October 2024 ABI Alum Spotlight: Tahmina Tasmim

My name is Tahmina and I graduated from UC Davis in 2019 with a Bachelor’s Degree in Animal Biology and was also in the University Honors Program. I am a first generation college student, and having to navigate higher education was a significant challenge for me. I knew from a very young age that I wanted to work with animals and eventually become a veterinarian. I chose to pursue the Animal Biology major because I wanted to challenge myself to participate in research and form connections with my peers and faculty. Since ABI was a relatively small major, I wanted to take advantage of the opportunity to connect with other students from the ABI classes. I am very fortunate to have made lifelong friends from this time. I have a deep appreciation for research and being able to analyze and interpret data, as these are essential to making informed decisions which improve animal welfare. As a student I volunteered with the Knights Landing One Health Clinic, and my ABI Senior Practicum was a demographic study of the canine population in this area which highlighted the importance of outreach clinics and access to care in underserved communities. I was also involved in research projects on evolutionary biology of Teleost fishes, guinea pig pharmacokinetics, and Amazon parrot behavior. 

After graduation, I took a gap year and worked as an assistant veterinary technician at a small animal clinic. I attended veterinary school at UC Davis SVM and recently graduated in May 2024. I have just started an Associate Veterinarian position at a small animal general practice in Southern California in the San Fernando Valley where I am from. The transition from student life to a career has been both exciting and terrifying! Having a strong research background and experience allows me to be able to better analyze data from the ever-changing world of veterinary medicine. This is a rapidly expanding and evolving field, and it is crucial to be able to stay informed of current research and analyze information to promote patient welfare and the human-animal bond. Appreciation and understanding of the research used to shape medical protocols contribute to better medical decisions and patient care.