Observing surgeries, dehorning cows, and assisting with vaccinations has sealed the deal for Josh Swain. Swain, a Northern Oklahoma College sophomore agriculture major, always knew he wanted to work with animals. After completing an NOC internship with Dr. Larry Wyckoff at the Blackwell Animal Clinic, Josh intends to pursue his goal to become a veterinarian.
Swain had known Dr. Wyckoff for many years and knew he was intelligent, but said what Dr. Wyckoff displayed during the internship was astonishing. According to Josh, Dr. Wyckoff was passionate for the animals, patient in all circumstances, and incorporated humor into his practice.
Josh always like being with animals and said he looked forward to interning each day. Swain said he enjoyed the fact that each day was unpredictable with emergency surgeries and animals needing immediate assistance.
Josh admitted that, like many 19 year olds, he had been second guessing what he wanted to do for the rest of his life. He went on to say, “With this internship under my belt, I have more passion to overcome any obstacles set in my path and become the successful person that I was raised to be.”
Although Josh worked with both large and small animals, the internship helped Josh realize he prefers to work with small animals. Swain admits this could change as he gains more experience with large animals.
Josh has been accepted to the OSU-OKC Veterinarian Technology program for the fall and credits the NOC internship program and Dr. Wyckoff with giving him “exactly what I needed to become more dedicated to my studies and gave me a new burning desire to pursue what I have so long yearned for.”
Dr. Rae Ann Kruse, Dean of Student Services at NOC, works with interns and community sponsors. She said “Students benefit from practical, hands-on experiences outside of the classroom. Students who participate in internships have the opportunity to discover their passion or eliminate a possible career choice.”
For more information about NOC internships, contact Dr. Kruse at 580.628.6341.