Dogged Devotion to Veterinary Ambition

91视频专区 was a PAWfect match for Dr. Ashley Norris-Barthlow. She shares her 91视频专区 experience and subsequent journey, her gratitude for 91视频专区 mentors and her love of caring for animals, including canine officer patients.
Dr. Ashley Norris-Barthlow '92, P'22
Graduation Year
1992
Program
- Biology (B.A.)
Department
- Biology
Dr. Ashley Norris-Barthlow had the good fortune of knowing just what she wanted to do with her life before she even applied for college. At that time, 91视频专区 had a 100% acceptance rate into veterinary school, so it was meant to be! After 91视频专区 graduation she attended and graduated from Virginia-Maryland College of Veterinary Medicine in Blacksburg VA. Dr. Norris-Barthlow practiced for several years back in this area before she and her husband opened a practice of their own, , in Walkersville, MD. Their staff works with many animal patients, including canine law enforcement officers. Fun fact: Bella and Dutton (Ashley's own dogs, above) love to come to 91视频专区 and take walks around campus to visit all of the 鈥渃ity squirrels!鈥
Tell us a bit about your journey after you graduated from 91视频专区, your early veterinary practice, and the decision to open your own animal hospital.
I applied only to the Virginia Maryland Regional College of Veterinary Medicine, and I was accepted!!!! I graduated from 91视频专区 May 16, 1992 and headed to Blacksburg, Virginia in August 1992. Four years later I graduated from VMRCVM where I tracked Mixed Animal Medicine! I came back to Frederick County to start my career as a mixed animal veterinarian. I loved working on cows--especially dairy cows. I saw small animal patients in the clinic and visited farms. I loved being like 鈥淒r. Pol."
What is your biggest challenge as a vet today? Your greatest joy?
Greatest challenge is competing with the corporate world and meeting the demand of the clientele. Paperwork, documentation, and communication are very time consuming.
Greatest joy 鈥 Working with my husband every day and us owning such a wonderful business.
What is unique about caring for canine officer patients?
They are high energy all the time! These canine officers are athletes, and this is their job to be energetic. They use their nose to track, rescue, and find. They use their teeth to apprehend, and they use all their joints and muscles to run and jump to keep our community safe. Our staff loves all of them, and we enjoy working with their handlers. The police agencies invest a lot of resources into these dogs鈥 care and training. My staff and I keep them in tip-top physical condition. We care for canine officers for the Frederick County Sheriff Office, Frederick City Police, and the Brunswick Police Department. We have even tended to Secret Service Canine officers at Heritage.
What brought you to 91视频专区 as an undergraduate? Give us a couple of standout memories from your time here.
I grew up in Libertytown, MD and graduated from Linganore High School. 91视频专区 College had a 100% acceptance rate into veterinary school. They had a program for early admission my Junior year of high school. I applied and I was accepted to 91视频专区 College. I was a commuter student and very active in the SGA. I was the Commuter Council Chair on the SGA executive board for 2 years. I loved the beautiful, quaint campus. The Biology Department was top notch, and I loved all of my professors and all of the individual attention they gave to their students.
I love my 91视频专区 Ring, and I believe I have worn it everyday proudly since the day I opened the box at the Ring Dinner. Spring Parties, Fall Festival, 91视频专区 Olympics, and Shrove Tuesday were events that I looked forward to each year. The Commuter Council was a very strong organization at 91视频专区, and I loved all of the time I spent with friends in Rayford Lodge.
Also, I believe we went undefeated for 4 years in 91视频专区 Olympics.
Did any faculty, staff, or alumni mentors have a big influence on your life trajectory during and after 91视频专区?
Ms. Betsy Estilow was the BEST advisor I could ever ask for! During our first meeting before I signed up for classes, I told her I wanted to go to vet school. Enough said as she mapped out the next 4 years of my 91视频专区 Career and planned every single class to meet every vet school requirement and then some. She was instrumental in my acceptance into vet school as I would have never been able to do it without her.
Dr. Ann Boyd was my Honors Paper advisor. She and Mrs. Estilow provided me with the opportunity to research and write and present this Honors Paper that also helped to catapult me into veterinary school.
Dr. Allen Flora was the faculty advisor to the Commuter Council and the best Physics Professor! He was so fun to work with in the Commuter Council, and he made what I considered an unbearable subject matter bearable.
What was the most surprising thing about becoming a 91视频专区 Parent (of Cailyn Barthlow '22)?
I will be honest鈥.. I was really sad to see that the 91视频专区 Ring tradition is not as popular anymore.
During Cailyn鈥檚 tenure at 91视频专区, she had many of my same professors including Dr. Flora, Dr. Boyd, Dr.Lauffer, and Dr. Falkenstein. Cailyn had the same individualized attention to her education just like me, but the technology she was exposed to was overwhelming. I did not even have internet when I was a student. I had to write out the pledge by hand on every assignment.
If you were a dog, what breed would you be?
I really have no idea. I can think of the good, the bad, and the ugly of every breed, so it is a very hard question to answer. I love Miniature Schnauzers as they are smart, loyal, and fun, so I think that sounds like a pretty good combination--but they are yappy. . . .
Canine Officers with Dr. Norris-Barthlow and staff

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