From the Rainbow State to the Royal Rumble: Deacon Lajala Takes on Brain Smarts
If you’ve ever wondered what happens when a Hawaiian vet student squares off against a fast-paced veterinary game show, Brain Smarts has your answer, and it’s chaos in the best possible way.
The latest episode of Brain Smarts on Vet Candy Radio features Deacon Lajala, a Hawaiian native currently tackling veterinary school at London’s Royal Veterinary College. That alone is impressive. Add a buzzer, rapid-fire questions, and zero mercy, and you get one of the most entertaining episodes yet.
Brain Smarts isn’t your typical sit-back-and-nod vet podcast. It’s a full-on mental workout where guests are challenged to think fast, laugh faster, and occasionally question their life choices. Deacon stepped into the hot seat representing island smarts on an international stage, navigating questions that test everything from core vet med knowledge to the kind of logic that only comes from surviving vet school exams on little sleep.
Throughout the episode, Deacon brings humor, humility, and a refreshingly real perspective on what it’s like to leave Hawaiʻi and train at one of the world’s most well-known veterinary institutions. The contrast between island life and London vet school comes up more than once—and yes, the accents do not make the questions easier.
What makes this episode stand out isn’t just the trivia. It’s watching a vet student who clearly loves what he’s doing lean into the challenge. Deacon doesn’t pretend to know everything, doesn’t panic when the questions get spicy, and doesn’t miss a chance to laugh at himself when vet school reality hits. That energy is exactly what Brain Smarts does best: reminding listeners that learning veterinary medicine can be intense, competitive, and still fun.
For vet students, veterinarians, and anyone who enjoys watching smart people sweat just a little, this episode delivers. It’s part trivia, part vet school survival story, and part friendly showdown—proof that you can be serious about the profession without taking yourself too seriously.
Whether you’re studying for exams, commuting between clinics, or just procrastinating productively, Deacon’s episode of Brain Smarts is worth the listen. Come for the questions. Stay for the laughs. And leave reassured that no matter where you’re training—from Hawaiʻi to London—vet school humbles everyone equally.
Catch the latest Brain Smarts featuring Deacon Lajala now on Vet Candy Radio.
