It Might Get Weird: Journeys in Veterinary Medicine

Sara Rae & Gary Marshall, DVM
  • 4.7 (12)
  • Personal Journals
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Welcome to "It Might Get Weird," the podcast where we dive into the journeys of veterinary professionals.  Your hosts are Dr. Gary Marshall and Sara Rae. Gary has been a veterinarian for more than 35 years. Sara has been a veterinarian for zero years. That's about to change and that's why we're here.  Our main focus will be to follow Sara on adventures as a Washington State University class of 2028 veterinary student. We’ll be along for the ride as she encounters challenges, and celebrates triumphs during her 4 year commitment to become a Doctor of Veterinary Medicine.  Along the way, we’ll also interview super interesting individuals who have valuable stories to share about their personal and professional journeys. 

  1. 18h ago

    S3 : E8 - Will Bianca make it to Japan to present her Research Poster?

    Click here to text us your questions & comments. Excel tears, suitcase math, and a research poster that still has to survive questions from strangers across the world. We are doing a quick catch-up because our planned guest fell through, and honestly, the timing could not be more perfect: Bianca is hours away from flying to Japan while trying to finish figures, understand her tables, and stay ahead of vet school exams. We talk through the real mechanics of getting ready for a conference presentation, from trial-and-error in Excel to leaning on a mentor, a statistician, and sheer stubbornness to make the data make sense. We also get into the unglamorous side of travel planning, like bag fees, tiny hotels, and the fantasy that you will “pack light” when your toiletries are basically a second carry-on. Gary shares a painfully funny luggage story from an overnight train in Italy that turns into an accidental lesson on what compact travel really means. Then we shift into the veterinary heart of the episode: meeting Miss Waffles, a senior shelter cat we adopted with hyperthyroidism, biopsy-confirmed intestinal lymphoma, hypertension, and deafness. We walk through how we think about quality of life, monitoring lab work, adjusting meds, and the surprisingly tricky task of finding compounded chlorambucil in a tiny, precise dose. If you love veterinary medicine, shelter adoption, feline internal medicine, and honest behind-the-scenes talk, this one will land. Subscribe to get notified of new episodes. Share this with a stressed-out student or a cat person in your life. Thanks for listening. Your ratings, reviews and feedback are always appreciated. Please share us with your friends Gary Marshall, DVM = @it.might.get.weird Bianca Plowman = @bianca_plowman   &   Sara Rae = @its_sara1231 https://itmightgetweird.buzzsprout.com/

  2. 3d ago

    S3 : E7 - About a Killer Veterinarian who invented a sugical instrument you might be using every day

    Click here to text us your questions & comments. We are posting our Halloween-worthy True Crime epsisode again!. Besides,  If you're a true crime fan, especially if you want to learn a bit of veterinary related crime history, please listen to this episode. This story is truly shocking! Warning: Don't listen if you're triggered by stories of murder. Maybe don't listen while you're in a taxi or a ride share or if you've just gotten into a car with a random stranger. Maybe just don't hitchhike and get into cars with random stranger's anyway. Otherwise, wait until all the trick-or-treaters are done for the night, lock your doors, turn out the lights, light some candles, and curl up on the couch and listen to this very true, very much crime related story about an inventor of a very common companion animal surgical instrument. The following are reference materials used in the production of this episode. Wikipedia True Detective January 1930 True Detective February 1930 "A Roaring Twenties Murder" by Amy Drake Your ratings, reviews and feedback are always appreciated. Please share us with your friends Gary Marshall, DVM = @it.might.get.weird Bianca Plowman = @bianca_plowman   &   Sara Rae = @its_sara1231 https://itmightgetweird.buzzsprout.com/

    S3 : E7 - About a Killer Veterinarian who invented a sugical instrument you might be using every day

  3. Oct 27

    S3 : E6 - Dr. Hayley Clark's Leadership Fast Track (Part 2)

