A Dream Come True: Up Close and Personal with Olympians

Monday, November 12, 2018

Logan Kembel of Kansas City, Kansas, recently had the experience of a lifetime. The fourth year veterinary student at Oklahoma State University’s Center for Veterinary Health Sciences was selected to represent OSU at the World Equestrian Games held earlier this fall in Tryon, North Carolina.

“The American Association of Equine Practitioners sent one student from every veterinary school,” explained Kembel. “Students were selected by equine faculty members from each of the schools. I was chosen to represent Oklahoma State University at the World Equestrian Games.”

The veterinary students worked in various areas gaining experience in every facet of veterinary care at the games. Activities included pre-arrival quarantine, drug testing, sensitivity testing, night checks, on-site veterinary clinic, and imaging to name a few. When they were not busy assisting with other duties, students attended educational lectures.

“I went everywhere on the show grounds,” said Kembel. “We had back of the house passes so we followed the veterinarians on the course. We were behind the scenes in the veterinary tent and we were with the U.S. Department of Agriculture a few days.

“My favorite part was probably just getting to see up close and work on the highest level of equine athletes that there are,” she continued. “Those are the horses that compete in the Olympics. This was a qualifier for the Olympics and getting to work with the veterinarians who work on those horses was pretty awesome as well.”

Kembel has known since she was talking that she wanted to become a veterinarian.

“Whenever anybody asked me what I wanted to do as a little kid, my answer was always being a veterinarian. After I graduate I would love to find a practice where I could do predominately equine medicine.”

Kembel will earn her DVM degree from Oklahoma State University in May 2019.