My name is Jonathan Melchor and I have been really passionate about animals and wildlife biology for as long as I can remember. I have dedicated two Honors Projects to researching Veterinary topics such as Veterinary Parasitology and Veterinary Pathology. Additionally, I have a cat at home who has changed my entire life and has made me want to invest my time in the veterinary field or wildlife biological field.  I have always wanted to intern/volunteer at an animal clinic but, understandably and due to legal reasons, I have been met with responses that say that I am too young to be working around animals. I have a lot of experience taking care of my cat and additionally, am not a person who is afraid of gore, blood, or bile. For instance, there is a stray cat in my backyard that I have seen giving birth, and have worked with those newborn kittens to make sure that they are breathing or that the area is clean. My parents are also from Mexico and grew up in Mexico so I have the experience of being around farm animals as well, and I have the confidence and comfort working around these animals. What I lack is the experience of being with these animals in a professional setting where they have their lives and well-being at stake 100% of the time. I want to gain that experience through Senior Project. This will fulfill a dream and help me decide if this truly is the route that I want to take in my career.

For my project, I have reached out to clinics such as Glendale Veterinary, St. Mina’s Animal Clinic, Tribeca Soho Animal Hospital, and Animal Haven animal shelters. I plan to do a lot of shadowing in these clinics/shelters alongside the veterinarian. In the shelters, I want to understand more about shelter medicine which differs a lot from clinical medicine and I want to observe how veterinarians handle the animals and the owners in a professional setting. I also want to dive deeper into my Intro Veterinary Medicine textbook that I used throughout my Veterinary Honors Projects. Additionally, learning how to handle an aggressive animal or any type of animal is also really important to discuss because this prioritizes the safety of everyone. Developing social skills with animals is also an essential part of this experience because this experience is very crucial in a veterinary environment.  I plan to shadow or volunteer throughout weekdays but will reserve some time to participate in Jazz Ensemble during X-block on Tuesdays and Fridays. I will document my experience with pictures, mini vlogs, and personal accounts from what I have learned about the veterinary world. I will write about the struggles that veterinarians face on a daily basis and about how they interact with animals and rude clients. I hope to gain so much new experience from this Senior Project and I cannot wait until I hear back from the clinics and shelters to figure out a solid and defined schedule.