“As an intern, we walk the clients and their patients through the whole process” said Carly Flink, a junior pre-vet student. “We’ll check them in, we’ll take a history of their animal, and then we’ll present them to the veterinarian to go through the exam. Depending on how comfortable the veterinarian is with you, you may draw blood, give dewormer, and run through an exam with them. After that, we take them to the pharmacy table, get their medications for them, check them out and sign them up for the next clinic if they’d like.”

Dr. Kristin Jankowski, the veterinarian at the helm of the One Health Delaware clinic, is happy to have had the help of UD interns since the clinic began in October 2017.

“They just jump in with both feet, they really soak a lot in,” Jankowski said. “A lot of it’s very new for them and it’s so different from what they can get in other volunteer or classroom experiences.”

One Health Delaware is sponsored by the Delaware Humane Association. Jankowski, who sits on the DHA board, noted that the location of the clinic in Southbridge, Wilmington, was deliberate.

“The Delaware Humane Association is right here in Wilmington and we’re just a couple blocks from the Henrietta Johnson Medical Clinic,” said Jankowski. “This is the community we’re trying to serve, which also is the lowest income area of Delaware. We wanted to make sure we were serving the people that needed the care the most for themselves and their pets.”

This care for the community beyond routine veterinary services is also something that the interns value.

“I thought it’s a really neat way to give back to the community,” said Carolina Graham, a first-year pre-vet student. “My family is from Peru and I’ve seen a lot of poor animals and stray animals on the street. I know it’s hard for people that don’t exactly have the money to get veterinary care, because veterinary care can be very expensive sometimes. This is a really great way to help people who love their pets but just don’t have the means to pay for extra care. That’s what drew me to this program.”

And that care for the community is also a critical component of the One Health concept.

“One Health is multiple professions working together collaboratively for the health of people, animals and the environment,” said Jankowski. So while pets are receiving care, their owners meet with medical providers to check their blood pressure, schedule medical appointments and discuss healthy living habits. UD Cooperative Extension is on hand to help facilitate these discussions.

Aliyah Parsons, a sophomore pre-vet student, participated in a One Health course offered at UD. “The One Health class helped me prepare. I feel more knowledgeable about the concept and feel like I can continue to reach out to people about it,” she said. “My favorite part of this internship is when people from the community thank us for what we’re doing. It’s very rewarding when someone says ‘Oh, I’m glad that you’re here.’”

One Health Delaware is available for residents of the Southbridge community on the first Saturday of each month.