Alyson Booth isn’t really sure when the dream of becoming a veterinarian took hold in her head, but when it did, it’s one that hasn’t left. 

“I just remember loving animals as a kid and saying I was going to be a vet,” she says. “I never tried to do anything else. I was one of the lucky ones that was able to fulfill my dream.”

After receiving her bachelor’s degree from Sweet Briar College in Virginia, Booth earned her veterinary degree from Ohio State University’s College of Veterinary Medicine. An internship in large animal surgery brought her to the University of Minnesota College of Veterinary Medicine (CVM). 

In the time since, Booth has earned a new title: chief resident. The job comes with administrative duties, such as scheduling labs and on-call staff, but also offers a platform for Booth to work with staff, students, and faculty in pursuit of improving patient care and increasing efficiency. 

“I just want to be a good veterinarian and do right by my patients,” Booth says. “I have pursued all of this training so I can be confident in my knowledge and skill set.”

One of the most exciting aspects of working on the large animal service is the diverse caseload, according to Booth, who adds she’s had the privilege of seeing very unique cases during her time at CVM. 

In addition to her work seeing patients, Booth also plays a role in teaching veterinary students. She recently received the Department of Veterinary Population Medicine’s (VPM) Excellence in Clinical or Diagnostic Teaching, Resident/Intern award. The award is presented to the VPM resident selected by the fourth-year, large animal/mixed track students as the most outstanding clinical teacher during their fourth year of large animal clinical rotations. 

When she’s not treating animals and teaching, Booth enjoys spending time with her yellow lab Posey, her cat Bernice, and her boyfriend’s dogs, Lola and Luigi. Posey often accompanies Booth on hiking excursions.