Wild at Heart: Julia Garrow is Proving That Passion and Positivity Still Belong In Veterinary Medicine

Julia Garrow grew up watching The Crocodile Hunter on Animal Planet, wide-eyed and full of wonder. While most kids saw danger in the wild creatures Steve Irwin wrangled, Julia saw a calling. Now, as a third-year veterinary student at Iowa State University, she is turning that childhood dream into a lifelong mission, despite the noise from those who tried to dim her light along the way.

"The biggest problem in veterinary medicine isn’t burnout or student debt," Julia says. "It’s the negativity from within the profession."

She is not naïve about the hardships of veterinary life. Julia has heard it all — from the naysayers who doubted her chances of getting into vet school to those who warned she would never make money or find happiness in this career. But to her, this negativity doesn’t just discourage students. It jeopardizes the future of the profession.

"I already deal with the challenges," she says. "But to hear constant reminders of why I shouldn’t be here, especially from other vets, hurts more than it helps. We need to share what’s good about this profession."

And for Julia, there is so much good. Whether she is interning at the Ross Park Zoo, studying for her next exam, or dreaming of future fieldwork with big cats or great apes, her passion for wildlife conservation burns bright. Inspired by her heroes Steve Irwin and Jane Goodall, she hopes to one day travel the world as a veterinarian, supporting conservation through hands-on medicine and research.

Julia’s journey began in the Finger Lakes region of New York and took root during her undergraduate years at SUNY Cortland, where she majored in Conservation Biology with a minor in Chemistry. Now at Iowa State, she is tracking Mixed Animal Medicine and staying open to all the directions this career could take — whether that’s specializing, joining the military, or venturing into emergency medicine.

"I’m not 100 percent sure where I’ll land in five years," she admits. "But that’s the beautiful part. Veterinary medicine allows you to change paths, grow, and explore."

If vet med hadn’t worked out, Julia says she would probably be a criminal investigator. "I love problem-solving. It’s why I love medicine, and why I binge crime documentaries in my free time."

Whether she’s following clues or chasing dreams, one thing is clear: Julia Garrow is bringing heart, hope, and healing to a profession that needs it now more than ever.

And she’s just getting started. No wonder why she was selected to be a 2026 Vet Candy Rising star!