Dr. Jennifer Garcia: A diabetic cat, a new direction, and a deeper appreciation for home
Dr. Jennifer Garcia’s path into veterinary medicine began with a personal question: How could she better care for her diabetic cat?
She started working at a veterinary clinic to learn more. What began as a way to help her own pet became a career she wanted to pursue. While studying at the University of New Mexico, she worked two jobs, gradually stepping away from her office job at the labs as her interest in veterinary medicine grew.
“I figured there has to be something more exciting and that was the vet field,” she recalls.
Leaving New Mexico—and appreciating it more
Dr. Garcia went to Washington State University eager to explore somewhere far from New Mexico. Traveling home for the holidays made that distance feel very real. It also gave her a deeper appreciation for New Mexico’s landscape, sunsets, and family.
Today, helping patients and understanding what they and their families are going through are among the parts of veterinary medicine she values most. With two cats and two dogs of her own, she knows the concerns that come with caring for an animal you love. That experience informs the empathy she brings to her work.
Seeing the care behind the scenes
Dr. Garcia hopes clients will pause to appreciate everything veterinarians do for their patients and families, including the work that happens behind the scenes. She wants them to know that veterinarians are doing their best to provide the best standard of care. She also hopes veterinarians can feel that their efforts are enough.
Her advice to colleagues offers a practical way to remember the impact of that work: Keep the thank-you cards, keepsakes, and kind comments from clients. On a difficult day, those reminders can help you see that you made a difference.
That advice connects with the philosophy she brings to patient care: Treat every animal as you would your own—with respect, love, and the utmost care.
Helping the next veterinarian find their way
Asked how NMVMA can support the profession’s future, Dr. Garcia points to guiding new veterinarians, keeping them informed, and helping them find resources and mentors. Her answer reflects the value of having people and information to turn to as a career develops.
Outside of work, she enjoys baking, making jewelry, and reading books. Coffee is her preference, and if she had chosen another career, she says she would have been an engineer at the labs.
From learning to manage her own cat’s diabetes to caring for patients at Smith Veterinary Hospital, Dr. Garcia’s story brings a personal perspective to veterinary medicine: the desire to help, the empathy that comes from caring for your own animals, and the importance of remembering the good you do.
Thank you, Dr. Garcia, for sharing your story with the NMVMA community.
Your story helps put a face to veterinary medicine in New Mexico.
NMVMA Member Spotlights are a key part of our public awareness campaign, helping people get to know the professionals caring for animals and serving communities across our state. Sharing your experiences builds understanding and trust, supports our advocacy efforts, and strengthens NMVMA’s role as a trusted community voice.