News Archives: Michelle Lange
Tuesday, May 28th, 2013
Michelle is one of two GPRC students who were accepted direct into the prestigious School of Veterinary Medicine at the University of Saskatchewan in Saskatoon in 2012. She and fellow GPRC alumna Jeleena Neufeld both achieved the highly unusual acceptance into the program after completing two years of undergraduate Science studies; the majority of students in their program have full B.Sc., multiple science-based degrees or even Masters degrees.
“The small class size and individual attention that instructors could provide was a huge benefit while at GPRC,” says Michelle. “In vet school, I am surrounded with students from a variety of educational backgrounds. Two years of undergraduate studies is the minimum to apply for vet school, however, being accepted with only two years is definitely not the norm. My quality education at GPRC has enabled me in many aspects to have the background needed to succeed while surrounded with such experience even though I only have two years of undergraduate studies.
Michelle is in her first year of the Doctor of Veterinary Medicine, with plans to practice as a vet in a mixed animal practice and return to the Peace Region. “Also, I'd like to become actively involved with Vets Without Borders and facilitate spay/neuter programs in developing countries,” Michelle adds. “I have a passion for animal welfare – pet overpopulation is a key component of many of the challenges and issues animals face today.”
As a mature student who had attended other post secondary institutions in former years, Michelle says she found GPRC very accommodating while providing a solid education. ”As I was almost twice the age as the average student, I naturally had some concerns about how I would fit into the classroom dynamics and adjust to life once again in school while trying to gain acceptance into a highly competitive program like vet med. However, the instructors were wonderful! They recognized many of the challenges I faced and helped guide me through the initial stages of my readjustment until I had my bearings once again. Without that extra effort on their part, I'm not sure if I would have been able to move forward and succeed as I did.”
