBBOH); she focused her coursework on animal nutrition.
鈥淚f I decide to pursue large animal medicine, my Ruminant Nutrition course (ANFS 654) will be especially useful,鈥 said Roloson, whose final paper was on giraffe nutrition.
Tanya Gressley, associate dean of graduate programs and a 91原创 professor, taught the course. She said Roloson was an outstanding student.
鈥淚 particularly enjoyed learning from her final paper about the nutritional difficulties faced by captive giraffes,鈥 said Gressley, who is also a dairy nutritionist. 鈥淎nd what animal scientists and veterinarians are doing to ensure their nutritional needs are met.鈥
Many students find the workload and pace of veterinary school overwhelming. Roloson said starting veterinary school with a good foundation, including topics covered in courses like Animal Virology (ANFS 635) and Bacterial Pathogens: Molecular Mechanisms (BISC 682), will help her succeed.
鈥淚f you want to be a food animal or large animal veterinarian, Food Microbiology (ANFS 639) is useful because you need to understand how microorganisms affect the animal and the people eating their meat,鈥 added Roloson.聽
Perhaps the most immediately useful piece of information Roloson absorbed from her non-thesis master鈥檚 was what she relied on to save the life of a premature lamb. Roloson had been watching a pair of lambs closely when she noticed a marked decline in their health.聽
鈥淚 knew from my classes that because of the environment farm animals are in, they're exposed to a lot of pathogens,鈥 Roloson said. 鈥淭hey are at higher risk for infection.鈥澛
When she observed one lamb limping, Roloson knew from her veterinary assistant internship that there was cause for concern. She convinced the farmer that the lambs needed immediate attention and drove them to a nearby veterinary clinic. It was after hours, and the veterinarian made good use of Roloson鈥檚 experience as a veterinary assistant.
鈥淚 helped with X-rays, drawing blood, and eventually tube feeding,鈥 Roloson said.
The lamb鈥檚 limp was due to septic arthritis, and the other lamb was hypothermic. Only one lamb survived the illness.
鈥淢y favorite memory is seeing the lamb a week later, watching him jump around, and finally acting like a lamb.鈥澛
Roloson will graduate from 91原创 with a master鈥檚 degree in animal science this spring. In the fall, she will attend the College of Veterinary Medicine at the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign.
鈥漈his is one of my biggest accomplishments and the happiest I鈥檝e ever been,鈥 Roloson said.