Q and A with Dr. Nicki Humphrey, Orland Vet

Meet Dr. Nicki Humphrey, a veterinarian at Orland Vet Hospital in Orland, CA.

If you were to do a poll on career goals of young people, you can bet that a career as a veterinarian would be at the top of the list. I took a few minutes to ask a new veterinarian about her career.

Dr. Nicki enjoys helping sick animals get better.

Q: How many years of school did it take for you to become a vet?

A: Well besides grade school and high school I completed 5 years of undergraduate studies at Chico State and 4 years in veterinary school at Colorado State.

Q: Do you remember when you decided that you wanted to become a vet?

A: As a kid I was always involved in 4-H and FFA and helped out a lot with my family's cattle ranch so I was exposed to a lot of veterinary work.  I probably thought I wanted to be a vet starting in first or second grade.  But then I decided in high school I liked the idea of being an Accountant so I did my senior project on CPAs. I was signed up to take Ag Business in college and before ever starting switched to Animal Science as a major.  After about 2 months of college I decided to figure out all of the requirements for getting in to vet school and the rest is history. 

Q: Why did you want to become a vet? 

A: Having grown up on a cattle ranch I always enjoyed giving the shots and treating sick animals.  Plus when I was like 8 or 9 we had this puppy, Patches, that I'll always remember. We were out riding the quad at my Grandma's and he was chasing us and we got to the end of the lane and he kept running.  He ran out into the main road and chased a pickup and got run over.  His wounds were fatal, just not instantly fatal and I remember always feeling guilty because I was the one who let him run with us while riding quads and yet there was nothing I could do to save him.

I also went to vet school because it was the next closest town job I could have to maintaining ties to the ranching background I had and I knew the family ranch wouldn't generate enough income to maintain the lifestyle I hoped to have.

Q: What is the best part about your job? 

Working at a desk is not her favorite part of the job.

A: Watching sick patients get better and go home again and having their owners be thankful for your help.

Q: What is your favorite animal to work with? 

A: Hands down I would have to say cows because I feel I can relate so well to ranchers who are down to earth and easygoing.  I have to admit dogs come in a close second, especially the cute little puppies.

Q: If you hadn’t become a vet, what career would you have? 

A: I'd like to think I would have made a great FBI profiler, or maybe just would have stuck with the family ranching business...definitely something in agriculture

Q: What pets do your currently own?

A: I currently have two hyperactive border collies (three if you count the one that is supposed to belong to my sister, but she blames me for bringing it home from the clinic). My dogs' names are Lexie, Ellie Mae and Saddie. I have a horse named Peek-A-Boo.  I also have a few cattle (not that I would consider them pets-more of a second job).  I have a few barn cats.