Veterinary student Ashleigh Bugler grew up in a pub, but with relations on both sides of the family owning farms, she quickly developed a love for animals.

“I would be shipped out to the cousins, so I was always in wellies, running about, and that is what made me want to be a vet,” she says.

She admits she went about studying veterinary the wrong way.

“I was really mathematical in school so my teachers told me to focus on mathematical subjects rather than biology or ag science, saying to get the points and worry about that after.

“However, I really struggled in first year with really basic things others would have known from biology,” she explains.

Despite this, Ashleigh luckily got her course and started in UCD in 2010 and is now in the fourth year of her five-year course. Her work experience during the course has proven invaluable.

“For the first two years, your placement is where you learn to be a farmer, so we had two weeks placement in every enterprise – equine, pigs, cows, sheep, everything. 

“Then in third year, we had clinical experience with a vet for 24 weeks – large, small and equine. I went to Killaloe Veterinary Clinic and have been working there on Saturdays ever since,” Ashleigh says.

The vet clinic is mixed, treating small and large animals. Ashleigh doesn’t feel hindered by her lack of rural background.

“My boss didn’t come from a farm and is a brilliant vet, so it shows you can do it,” she explains.

What did help was making friends in her course and being diligent about her work.

“There are really smart people there and then there are other people who are great with animals and people, so you can all help each other.

“Another thing is to have a good work ethic from the get-go. I found first year really tough and the 12-week semesters go by so fast,” she says.

It is her ambition to go travelling, particularly to New Zealand to see different farm systems over there.

She is also a member of Kincara Macra and plays rugby for University College Dublin.