You have to be a bit of an animal lover to study to become a veterinarian. But if you are, then it is a fantastic study, says Aviaaja Petersen, who received his diploma at the beginning of January and can now call himself a fully qualified veterinarian from the University of Copenhagen. Together with Ivalu Kleemann, who has also just received his diploma, the two are among the first from Greenland to complete the 5 ½ year veterinary education.
The dream is to work with small animals in a veterinary practice in Nuuk, where Aviaaja Petersen is from. But at first, she may get some experience from Denmark.
The jump to Denmark
The path to veterinary school was not quite straightforward.
– I actually originally thought that I would study biology. And for a couple of years I waited for the biology program to start at Ilisimatusarfik, but then it took longer than expected, and I started nursing school in Nuuk instead. Along the way, I realized that it might be animals rather than people that I wanted to treat, so I took the leap and moved to Denmark to start studying veterinary medicine, says Aviaaja Petersen.
– It was a huge step. Even though I am half Danish, it was a completely different world living in Copenhagen, where there are so many people and where everyone talks a lot and loudly. The first year, I lived with a friend from Nuuk, and it was nice, because it took me almost a year to get used to Denmark.
Demanding study
Aviaaja Petersen was 24 when she started her studies, and was actually among the oldest, as many come directly from high school. But she felt that was only an advantage.
– I had five years after high school, while the others came directly from high school. Being a bit older was a huge advantage for me. I had a calmness in myself and could say yes and no to social activities. I mostly stuck to my closest friends from home, who were also studying in Denmark. But also my study group, which I saw every day at the study and outside of the study. But if you want, there are plenty of opportunities for social activities with the other students.
Veterinarian training is demanding with many lectures and a large curriculum, especially in the bachelor's degree. You need to be prepared for that, says Aviaaja Petersen.
– But if you have the interest, it can certainly be done. And when you get to the master's degree, there is lots of practical work, where you start by practicing on teddy bears and dead animals before you are finally allowed to touch live animals. It's incredibly exciting.
Internship and work in Greenland
Along the way, both Aviaaja Petersen and Ivalu Kleemann were doing internships at Donnas Dyreklinik in Nuuk, and they were also both affiliated with the University of Copenhagen's project Qimmeq Health, which has as a veterinary goal to increase the health and welfare of the Greenlandic sled dog, which is done, among other things, through the establishment of temporary veterinary clinics in settlements and towns in the sled dog district.
However, it is the small animals that are of greatest interest to Aviaaja Petersen. The dream is therefore to become part of a veterinary practice and perhaps supplement it with work for the food authorities. She hopes that more young people will open their eyes to veterinary studies.
– I don't think you ever have a boring day as a veterinarian. There are many opportunities, and if you like working with your hands, solving tasks and helping to ensure that animals are better off, then it is a really good profession, says Aviaaja Petersen.
