Emily Singler: Veterinarian, Author, Coach

Name: Emily Singler, VMD, R-PLC

Preferred Pronouns: She/Her

Hometown & Current Town: Pittsburgh, PA/Orlando, FL

Graduation Year: BS 2001

Major & Minors: BS Animal Bioscience, Minors in Spanish and Marine Sciences; Honors in Veterinary Science

Additional Degree & Institution: VMD, University of Pennsylvania

Current Professional Title: Veterinarian, Veterinary Content Specialist, Author, Parental Leave Coach

Name of Employer: American Animal Hospital Association and self-employed

Brief Description of Your Profession: I am a veterinary content specialist with the American Animal Hospital Association. I do a lot of writing and content creation for veterinary professionals and serve as a subject matter expert.

I do relief work in clinic on the weekends and have my own LLC, as well. I do some coaching and consulting unrelated to veterinary medicine but where my book intersects veterinary medicine and working parenthood.

Why did you choose Penn State?

I have to admit when I was applying to college I knew I wanted to go to vet school, but for whatever reason I wasn't very motivated to tackle the application process. Thankfully my parents pushed me. They both worked at the University of Pittsburgh, and it would've been very easy for me to stay in my hometown and go there.

It was the College of Agricultural Sciences that drew me to Penn State. I wanted the hands-on animal experience. I wanted to be in an environment with others who shared similar interests, cared about animal health, and a place where I wouldn’t have to wait until vet school to start learning about that area.

What inspired you to pursue your undergraduate degree?

I was just one of those kids who before I could even say the word I knew I was going to be a vet. It was the best major for me because it would have the rigorous science background I would need to meet the prerequisite requirements to apply to vet school, while also giving me hands-on animal experience.

I loved that the College of Ag Sciences was so much smaller than other colleges at Penn State where you were one person in a larger pool of students. I got to know my professors and leaders in the college on a much more intimate level than I would have anywhere else.

What clubs, organizations, or leadership roles were you involved in?

I was an Ag Advocate, which I loved. I was on the equestrian team, in the Pre-Vet Club, and in Block & Bridle. Outside of the college I did some stuff with music too.

In 2023 you published your book, "Pregnancy and Postpartum Considerations for the Veterinary Team." What inspired you to become an author?

The original inspiration was not about writing a book or becoming an author. I graduated from Penn State in 2001 and vet school in 2005. I started working as a vet right out of school and three months later found out I was pregnant with my first child.

Like all first-time parents, I didn't know what I was doing or what I needed to think about. I felt very unsure. Working in veterinary medicine, we work around a lot of workplace hazards, including radiation, anesthesia, drugs and chemicals, and risk of injury from interacting with our patients. I didn't really understand how to safely handle that. I was bitten by a cat while pregnant. I was stuck in the belly with a syringe with a rabies vaccine in it. I had an x-ray taken by a technician while I was standing next to the machine unprotected. I performed surgeries every day. I didn't know if any of that was ok and there was no one at my work who could help guide me. My own medical team didn't know either.

I tried to look for resources in books and online and didn't find anything. I continued to have that experience working in clinical practice and my subsequent pregnancies. I eventually decided that if the resource didn't exist, I should create it. When I was pregnant with my third child, I started researching it and worked on it off and on for a few years.

I thought maybe it would be a website or pamphlet at first, but as I worked on it, I realized it needed to be more comprehensive. It needed to not just have content about safety, but also the logistics of having conversations with your employer about leave, your rights, what you're entitled to do when you return to work, how to avoid the guilt you may feel trying to navigate doing your best at work and being the best parent you can be. I wanted there to be a resource specific to our profession because I knew I wasn't the only one going through it.

While I was writing the book, I started establishing myself as a freelance writer on veterinary topics partly because I liked it but also because I wanted to explore a new career path where I didn't have to be at a veterinary hospital all day every day. This enabled me to apply for the job I have now where I write full-time serving the veterinary industry and work from home.

You have worked in a variety of clinical veterinary settings in your career. Did you have a favorite and now that you serve in a fill-in role, can you explain how that works?

When I first graduated, I worked in a shelter. I loved being able to reach out to those who loved their pets but didn't always have the money to spend for their care. To be able to offer them an option that allowed them to keep their pet and give their pet the care they needed was wonderful. I only stepped away due to a lengthy commute. I still have a lot of love and respect for that type of work.

I then moved to private practice and was there for about 15 years. That formed a lot of the backbone of my on-the-job training. I learned a lot and am grateful for that experience. I got to see some patients from the time they were puppies and kittens to being senior pets and help guide their families through that.

Moving on, I did relief work and it gave me a lot more control and flexibility. It let me see how veterinary medicine was practiced in other places and how I measured up. It let me meet even more people.

After moving into non-clinical work for a bit, I started doing mobile work where I could do house calls. That was another gratifying role as I got to help families and pets avoid the stress of traveling to a clinic and have longer conversations. It was very relaxed with fewer patients per day.

Now, I do a couple fill-in shifts per month since I have a full-time non-clinical role during the week. It lets me keep my hand in things and gives me an appreciation for the time I get to spend with patients.

What are one or two of your proudest accomplishments in which your Penn State education played a role?

First is becoming a veterinarian. I got the degree from Penn, but Penn State set me up perfectly to be a good candidate to apply and to have the love of learning and an understanding of all that goes into caring for animals and the humans that care for them.

I think the other thing is my book. The combination of small group nurturing I got in the College of Ag Sciences and the extra encouragement I got from the Schreyer Honors College to pursue research and write my thesis made me feel like writing this book wasn’t such a daunting task.

What has been the best advice you’ve ever received?

Don’t give up. Don’t let anyone make you feel like you don’t deserve to be in a particular space. Another thing that a lot of other people have said is that other peoples’ opinions of you are none of your business. That's been helpful for me to remember through the years.

What professional development tip would you give to a current student?

Don’t be afraid to approach other people, be it students, professors, or people outside the University, who you think you would love to connect with to learn from or even open a door. Whether it’s through LinkedIn or email or another way, reach out and introduce yourself and talk to them. Some people might not respond, but I've found most people are happy that you're interested in what they're doing. If you make that connection and nurture it over time, who knows what that can turn into. It shows incredible maturity and leaves a lasting impression.

Why are you proud to be a Penn State Ag Sciences alum?

I loved my entire time at Penn State. I loved all the relationships I made there. They helped me grow into the person I needed to be to take the next step in my career. They made me feel a love for my school and my area of study. They gave me a sense of community with other people who loved the same things. It felt like a home away from home. I'm really grateful to Penn State and particularly the Ag Sciences program for helping to nurture that for me.