The British Royal Veterinary College each year admits as little as five students from abroad, and among its 2018 intake is a student from Dulwich International High School Suzhou, here in our very own Jiangsu province.
The lucky recipient, Sylvia Huang, has loved both medicine and small animals from a very early age. With her grandfather a Chinese medicine practitioner, this became the first profession that young Sylvia was able to recognise. Thus, a seed planted in her mind has now grown to fruition.
In her biology classes, when the teacher explained the human body, with its blood flowing quietly and the sounds of breathing, Sylvia felt the rhythm of life. Since that time, she strengthened her determination to become a veterinary doctor.
As a child, Sylvia loved animals and kept countless pets that she cared for attentively. In high school, she often went to the local pet hospital to learn and practice veterinary care skills, delighting in watching small animals get better. “Although this seems like a very niche specialty, it is my real interest”, she said.
Last summer, Sylvia visited Bali to participate in turtle rescue activities. According to her, turtle rescue is actually a very challenging but deeply repetitive task. Newly hatched baby turtles were released back into the sea every day and their pool required regular cleaning. “Although it is a little bit of a trifle, I feel I took a step toward helping small animals improve their living conditions.”
In December of last year, Sylvia went to Chengdu Giant Panda Base as a volunteer on her own. “I have always felt that the giant panda is so cute. I just happened to see the relevant recruitment information and applied without hesitation.” At the base, her daily work was to rake bamboo, tidy up the cage and make food for the panda. “When I finished my work, I loved to observe at them and although the works was difficult I loved being close to them.”
There, Sylvia also began to gain a deeper understanding of what it means to be a vet. “Caring for small animals is a kind of love. The so-called kindness is more about treating people and animals with equal respect. It is not only about caring for them, but also respecting their living habits.”
The British Royal Veterinary College is widely known as the cradle of veterinarians. It is one of the best veterinary research centres in Europe and is Britain’s oldest and largest veterinary school.
