Back to school with TikTok vet student, Maggie Engelhard

There is a new face on the block in veterinary medicine, and her name is Maggie Engelhard!

Having recently accepted an offer to attend Iowa State University, Maggie might be at the beginning of her VetMed school journey, but she is no stranger to sharing her love of animals. During her undergrad, she did it all. From assisting with a pregnant rottweiler’s c-section to monitoring the labor of roughly 90 beef cows for a calving management class, Maggie is always willing to lend pets a helping hand.

But it’s not just critters that benefit from Maggie’s talents.

Now, she is sharing her dedication to the profession online – with millions of viewers on the internet! Specifically, by transforming the image of what it means to be a 21st century veterinarian. 

We are thrilled to introduce this inspiring young veterinarian to our readers.

Presenting, Maggie Engelhard.

Fighting Disinformation and Re-establishing Trust in Veterinary Professionals

One of the greatest things about TikTok is undoubtedly the veterinarian community.

Just search hashtags such as: #vetmed, #futuredvm, and #vetassistant to see the funniest, most entertaining, relatable, and heartfelt videos one could possibly imagine. Instagram is the same.

Yet for Maggie Engelhard, social media goes deeper than that. Below the surface, she is acutely aware of just how powerful content creators can be when it comes to changing the perceptions (and biases) people have about veterinarians.

Engelhard explains, “I believe the biggest issue facing veterinary medicine today is the lack of respect and trust in veterinary professionals from clients due to the amount of disinformation put out onto the internet.” As much as she enjoys utilizing these platforms to share her personal experiences and stories, Maggie warns others “not to trust everything they see or read online.”

Indeed, we are living in the age of disinformation.

Luckily, Maggie keeps it real with her 172.6K TikTok followers.

“I hope veterinary content creators like myself, Dr. Hunter Finn, and Vet Techs Peter and Jaycee can continue to create educational content to reinstate trust in veterinary professionals from owners again,” she says. “I would love to see more peace, kindness, and open-mindedness.”

Want to follow Maggie’s #vetschoollife adventure?

Follow her: @maggiie.anne

Career Advice to Stay Grounded and Grateful

As a student or practicing veterinarian, it is easy to get caught up in the day-to-day hustle and bustle. Afterall, there is always one more test to study for, another sick patient to check on, a once in a lifetime volunteer opportunity…phew! It gets to be a lot.

That’s why Maggie is so thankful for the career advice she received early on.

The recommendation?

“Take time for yourself. Prevent burning out in any way possible. Don’t worry about working as much as possible to make more money. The money will come… but the money won’t come if you quit because you worked yourself into burn out.”

For Maggie, this means finding time to relax and do activities she enjoys, like running, lifting, working out, or watching an episode of Jeopardy on TV.

In four years, Maggie hopes to be Dr. Maggie Engelhard and living her dream.

Until then, Vet Candy looks forward to following her journey!