HAHIRA — Murphy Johnson, a Valwood junior, will be attending Clemson University’s Summer Scholars Vet Camp and UGA VetCAMP this summer.
Attendees must be 10th, 11th or 12th grade students at the time of application who are interested in pursuing a career in veterinary medicine. Both camps are intensive weeklong programs and have lengthy application processes.
At Clemson, Johnson will learn more about animals and animal industries through hands-on experiences. This will include live animal veterinary skills by milking dairy cows, bottle feeding calves, working beef cattle, shearing sheep, artificial insemination in pigs, and handling of horses. Students will also visit a fully functional veterinary hospital and learn how to dissect post-mortem animals, suture, ultrasound, perform blood tests, and evaluate samples.
At UGA, Johnson will experience veterinary medicine and will be involved in activities aimed at evaluating her skills and competitiveness as a future veterinarian. The week is filled with visits and hands-on learning at a veterinary teaching hospital, diagnostic labs, and the Poultry Diagnostic and Research Center — and highlighted by a behind-the-scenes tour of the Georgia Aquarium. In addition, campers learn about what vet school is all about – from admissions to classes to study abroad opportunities, to the wide variety of career paths veterinary medicine has to offer!
In addition to the vital preview into veterinary medicine, Johnson will get a sneak peek into college life. Courses are taught by college professors during the day and the afternoons include free time to explore campus, go on tours or meet with admissions officers. She will stay in a residence hall, dine in the dining hall throughout the week and enjoy evening social and recreational activities. Summer students will also meet current students, who serve as counselors to guide, mentor, and answer questions about life as a college student.
When asked how she felt about attending vet camp, she stated: “Since I was a little girl, I have wanted to be a veterinarian. I am excited to learn and see new things during these camps and to get a glimpse into what college life as a veterinary student would look like.”
After graduation from Valwood, Johnson plans to attend college and go to veterinary school. She is the daughter of Steve and Cathy Johnson.