    Click here to text us your questions & comments. You can be a brand-new veterinarian and still have something to say. Dr. Haley Clark, a 2024 University of Glasgow graduate, joins us to talk about the moments that pushed her from “maybe I should wait” to “why not me?” and how that mindset took her from early practice nerves to real leadership in the Washington State Veterinary Medical Association. Along the way, she shares a surprisingly moving highlight from UK vet school: lambing week. It is hands-on, messy, and unforgettable, and it changed how she thought about large animals, farmers, and what “real” clinical learning feels like. We also get honest about the trade-offs in veterinary education, including what you gain when you train near a teaching hospital with barns, daily case conversations, and a culture you can feel, and what might be different in a distributive model. If you are choosing a vet school, mentoring students, or thinking about curriculum design, this part will spark opinions in the best way. Then we dig into the early-career reality: second-guessing yourself, panicking over decisions, and craving reassurance from people who truly get the day-to-day. Dr. Clark breaks down Power of 10, a leadership development program for early-career veterinarians focused on mental resilience, communication skills, and financial literacy, plus the surprising power of building a peer network. We wrap with practical encouragement for anyone considering overseas veterinary education through AVMA-accredited schools. Subscribe, share this with a new grad who needs a boost, and leave a review if this conversation helps. What is one leadership step you will take this month? Thanks for listening. Hayley Clark, BS, BVMS on Linked In University of Glasgow School of Biodiversity, One Health and Veterinary Medicine  Student AVMA (SAVMA) Washington State Veterinary Medical Association WSVMA Power of 10 Your ratings, reviews and feedback are always appreciated. Please share us with your friends Gary Marshall, DVM = @it.might.get.weird Bianca Plowman = @bianca_plowman   &   Sara Rae = @its_sara1231 https://itmightgetweird.buzzsprout.com/

  4. Oct 20

    S3 : E5 - Dr. Hayley Clark's Leadership Fast Track (Part 1)

    Click here to text us your questions & comments. Gary (No Bianca this week) gets to know Dr. Hayley Clark during this interview.  Haley is a 2024 University of Glasgow veterinary graduate and the newest member of the Washington State Veterinary Medical Association Board of Directors. Their conversation starts with an honest look at childhood, the role pets can play as stability, and how she created a path to eventual vet school admission with out having experience in veterinary clinics prior to obtaining an undergrad degree. They dig into that part of her story: applying to vet school, getting turned down twice, and doing the hard recalibration. Haley walks us through how veterinary assistant work in general practice and ER, plus specialty exposure like ophthalmology and internal medicine support, helped her build skills and earn stronger letters of recommendation. If you’re navigating the vet school application process, reapplying, or mentoring someone who is, this part hits home. Haley had never travelled internationally prior to saying "yes" to vet school abroad. She explains why the University of Glasgow made sense. A main factor being cost compared with many out-of-state US programs, plus the day-to-day realities of student life and curriculum differences in UK veterinary school. We also talk SAVMA involvement abroad. What mentorship looked like to her while far from home, and how her early connection to Banfield evolved from “a good first job” into a bigger conversation about support systems and career growth. Thanks for listening. Hayley Clark, BS, BVMS on Linked In University of Glasgow School of Biodiversity, One Health and Veterinary Medicine  Student AVMA (SAVMA) Washington State Veterinary Medical Association Your ratings, reviews and feedback are always appreciated. Please share us with your friends Gary Marshall, DVM = @it.might.get.weird Bianca Plowman = @bianca_plowman   &   Sara Rae = @its_sara1231 https://itmightgetweird.buzzsprout.com/

    S3 : E5 - Dr. Hayley Clark's Leadership Fast Track (Part 1)

  5. Oct 6

    S3 : E4 - Do Not Order A Latte In Italy

    Click here to text us your questions & comments. Vet school does not slow down just because life gets complicated, it speeds up. We sit down for a catch-up that turns into an honest look at what it feels like to juggle stacked exams, a research project that keeps shifting, and the pressure of prepping a conference poster while planning a big trip to Japan. If you have ever stared at your to do list and thought, I am fine, while absolutely not feeling fine, you will recognize this rhythm immediately. From there, we swap travel stories that are equal parts inspiring and humbling: Rome in brutal heat, tour days that test your patience, and the surreal weight of standing inside centuries of history. Then we head north to the Italian Dolomites for hut to hut hiking, unforgettable food, and one very practical lesson for Americans ordering coffee abroad. These moments are fun, but they also connect back to professional life in veterinary medicine: pacing matters, recovery matters, and flexibility is a skill you build the hard way. Post vet school planning is also discussed. This includes rotating internships, the veterinary match timeline, externships, and how specialty interests can change when you connect with passionate educators. Then Gary closes with a tease about a trip to the local shelter. Is a new companion coming to the Marshall household? Subscribe for more conversations on vet school, veterinary careers, and real life outside of the daily grind. Please share this episode with a classmate and leave us a review. What topic do you want us to tackle next? Your ratings, reviews and feedback are always appreciated. Please share us with your friends Gary Marshall, DVM = @it.might.get.weird Bianca Plowman = @bianca_plowman   &   Sara Rae = @its_sara1231 https://itmightgetweird.buzzsprout.com/

