Zoo InternQuest is a seven-week career exploration program for San Diego County high school juniors and seniors. Students have the unique opportunity to meet professionals working for the San Diego Zoo, Safari Park, and Institute for Conservation Research, learn about their jobs, and then blog about their experience online. Follow their adventure here on the Zoo’s website!
For many people, pursuing your dream career is a difficult task. Dr. Marinkovich does what he loves everyday as a veterinarian at the San Diego Zoo. With hard work and an enduring enthusiasm for veterinary medicine, Dr. Marinkovich helps all sorts of animals at the Zoo.
Dr. Marinkovich developed a passion for animals after visiting the Zoo, the San Diego Zoo Safari Park, and SeaWorld as a child. Matt Marinkovich is in his second year of his zoological residency at the San Diego Zoo. Growing up in San Diego, Dr. Marinkovich attended college in Santa Barbara for his undergraduate degree, where he majored in natural history. It wasn’t until his last year of college that he decided he wanted to pursue a career as a veterinarian. Following this decision, Dr. Marinkovich attended the Cornell University College of Veterinary Medicine. Originally, Dr. Marinkovich was pursuing a Ph.D in marine mammalogy, although he liked the problem-solving and research aspects of veterinary medicine. Enjoying every minute of vet school, Dr. Marinkovich never lost his passion for animals. After vet school, Dr. Marinkovich pursued an internship, or an intensive training period. The first was a general internship in New York, followed by specialty training, and finally his current residency through UC Davis and the Zoo. One of his first cases as a resident was a sick ring tailed lemur named Matthew, who Dr. Marinkovich helped restore to normal health.
A typical day for Dr. Marinkovich begins at 7 A.M. preparing for procedures throughout the day. After these preparations, there is an hour-long meeting discussing patients. Throughout the morning, Dr. Marinkovich performs various procedures and travels out onto the grounds of the Zoo to check on his other patients not at the hospital. He then checks on the overnight patients, followed by afternoon antibiotics for grounds cases and meetings with curators, as cases are constantly changing. Dr. Marinkovich works on medical records until the early evening, and plans procedures for the following days and weeks.
Dr. Marinkovich enjoys the team aspect and community here at the Zoo. From his experience, Dr. Marinkovich knows that becoming a vet can have negative effects on mental health, as would any doctor dealing with life or death situations. Some people become emotionally attached to the animals, making it difficult in these life and death scenarios. Dr. Marinkovich mentioned that while many people want to become veterinarians because of the limited contact with people, this field requires communication with keepers, coworkers, and families. For those wanting a career in veterinary medicine, Dr. Marinkovich advises you to know how you function as a person. He also recommends exposure to as much veterinarian medicine as possible, from working at animal shelters to animal emergency rooms.
As a veterinarian, Dr. Marinkovich helps countless animals every day. It is important for everybody in the veterinary field to understand themselves when it comes to the constant life or death situations. Regardless of the challenges of veterinary medicine, being a veterinarian seems less like a job for Dr. Marinkovich and more living out his passion for animals.
Meghan, Career Team
Week Three, Winter Session 2018
