Abby Seeley is fierce, fearless, and unfiltered

It takes support to get through life.

No matter how smart, hardworking, or “tough” a person is, we all need family, friends, and colleagues in order to successfully and happily make it through this journey we call life.

Abby Seeley knows that.

In fact, when it comes to human qualities she admires most, it’s people who simply show up for each other that Abby appreciates.

She herself embodies this quality, too!

Originally from Hershey, Pennsylvania, Abby Seeley is a third-year veterinary student at the University of Pennsylvania Veterinary School. Prior to entering the world of vet med, she attended Penn State University where she graduated with a B.S. in Veterinary and Biomedical Sciences as well as a B.S. in Wildlife and Fisheries Science.

From working part-time in the clinical skills department helping students brush up on technical and surgical skills to doing research for PennVet Working Dog Center looking at the Search-and-Rescue Dogs deployed at 9/11 and being the coordinator for the New Bolton Center Student Surgery Crew and team member with The Gambia Goat Dairy, Abby “shows up” for her community.

Basically, she’s always ready to lend a helping hand!

Vet Candy loved speaking with Abby about her experiences as a soon-to-be veterinarian. Today she shares her thoughts on why grades aren’t the only things that matters and talks about what she wishes she could go back in time to tell her younger self.

School is About More than Just Getting an Education

When asked about good advice she has received so far, Abby sums it up nicely. Don’t let veterinary school get in the way of your education.
Sounds counterintuitive, right?
Abby explains:

“It's kind of become my mantra throughout veterinary school since I heard it,” she says. “As veterinary students, we are so conditioned to focus on grades, grades, grades that we sometimes forget to take advantage of other opportunities while we're in vet school. Some of my best lessons were from wet labs or getting involved

with other projects at PennVet. Additionally, with this mindset you learn more than just information for NAVLE, you stumble along some pretty good life lessons too.”

In fact, Abby has come across amazing opportunities, all because she looked outside the classroom.

For instance, living in Africa. Or spending her “maymester” in the Czech Republic.

“We had to interview to be accepted on the trip, it was one of the first things (and still probably one of the only things) I ever applied to that wasn't at all related to veterinary medicine,” Abby remembers. “It was the first country I went to where most people didn't speak English, it was the first time being out of the country for more than 10 days, we tackled incredibly intricate and serious topics and I went not knowing a single person.”

Yet it was all worth it.

This gave her confidence to later do a full semester study abroad, travel to more countries that didn't speak English and be a more critical thinker, communicator and traveler.

All of which are tools she’s used for so many opportunities since then – awesome!

You Deserve to be Here

At age fourteen, Abby Seeley was already working with animals at a pet kennel. Abby knew she adored animals.

However, it’s easy to be critical of ourselves as we get older and wonder...Am I good enough? Do I deserve this spot? What if I fail?

For fellow vet med students struggling with self-doubt, Abby has the following words of advice: You are doing fine!

She says:

“I look back and think how worried I would get about everything working out and wondering what people thought and if I was smart enough for this career and it drives me crazy to think about. In general, I think we could all take a minute to remind ourselves that we deserve to be here, no one else really cares that much about what you're doing so just do it. No matter what, we'll end up where we're supposed to be.”

With only a few years to go, Abby has exciting dreams.

In 5 years, she hopes to be a fully practicing veterinarian that has managed the work life balance of this field as well as a mentor in the industry who helps future veterinarians achieve their goals.

Vet Candy is excited to cheer her on every step of the way!