    S3 : E4 - Do Not Order A Latte In Italy

  6. Sep 22

    S3 : E3 - Get to know Cayden Smith, National SAVMA President-Elect

    Click here to text us your questions & comments. This episode Highlights Ms. Cayden Smith. She is the current National SAVMA President-Elect, and a current 3rd year veterinary student at Long Island University in New York. This is a continuation of Season 3 : Episode 2 focusing on SAVMA President Spencer Stelly. Spencer hangs in there for much of this episode, but Cayden is the focus. Cayden shares her path to Vet School, and her and Bianca compare notes as they begin their 3rd years at different schools. Gary has known both Spencer and Cayden through his role as AVMA Vice President and the connections developed while working with SAVMA and attending Veterinary Leadership Experience. These episodes reveal paths to student leadership, and a little of the time and energy student leaders commit to their roles. Spoiler: they both claim that although it's a lot, they wouldn't change a thing! Enjoy getting to know Cayden during this episode. But if you haven't listened to S3 : E2 yet, please listen to that first. They are both great episodes but best listened to in order. Thanks for listening.  SAVMA = @studentavma  SAVMA Symposium = @savmasymposium2027 Veterinary Leadership Experience = @veterinaryleadershipinstitute Spencer Stelly = @spencer_stelly Louisiana State University SAVMA = @lsusavma Cayden Smith = @caydengraace Long Island University SAVMA = @liulcvm.savma Your ratings, reviews and feedback are always appreciated. Please share us with your friends Gary Marshall, DVM = @it.might.get.weird Bianca Plowman = @bianca_plowman   &   Sara Rae = @its_sara1231 https://itmightgetweird.buzzsprout.com/

    S3 : E3 - Get to know Cayden Smith, National SAVMA President-Elect

  7. Aug 25

    S3 : E2 - Get to know Spencer Stelly, National SAVMA President

    Click here to text us your questions & comments. This episode Highlights Mr. Spencer Stelly. He is the current National SAVMA President, and a current 4th year veterinary student at Louisiana State University. Also joining is the National SAVMA President Elect, Ms. Cayden Smith. During the recording session for this episode, Cayden was unavoidably late. She will be highlighted in the next episode, so please come back and listen to that. Gary has known both Spencer and Cayden through his role as AVMA Vice President and the connections developed while working with SAVMA and attending Veterinary Leadership Experience. These episodes reveal paths to student leadership, and a little of the time and energy student leaders commit to their roles. Spoiler: they both claim that although it's a lot, they wouldn't change a thing! Enjoy getting to know Spencer during this episode , and stay tuned for S3 : E3 to get to know Cayden. Thanks for listening. SAVMA = @studentavma Veterinary Leadership Experience = @veterinaryleadershipinstitute Spencer Stelly = @spencer_stelly Cayden Smith = @caydengraace Brandy Duhon, DVM = @nohandedbandit Your ratings, reviews and feedback are always appreciated. Please share us with your friends Gary Marshall, DVM = @it.might.get.weird Bianca Plowman = @bianca_plowman   &   Sara Rae = @its_sara1231 https://itmightgetweird.buzzsprout.com/

    S3 : E2 - Get to know Spencer Stelly, National SAVMA President

  8. Aug 14

    S3 : E1 - Welcome to the pod Bianca, and welcome back to school!

    Click here to text us your questions & comments. I hope everyone had a great summer. I hope everyone is caught up listening to Season 1 and Season 2, because here we are kicking off Season 3! We have a new Co-Host - Bianca Plowman. She's been on the pod before (S2 : E9 & S2 : E18). We hope Sara will pop in a lot this season. She's just so busy!!  In this episode, we mainly get caught up with what we did this summer, and talk about what's coming up with Year Three of vet school at WSU.  We have a great interview coming up with SAVMA President Spencer Stelly, and SAVMA Vice President Cayden Smith.  Stay tuned for that one as Season 3 Episode 2.  Enjoy. And if you do enjoy it, please take a second to give a rating and write a review on your favorite podcast app. If you didn't enjoy it, please disregard that request.  *our apologies for the audio quality of this episode. most of the reasons were out of our control. please know we are making strides to insure it's the best quality possible going forward. thanks for understanding Your ratings, reviews and feedback are always appreciated. Please share us with your friends Gary Marshall, DVM = @it.might.get.weird Bianca Plowman = @bianca_plowman   &   Sara Rae = @its_sara1231 https://itmightgetweird.buzzsprout.com/

    S3 : E1 - Welcome to the pod Bianca, and welcome back to school!
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4.7
out of 5
12 Ratings

About

Welcome to "It Might Get Weird," the podcast where we dive into the journeys of veterinary professionals.  Your hosts are Dr. Gary Marshall and Sara Rae. Gary has been a veterinarian for more than 35 years. Sara has been a veterinarian for zero years. That's about to change and that's why we're here.  Our main focus will be to follow Sara on adventures as a Washington State University class of 2028 veterinary student. We’ll be along for the ride as she encounters challenges, and celebrates triumphs during her 4 year commitment to become a Doctor of Veterinary Medicine.  Along the way, we’ll also interview super interesting individuals who have valuable stories to share about their personal and professional journeys. 

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