Leah Sauerwein's secret to being unstoppable

The only thing constant is change, and there are big changes at the helm of veterinary medicine!

Without a doubt, the veterinarian landscape is transforming (in a good way). As time goes on, we are seeing great improvements in areas such as mental health, diversity, equity, and inclusion, mentorship, and so on. And it’s not just practicing veterinarians having an impact. Oftentimes, vet med students are the ones at the forefront of these positive changes.

Leah Sauerwein is one such DVM candidate who is leading the pack!

Originally from St. Louis, Missouri, Leah has already accomplished a lot. She holds degrees in Neuroscience and Psychology obtained from the University of Colorado Boulder. Currently, Ms. Sauerwein is also attending Colorado State University's College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences.

With a graduation date of 2023, this ambitious young student is almost ready to dive into full-time practice…but not quite yet! She still has more goals to crush.

Vet Candy sat down with Leah Sauerwein to discuss her time with Student American Veterinary Medical Association (SAVMA) and hear her thoughts on the power of student advocacy in the profession.

Elevating Voices and Ideas with SAVMA  

Created in 1969, the Student American Veterinary Medical Association (SAVMA) now represents 17,000 veterinary student members and associate members all across the U.S., Canada, UK, and Caribbean.

For Leah, being a SAVMA Chapter President was an honor.

She says, “During my term, our board hosted over 20 events focused on wellbeing, leadership, professional development, and community outreach. Some of the highlights included a college-wide comedy event with Dr. Kevin Fitzgerald, our Spring wellness picnic, VetFest to highlight our club organizations, a salary negotiation workshop, a coffee truck visiting the teaching hospital, and many fitness classes.”

Between studying and classes, Leah understands there is always room for fun!

But that’s not all.

Recently, SAVMA made the official addition of the Chapter President Representative to the National Executive board. This means more open communication, sharing of opinions, and stronger potential to connect grassroot ideas to national implementation.

Indeed, students are powerful advocates.

In fact, Sauerwein once organized a letter-writing campaign regarding the alteration of surgical curriculum at CSU.

She shares, “Students wrote letters to our administration, and ultimately our concerns and suggestions were heard. Since then, students have had avenues to express their opinions on the new veterinary curriculum and new buildings.”

Ultimately, Leah hopes to encourage other classmates and students to step out of their comfort zones and grasp unique opportunities while in veterinary school – like joining their local SAVMA chapter! 

“You Can Do Anything for One Year.” Until You Can’t 

When asked what the biggest problem facing the veterinary field today is, Leah explained:

“Personally, I believe the biggest issue plaguing veterinary medicine from a student perspective is the dichotomy of the desire to increase wellbeing initiatives and the simultaneous contradiction with statements like, ‘You can do anything for one year’ when referring to programs that often overwork and underappreciate new graduates. The reality is that not everyone can do anything for one year, nor should we be expected to. We must also continue being transparent about the importance of mental health and addressing wellbeing in the workplace.”

Leah’s final words of advice?

“Don’t get caught up in what you are supposed to be doing. The key isn’t to always do more, more, and more but to do less so that you can do more of what you care most about.”

A fabulous reminder from a young leader with a bright future.