Introducing Cayla, the newest extern to join the team at Craig Road Animal Hospital!
Cayla is a fourth-year veterinary medical student from the Virginia-Maryland College of Veterinary Medicine and will graduate in 2022. She is from Beckley, West Virginia, and grew up knowing that she would work in animal medicine. Cayla said she never had doubts about becoming a veterinarian.
“My dad has a farm, so I was always rescuing the dogs and hoarding all the animals in my house,” she said. Her father’s farm animals included a variety of horses, goats, and pigs while Cayla was growing up.
She received her Bachelor’s in Animal and Nutritional Science from West Virginia University and went straight to vet school after graduating. Cayla’s volunteer experience includes working with local Humane Societies and a group called “Pets Are Worth Saving,” also known as the P.A.W.S. Club, during her time at West Virginia University.
“We did a lot of work with rescues in the area and did a lot of adoption events,” she said. “We would also answer any questions that people had and going to the shelters to help clean, walk the animals, things like that.”
Cayla heard about the externship program at Craig Road from Dr. Solitaire Goldfield, who was her orientation leader when Cayla started at Virginia-Maryland. She also heard about the program from her fellow classmates who said they greatly enjoyed their time as externs at Craig Road. Cayla said she’s most looking forward to seeing procedures she’s never had the chance to see, like laparoscopic spays and root canals. Cayla said she’s also looking forward to exploring the Las Vegas area for the first time.
She’s most interested in surgery, and whether it’s orthopedic or soft tissue. Cayla said she would like to work in a small animal general practice that caters to her love of surgery, a fast-paced work environment, and emergency medicine.
In her spare time, Cayla enjoys cross-stitching and kayaking. She has three fur children of her own; a 12-year-old mixed breed named Stella, a 6-year-old calico cat named Callie, and a 4-year-old tabby named Lily.
Welcome to the team, Cayla! We’re happy to have you with us!
