jackson ralston

Jackson Ralston is a 2015 graduate of Blue Valley South West and CAPS Veterinary Medicine. He is currently a student at Kansas State University and was recently accepted into the hyper-competitive Early Admissions Program for Pre-Veterinary Scholars. Established in 1999, the goals of the Early Admissions Program are to recruit exceptional candidates for admission to the College of Veterinary Medicine, maintain their career focus on veterinary medicine, and provide experiences that will direct them towards advanced clinical and research training to produce leaders of tomorrow in veterinary medicine. As a Pre-Veterinary Scholar, not only is Jackson assured a spot in the College of Veterinary Medicine, but he also works with faculty and student mentors who support his career development by facilitating an externship program and identifying research opportunities. In addition to his major in Animal Sciences, Jackson in minoring in Leadership & Business to prepare him to ultimately own his own small or mixed animal practice.

Jackson had extensive experience working in a veterinary clinic before coming to CAPS, but his semester in the CAPS Vet Medicine program allowed him to broaden his knowledge by working with a wide variety of industry experts and resources. This allowed him to build and expand on the work that he had already done. He also had the opportunity to focus on research, doing his Vet Med CAPstone on dysautonomia, a canine neurological disease. There are several unique aspects of CAPS which Jackson cited as helping him prepare for the rigors of college including the emphasis on time management and collaboration.