Making Her Own Path: Early career shift ends with Gentle Doctor Award
Thursday, November 20, 2025
Media Contact: Kinsey Reed | Communications Coordinator | 405-744-6740 | cvmcommunications@okstate.edu
As a child, Dr. Jacqueline Casto thought her future might follow in her father’s military footsteps.
Growing up between Germany and Texas, she admired discipline and structure, imagining a career in uniform. But as graduation neared, Casto realized her dream was elsewhere.
“I really thought I was going to go into the military at first because my dad was super hardcore into that,” she said. “At the end of high school, I just thought, ‘No, I’m not doing that.’ I asked myself what I wanted to do that wasn’t shaped by other people’s expectations — and that was veterinary medicine.”
Her husband and high school sweetheart, Christian Casto, helped give her the confidence to pursue that goal.
“He was the one who said, ‘I don’t know why you don’t think you can do that but go do it.’ Without him, I don’t think I’d have had the courage to take that step,” Casto said.
While she didn’t grow up surrounded by cattle or horses, she did spend time around companion animals — even rabbits. Her grandfather in Germany raised and processed rabbits. Though unusual, those early experiences sparked curiosity about animals that stayed with her.
Unlike many who credit a childhood veterinarian or mentor, Casto said her path was largely self-made.
“Nobody in my family paved the way. I’m the first doctor in my family,” she said.
Before veterinary school, she worked as a veterinary technician. That experience not only strengthened her medical skills but also deepened her ability to communicate with clients.
“I think being a vet tech gave me more confidence,” Casto said. “I’ve always been communicative but learning how to explain things in ways people could understand was a challenge at first. At the end of the day, it doesn’t matter if you sound smart. What matters is being able to connect with people, so they trust you with their pets.”
For her, those moments of trust — whether in the exam room or post-surgery — are the most rewarding.
“When someone looks at me and trusts me with something as valuable as a family member, that feels really good,” she said. “Even when the outcome isn’t positive, I can walk out of a room knowing I was there for them.”
That compassion and dedication were recognized in May when she received the Gentle Doctor Award at Oklahoma State University College of Veterinary Medicine’s commencement ceremony. The honor, voted on by classmates, left her stunned.
“Nobody tells you beforehand. When they called my name, I didn’t want to get up,” she said with a laugh. “I even walked off the stage the wrong way because I was flustered. But afterward, so many classmates told me they couldn’t imagine it going to anyone else. That meant everything.”
The award is given to a graduating senior who demonstrates deep care for both animals and people. For Casto, it validated the heart she had put into her education.
“It was such an honor to be recognized by my peers,” she said. “I’ll never forget it.”
Looking back, she credits OSU with shaping her both as a veterinarian and as a person. Classmates came from different backgrounds and perspectives, and she learned to value listening and collaboration even when disagreements arose.
“You can turn disagreements into friendships,” she said. “It doesn’t matter if you’re always right. Be willing to listen, learn and make judgments off that. If you pigeonhole yourself as the only one who knows the answer, you stop growing.”
As she looks ahead, she carries that lesson with her. Whether in surgery, the exam room, or casual conversation, she strives to bring openness and compassion to every interaction. And she hasn’t forgotten the people who supported her along the way.
“Without my husband’s encouragement, I might never have pursued this path,” Casto said. “And without the support of classmates and faculty, it would have been so much harder. I’m just grateful.”
Photo By: Bailey Horn
Story By: Elena Santiago | Vet Cetera Magazine