There are friends. There is family. And then, there are those special friends who become family.

For Haley, Jessica, Alex, Kealy, and Kaitlyn, the bonds of friendship couldn’t be stronger!

These five women are more than just your typical friend group. Currently attending Illinois College of Veterinary Medicine, they also run Vet School Diaries, an Instagram page dedicated to showing the ins and outs of vet school while providing differing experiences on a singular platform. With over 1600+ followers, these social media-savvy veterinarians to-be are demonstrating how in order to successfully make it through vet school, it helps to have some totally “paw-some” friends by your side!

Today on Vet Candy, we chat with Haley, Jessica, Alex, Kealy, and Kaitlyn about their individual (and group) veterinarian journey so far.

How this 5-Member Squad Makes Time for Fun While Studying Hard

“Watch us snip, watch us spay spay.”

That’s the hilarious line on the @vet.school.diaries Instagram. And it’s fitting!

Together, this 5-member squad brings the giggles with their funny yet also informative and educational posts. From sharing a behind the scenes look at the surgery table to getting ready for new classes and rotations, these ladies know there is a time for work…and a time for play.  

Jessica Schwartz explains, “The studying and homework will always be there but the memories with friends and families might not. Take the time for yourself and even an hour or two away from studying will not make or break a grade.”

Haley agrees. She says, “Veterinarians need time to step back from work to refresh and recharge to prevent burnout.”

For Alex, that means clearing her head at the gym and working out. But she also knows that to make it in this tough field, you have to be resilient.

She shares, “I’ve gotten knocked down and have failed more times than I can count but getting back up each time made me stronger.”

Here at Vet Candy, we 100% agree!

The Sisterhood of the Veterinarians: Women Empowerment through Friendship

Together, these fab five are going places.

They work together to accomplish things they never could alone. If you have ever been in a study group, then you no doubt know how powerful it is to work as a team and have a support system rooting for you – especially for young female veterinarians.

That’s because despite being an overwhelmingly women-dominated profession, there is still a noticeable lack of female leadership at the top.

When asked what change she would most like to see in the world, Kealy summarized this phenomenon well. She says:

“I would like to see more female leadership. Even though veterinary medicine is a predominately female profession, we don’t quite see that reflection in veterinary medicine leadership. A change I would like to see is to have more women empower and encourage other women to pursue more of these leadership and business roles in veterinary medicine and to help them understand they do not have to give up a part of their lives to be in these leadership roles.”

For Kaitlyn, it’s women leaders like Dian Fossey who serve as inspiration to reach for the stars. After completing school, she hopes to have a job she loves and “to be the kind and educated veterinarian my undergrad self dreamed of becoming.”

No doubt, wherever their professional careers take them, these five friendships forged in vet school will last a lifetime!

To keep up with all their adventures, follow Vet School Diaries on Instagram.

My name is Haley Fitzsimmons! I am from northern Illinois. I went to undergrad at Illinois State University where I majored in Animal Science. I am now in my fourth year of veterinary school at University of Illinois. I plan to move to Tennessee post-graduation and work in small animal general practice. Some of my favorite parts of veterinary medicine are interacting with clients, soft tissue surgery, and constantly learning from those around me.

Hi! I’m Jessica Schwartz and I am from the northwest suburbs of Chicago. I went to undergrad at University of Illinois and majored in animal science. I then decided to stay for vet school. Post-graduation, I plan to work in a small animal GP practice in the suburbs of Chicago. I have really enjoyed every aspect of clinical rotations thus far, and I am so excited to get a little bit of everything when I work in GP. In my free time, I love hiking and going on runs with my standard poodle Reese!

Hi everyone! My name is Alex Elizeus and I am from the Pittsburgh Pennsylvania area (Let’s Go Pens!). I attended Denison University for my undergrad education where I majored in environmental studies and biology. I also swam on the Varsity swim team for four years here. After graduating, I took two gap years and now am a 4th year veterinary student at the University of Illinois veterinary school. After graduation I plan to work for a mixed animal general practice potentially back home. My favorite aspects of veterinary medicine so far have been getting to know my classmates better, and my anesthesia rotation! In my free time I like to go to the gym, read and play with my two guinea pigs.

Hey! My name is Kealy Fitzsimmons and I’m also from Northern Illinois. I grew up in a small country town and started working with dogs at my aunt’s grooming shop during summers and knew I wanted a career not only helping animals but also helping pet parents! I went to Illinois State University for undergrad where I majored in Animal Science and then came to University of Illinois right after graduation. I plan to practice emergency medicine +/- general practice in the city of Chicago. With my free time I like to read, be outdoors, hang with my pets or be with family and friends! One of my favorite parts of veterinary medicine is educating pet parents.

Hi! My name is Kaitlyn Saul and I am from a northwest suburb of Chicago. Growing up, I went to Appalachia often and witnessed animal neglect each year I visited. This is what inspired me as a child to pursue a career with animals, to help those who cannot help themselves. The summer going into my first year of college was when I interned at a local animal hospital and decided that I loved medicine as well as animals! At college orientation is when I switched my major from undecided to animal science with a concentration in pre-veterinary studies. I went to Michigan State University for undergrad and then got into the University of Illinois College of Veterinary Medicine. I plan to practice small animal medicine +/- companion exotics in the city of Chicago. In my free time I enjoy camping, hiking, and hanging out with my cat, Peter!