He added that pre-vet advising at Harvard is adequate if students make an effort to utilize resources. OCS provides one-on-one appointments, alumni contacts, and a handout with volunteer opportunities and application details.

Georgi says she’s noticed an increase in the number of students seeking pre-vet advice in the last two years, and Glenn says he’s hopeful that the Pre-Vet Society will help OCS reach more pre-vets in the future.

But at this point, Xie says she thinks pre-vets are somewhat “left in the dark.”

TAKING IT INTO THEIR OWN HANDS

Laura G. Pena ’13 and Ludwick settle into beanbag chairs in Leverett Common Room for the Pre-Vet Society’s weekly meeting. The radiator hums loudly as Xie settles onto the floor with her laptop.

“Is anyone interested in testifying for a bill to guarantee healthcare for elephants?” Xie asks the small group of regulars, referring to an actual event on Nov. 16.

After Xie reminds the group to apply for shifts at a local cat shelter, discussion turns to a wildlife internship in Africa available for next summer.

These Pre-Vet Society meetings and events are key parts of Xie’s effort to bring Harvard’s pre-vets out of obscurity.

“We’re very isolated, which gives us the impression that there are none of us,” she said. “That’s probably not true —we just can’t find each other.“

While the Society is still in the process of being approved as a student organization by the Undergraduate Council, the club has been active, touring the Tufts vet school and inviting an alumnus to talk about his pre-vet experience at Harvard.

Xie says she is anxious to extend the pre-vet conversation to the greater Harvard community.

“I think a lot of the students here look at me and say ‘Why don’t you just be a doctor?’” she says. “But I’m really interested in helping animals. I’m going to throw salary out the window and go for it.”