Kristy Shaw ‘18
For many Animal Sciences students, so much of their undergraduate career is spent focused on getting into veterinary school that they often don’t explore what they can do once they earn their DVM. Many will go into private practice, either for large or small animals, unaware of other opportunities their degree provides. However, this wasn’t the case for Kristy Shaw, a 2014 graduate of Animal Sciences within The College of Food, Agricultural, and Environmental Sciences and a 2018 graduate of the School of Veterinary Medicine at The Ohio State University. Growing up in Southeastern Ohio on a small beef cattle operation, Shaw was heavily involved in 4-H and FFA. Her time spent on the farm and around animals made it easy for her to decide on a career supporting the industry she grew up in, and she soon began riding with large animal veterinarians in her area to gain hands-on experience prior to college.
For Shaw, choosing Ohio State, with both a strong Animal Sciences department and Veterinary Medicine program at her fingertips, was an easy decision. Once stepping foot on campus, Kristy soon realized that the opportunities within the field of veterinary medicine were much more than anyone had ever shared.
In her Animal Sciences major, she remained actively engaged in the department’s hands-on approach to learning. Shaw also seized every opportunity to expand her knowledge outside of the classroom as part of the Veterinary Early Commitment Program, a joint program for Animal Sciences students committing to study veterinary medicine in their second year as an undergraduate. Throughout her undergraduate career, Kristy interned with the Ohio Cattlemen’s Association, the Columbus Zoo, and National Cattlemen’s Beef Association– all experiences which threw her into the field of governmental and regulatory veterinary medicine. She also continued connecting with veterinarians throughout the state of Ohio, riding with several USDA veterinarians to explore opportunities beyond private practice. During her time in vet school, Kristy also interned with Select Sires, exploring opportunities to use a veterinary degree in industry.
Following graduation, Kristy worked in private practice for about a year and a half before working in regulatory medicine with the Ohio Department of Agriculture (ODA) as a regional veterinarian for the Division of Meat Inspection. Kristy then moved to the Division of Animal Health as the Emergency Preparedness Coordinator before taking on her current role as the Assistant State Veterinarian.
“I love coming and talking to both undergraduate and veterinary students to let them know all the opportunities they have with a veterinary degree,” shared Kristy. “Every kind of veterinarian is needed, but after being here at ODA, I realized there’s a whole realm of veterinary medicine we don’t talk about as often.”
“When people ask what I do, I still haven’t perfected the answer because every day is different.” Kristy’s day to day spans from connecting with her field staff to investigating foreign animal diseases, supporting county fairs to communicating with diagnostic labs on animal health testing.
Kristy notes how important her background in agriculture and all of her experiences at Ohio State have contributed to her success in the field of regulatory veterinary medicine. “It kind of closes the loop in agriculture. I grew up on a beef cattle farm, worked in private practice helping farmers, and aided in the oversight of harvesting operations. Now in the Division of Animal Health, I assist with protecting and promoting Ohio’s livestock and poultry industries as a whole.” Touching upon nearly every aspect of the animal agriculture industry throughout her career also has helped her serve as an advocate for agriculture and animal health when connecting with consumers.
“We try to not only educate food animal veterinarians about current issues, but everyone.” Kristy notes how important their information-sharing efforts are in supporting animal agriculture and helping farmers know that ODA is there to help.
Reflecting on her time on campus, Kristy remembers that a big part of her undergraduate experience was staying connected to all of campus, not just CFAES. “I think that’s what I love about Ohio State– you can do all of the ag things, but you can do all of the other stuff too.” Kristy was involved in Campus Crusade, Shades of Animal Sciences, the Pre-Veterinary Medicine Club, intramural sports and many other opportunities that made her time as a Buckeye unique.
Shaw’s role with ODA allows her to remain active in CFAES, and she frequently returns to campus to connect with Animal Sciences and Veterinary Medicine students about the opportunities in the field. She connects with Extension, 4-H, and FFA frequently to help educate and provide opportunities to the next generation of agriculturists, regardless of their career path.
Kristy, along with her husband stay connected to the family farm as well, and they enjoy sharing the industry that means so much to them with their two children. Her advice to future Animal Sciences students and aspiring veterinarians? Get involved. “The Buckeye experience is taking advantage of everything Ohio State has to offer and not being siloed in your major. When a door opens, walk in.”