Myongsun Kim
ePortfolio
Listed below is my experiences so far. Please feel free to click on "Read More" to see my reflections on each!
Work Experiences
TAMU Vet Teaching Hospital
College Station, TX | Sep 2021 – May 2022
Small Animal Caretaker, Student Assistant
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- Communicate with various departments within the hospital to support and balance their needs
Reflections Before getting this job, I had some fantasies about working in a clinic. Before, I had difficulties even getting a shadowing position due to COVID-19 and thought getting a clinic job was something people who get into vet school for sure get to do. Well, this position did an excellent job of opening my eyes to the realities of large scale clinics. I often saw workers and students complain about the work conditions, which led me to contemplate my career choices. However, I am glad I got to experience what it would be like if I continue pursuing my veterinary career. Although the negative complains are often more loud than positive perspectives, I did observe students genuinely enjoying practicing medicine. In fact, I wanted to be in their place! Then I realized that the reason why I felt disappointed was not that I realized I don't like veterinary medicine, but because I wanted to learn more. I wanted to do more and learn the sciences behind medicine, but my position was limiting to basic kennel duties. I am applying for different positions this semester and I hope I will get those experiences I crave so much.
Texas A&M University
College Station, TX | Jan 2021 – May 2021
Undergraduate Teaching Fellow
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- Organized weekly recitation sessions for three groups of 7 students to facilitate discussion about physics, and provided individual tutoring in preparation for exams
- Interacted with professors and other UTFs to improve the quality of the recitation sessions
Reflections I viewed this position as a continuation of my tutoring experience in the Korean church (listed below). While taking the physics course myself, I saw things that could be improved and wanted to share my wisdom with other students. This time, I hoped that students will be more willing to learn since they are in the class of their choice. Unfortunately, that was not entirely true. The physics course was a required class for some majors, and many students were very unenthusiastic. However, this experience let me hone my public speaking skills and professional communication skills. In fact, some of the students approached me after class for individual tutoring. They said the way I taught physics concepts made more sense than the way their professors taught it. Needless to say, I was very proud of my achievement and help them improve their grade. The teaching experiences I had let me realize that my academic ability can be helpful to other people, and I love sharing my knowledge with everyone.
Thundering Paws Animal Sanctuary
Dripping Springs, TX | Sep 2015 – Jan 2020
Volunteer/Animal Caretaker
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- Volunteered 136 hours and was hired by the director in June 2017
- Provided primary care to more than 30 special needs small animals in the sanctuary
- Used teamwork skills to collaborate with three veterinary technicians and to supervise volunteers
Austin Korean First Presbyterian Church
Austin , TX | June 2018 – Aug 2018
Math Tutor
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- Tutored Geometry and Algebra II to a group of 10 students entering high school
- Built a summer program including quizzes and evaluations to maximize the learning experience for students
- Communicated with students for individual care and their parents through lecture plans
Volunteer
Brazos Valley Food Bank
Bryan, TX | Jan 2021 - Nov 2021
Volunteer​
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- Helped organizing and distributing donated items to be delivered to the people in need
Austin Wildlife Rescue
Elgin, TX | May 2021 – July 2021
Summer Intern
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- Provide care to various types and ages of wildlife including songbirds, small mammals, fawns, and reptiles for 30 hours a week.
- Improved time and resource management skills under pressure
Reflection This internship challenged me with one of the most physical stress I had to endure for the animals. The rehabilitation center was located an hour's drive away from my house, and my shift was from 6 AM to 4 PM - that is, if I manage to finish my tasks by then. The center had very limited resources, and there were never enough hands to take care of the wildlife that rushed in every day. Many of them were babies that were removed from their mothers or came from accidents caused by humans or their pets, and most of them didn't survive. Many were euthanized because their injuries severely damaged their survival abilities. On my first day of internship, I accidentally pushed a tray in a cage too hard and broke a blue jay's leg. My first thought was how to treat the injury. The staff member took one look at the bird's leg and said, "let me show you how we euthanize animals here." And that was the first time I euthanize an animal with my own hands. Needless to say, the emotion was immeasurable. I first couldn't believe the reality of wildlife rehabilitation and even did my own research about the rehabilitation success of wildlife in Texas (click on the document icon on the bottom right corner of this box). I thought about giving up veterinary medicine because of the emotional burden of euthanizing animals daily and my inability to help the animals. However, I realized one thing - despite all the difficulties, when the situation arouse, I never hesitated to offer help to animals. No matter how exhausted I am, all I wanted was them to be happier.
Royal Oaks Alpacas
City, State | Duration
Volunteer
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- Assisted and performed parasite prevention for alpacas such as Ivermectin injections
- Provided basic care for the alpacas such as maintaining sanitary environment learning alpaca handling skills
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Reflections During my orientation, the owner of the alpaca farm explained to me that she welcomes as many pre-vet students as possible. I asked her why, and she told me a story of how her alpaca tragically died because the A&M's veterinary teaching hospital did not take in alpacas back then. Although the condition would have been manageable, the alpaca died because the help of the close she could get was from a different state - she emphasized that she would do anything to help the vet students learn about alpacas. I was able to relate to her because when Doya was struggling with minor conditions in the Austin Farm Sanctuary there wasn't a vet accessible in the area. Even if there are large animal vets nearby, the veterinary care for livestock is mainly focused on the productivity of the animal, unlike companion animal care. I am hoping that my veterinary knowledge will be helpful to animals in need, so there won't be tragedies like these anymore.