Dr. Carly Olsen - Veterinarian

When did you know you wanted to be a veterinarian?
I knew I wanted to be a veterinarian when I was 3 years old, and never really considered doing anything else! I grew up with dogs, rode horses, and loved learning about the dairy farm my dad grew up on, where I spent a large majority of my time trying to befriend the barn cats. It feels surreal to finally be living my lifelong dream of helping animals and the people who love them!

What was your favorite thing to learn at school?
I really enjoyed learning about dentistry, endocrinology, and general surgery in school. I prioritized gaining experience with high-quality, high-volume spay and neuter opportunities which was very rewarding!

What is your favorite activity to do during your free time?
I love to spend as much time as I can outside hiking and camping! While my goal is to visit every National Park, I also absolutely love Midwest lake days with paddleboarding, kayaking, or lounging in a hammock. Volleyball is another passion of mine and I enjoy playing in beach leagues as well as competitive indoor and grass tournaments.

What made you decide on Blue Cross Animal Hospital?
I chose Blue Cross Animal Hospital because of the close-knit, supportive, and uplifting environment that I felt from the entire staff! I felt inspired by the strong, compassionate care given to each animal and knew that this was an amazing place to develop my career.

What's the most interesting thing you've learned so far working at BCAH?
I’ve learned a lot of patience while pulling a bot fly larva out of a cat! I’ve also learned how important collaboration is and have greatly appreciated the guidance from colleagues and being able to see the many different ways to practice high-quality medicine.