Returning home
Lauren Darwin is a fourth semester Rossie originally from Callahan, Florida.
Her adventurous spirit was birthed in the small town where she grew up and from an early age, she knew that she wanted to explore and impact the world.
Education was her ticket to achieving her goals. While in high school, she studied hard and earned a full-ride scholarship to the University of Florida. While at the University of Florida, she studied evolutionary anthropology which is the evolution of human and nonhuman primates. She worked as a veterinary technician and was engaged in research before finishing at the University of Florida.
Lauren is a first-generation college graduate in her family.
After graduation, Lauren moved to St. Kitts, then to Toronto, Canada, then to Phoenix, Arizona, and then made her way back ‘home’ to St. Kitts to start veterinary school.
According to Lauren, “it only made sense that I ended up moving to an island with more monkeys than people.”
What she loves about Ross Vet
I love the incredible biodiversity of the island. It was one of the main reasons I applied to study here!
I also love the sense of community and the entire “island family” vibe. No one else knows what we are going through unless you’ve been isolated on an island with frequent power/water/internet outages studying veterinary medicine in an accelerated program. These people understand your struggles, and your insane amount of dedication and perseverance—and they share the irreplaceable love we all have towards the island. Because of this, I know the future of vet med is in great hands.
Lauren’s favorite spot on the island
Gong Beach!
“It’s usually empty and on occasion, perfect for surfing. It’s the perfect place if you want to avoid the crowds and reconnect with nature.”
Her advice on succeeding at Ross Vet
- Stay on top of the material!
- Be ADAPTABLE—almost nothing will turn out the way you plan. As soon as you let go of the idea of how things ‘should’ be and you accept them for how they are and learn to embrace it, you will become stronger and more resilient than you ever thought was possible.
Follow Lauren’s journey through veterinary school on Instagram @laurendarwin and @theoutdoorsvet where she shares photos of nature, animals, conservation tips, and mental health hacks!
