Iain Chynoweth

Iain Chynoweth (class of ’87) agreed to share some memories of time at The Pillars and his career as a vet.

Where do you live now Iain?

Since 1995 I have lived in Calgary, Alberta Canada, a city of about 1.4 million people that lies at the confluence of the Bow and Elbow rivers and is about a one-hour drive east of the Rocky Mountains at the transition between the Rocky Mountain Foothills and the Canadian Prairies.

Where did you go after leaving school?

After leaving the High School in 1987 I lived in Glasgow and studied Veterinary Medicine for five years at the University of Glasgow Veterinary School before graduating in 1992. From 1992 to 1995 I lived in Hong Kong and worked for the RSPCA.

What was your happiest school memory?

I have many good memories of my time at DHS and made many lifelong friends there. One of my happiest memories was the rugby tour that I was able to participate in that took us to Vancouver and Vancouver Island in autumn 1986. This may have inspired my decision to move to Canada almost 10 years later.

What clubs, sports etc did you get involved in?

I played rugby for the school and for the Midlands District and I also played basketball. In the summer track and field season I enjoyed shot put and javelin.

Best song from your school days and why?

This Is the Day by The The – a great song reflecting on nostalgia and opportunity. I went on a road trip to the Highlands with my brother and his friend Alan Macintosh when I was at school and this was in the tape deck. The song still makes me think of those magical days.

What inspired you to become a vet?

I always had a passion for science and veterinary medicine brought together my fascination with living creatures and the ability to make their lives better by treating their illnesses and relieving their pain. Veterinary Medicine involves complex problem solving and I still find this to be intriguing and satisfying, despite its many challenges.

You devote some time to teaching young people, any advice for anyone thinking of a career in veterinary medicine? What skills should they learn that will help them?

Part of my job involves teaching final year veterinary students and mentoring younger veterinarians and we do have high school students in our practices who want to learn more about a career in veterinary medicine. I would encourage anyone interested in a career in the veterinary profession to talk to their local practice and try to spend some time there to get a better understanding of what is involved with the job. There are many opportunities to do this with companion animal practices (dogs, cats and exotics), equine and farm animal practices and even specialty and 24-hour hospitals. This will help to get a good perspective on what happens in a veterinary practice and what the career opportunities are. Talking to any current veterinary students can also be helpful if that is possible. Academic results are also important for admission, though this is definitely not the only parameter that a university program selection committee looks at. The selection process for a veterinary program will typically also involve an interview so gaining a comfort level with speaking to others on topics that you have just been introduced to is a useful skill. Participating in debate and public speaking is a good way to practice this. A degree in Veterinary Medicine can lead to many diverse career opportunities, work in private practices as a General Practitioner, as a specialist, opportunities in academia, working for a pharmaceutical company, working in Government or many other business areas.

Any embarrassing moments?

I once attended to an Elk that had been hit by a car on my way back from skiing in the mountains. The Elk was lying flat on the highway, completely unconscious and I proclaimed it to be deceased and directed the other drivers that we should drag it off the highway so that it would not cause an accident. As we grabbed the legs of the Elk and started to pull, it promptly stood up, blinked a couple of times and ran off down the road, jumping over the fence next to the highway and across a field, while I retreated back to my vehicle, a bit embarrassed but happy that the Elk was alive.

If you weren’t a vet what would you want to be and why?

I honestly can’t think of anything else that I would do – I love this profession and am humbled every day by the animals that allow us to examine and treat them and by their ability to heal and respond to treatments that they are prescribed. The owners that we work with are amazing too and we could not do what we do without them.

What’s great about Calgary?

Calgary is a diverse and growing city that has doubled in size in the time that I have lived here. We get the extremes of the seasons with hot dry summers and cold even drier winters. There are many sports and activities to participate in within and around Calgary from road and mountain biking, climbing and mountaineering, skiing and snowboarding, fishing and other water sports, to name just a few. The people in Calgary are very friendly and helpful and our city has been ranked as one of the best places to live in the world based on multiple quality-of-life assessments.

Would you like to become our Calgary Alumni Ambassador as a contact for anyone relocating there?

Yes – I would be very happy to do this (see page 10 about Alumni Ambassador).