Caroline Salter doesn’t horse around. She is a UGA Charter Scholarship Award recipient, and member of Phi Sigma Pi National Honor Fraternity. Caroline works in UGA’s College of Veterinary Medicine large animal hospital as part of the treatment crew. That means she checks on patients hourly, takes vitals, administers I.V.‘s and shots. She is also a member of the colic team, and she helps with surgeries…as an undergrad. Also, she shadows Dr. Jeff Bangle at the Oconee Veterinary Clinic, and she is a certified optician at LensCrafters in Athens. She was selected to be on Dr. Jim Moore’s research team doing colic research, and she will soon publish her first research study. She loves to play polo in her spare time. She plans to pursue a Ph.D. and a doctor of veterinary medicine degree after she graduates.
Hometown:
Aiken, South Carolina
High School:
Aiken High School
Degree objective:
B.S. in Animal and Dairy Science, A.B. in German
Expected graduation:
May 2007
University highlights, achievements, awards and scholarships:
I received the Charter Scholarship upon matriculation at UGA. During my first year, I began the task of reviving the UGA Polo Team. I served as president of the polo club and team captain for two years. I was elected as the public relations chair of Phi Sigma Pi National Co-ed Honor Fraternity during my sophomore year and remained in that position until the following school year. I have been on the Dean’s List since the Spring of 2005 and was also a Presidential Scholar. In the Fall of 2004, I competed in UGA’s Little International Livestock Show and was Reserve Champion in the Advanced Horsemanship Class. I was also on the UGA Horse Judging Team in the Fall of 2005 and helped our team win an overall seventh place at the collegiate judging contest held at the National Reining Horse Association Futurity in Oklahoma City, OK. I have also been on the UGA Colic Team since the Fall of 2005. Colic Team members are called to watch and assist with any equine colic surgeries that occur while they are on call. I was fortunate enough to be selected to work with an outstanding group of research faculty in the College of Veterinary Medicine and have submitted a research paper for publishing. Recently, I have also volunteered at several seminars hosted by the UGA College of Veterinary Medicine that serve to promote the college while educating the public in various veterinary topics.
Current Employment:
I have worked in the UGA College of Veterinary Medicine’s Large Animal Teaching Hospital since the Fall of 2004. I am on the large animal treatment crew. Treatment crew members are responsible for administering hourly treatments for the patients of the Large Animal Hospital and handling any after hours emergencies that are admitted to the hospital. All treatment crew shifts are between the hours of 6 p.m. and 7 a.m., including 11 p.m. to 7 a.m. overnight shifts. I also shadow Dr. Bangle and Dr. Liebl of Oconee Veterinary Clinic. I assist with patient treatments, appointments, and emergency care at their clinic. I have also worked at Lenscrafters in Athens since the Fall of 2004 and have become a Certified Optician. I am responsible for the sale and promotion of eyewear in addition to helping customers with optical difficulties.
I chose to attend UGA because…
…of the College of Veterinary Medicine and because of our beautiful campus. I knew that attending a school with a veterinary college would provide educational opportunities for me that I would not encounter elsewhere. The beautiful UGA campus made this decision a simple one. I truly love green space and found that UGA had a wonderful combination of such areas in addition to an easily accessible campus.
My favorite things to do on campus are…
I love the first floor of the Tate Student Center. I have always enjoyed studying and watching students come and go from a vantage point down there. I also truly love walking around campus, especially in the fall when the air is a bit crisp.
When I have free time, I like…
…to play polo! Unfortunately it is usually at least an hour drive to do so, but I never think twice about the time spent. I also really enjoy working out. Whether it is aerobics or weight training, I am really enthusiastic about being physically fit. A large portion of my free time is devoted to my friends also. My friends and I are always so supportive of each other; it is amazing what a difference this makes in our lives.
The craziest thing I’ve done is…
…try to sled on the ice on campus! During the ice storm two years ago, my friends and I decided that sledding would be a good idea. However, having spent all of our winters in the southern U.S., we really didn’t have a clue of what we were doing. Needless to say, we had plenty of bruises that week to account for all of the fun we had.
My favorite place to study is…
…in the College of Veterinary Medicine. I can always find a quiet spot, and my colleagues are always there to encourage and support me.
My favorite professor is…
…both Dr. Jim Moore in the College of Veterinary Medicine and Dr. Dean Pringle in the College of Agriculture. Both of these outstanding faculty members have been wonderful mentors for me. Despite their hectic schedules, they always find time to encourage me in all of my endeavors and bring me back to reality when I have drifted a bit too far from my intended course.
If I could share an afternoon with anyone, I would love to share it with…
…my best friend. After the divorce of her parents when we were just beginning middle school, she moved to the Seattle area. In the ten years since her move, we have seen each other a total of four times, yet we still manage to remain as close as sisters.
After graduation, I plan to…
…attend veterinary school and earn both a D.V.M. and Ph.D. It is very difficult to make concrete plans beyond these, but I will most likely complete a veterinary internship and residency in order to further specialize in a particular field. I enjoy both research and clinical work and would like to incorporate both of these aspects of veterinary medicine into my future career.
The one UGA experience I will always remember will be…
…my time spent with the UGA polo team. I worked with some of the most amazing students and faculty in the university and truly had an amazing experience. The leadership skills I developed while leading the team were invaluable, and I made numerous contacts that will undoubtedly last a lifetime.