Following their graduations from Iowa State University College of Veterinary Medicine (ISU) and the University of Minnesota College of Veterinary Medicine (UMN), Dr. Jillian Fisher and Dr. Dennis Fischer, respectively, joined the Harmony Veterinary Clinic.
It’s quite a coincidence that the clinic ended up hiring two vets with similar last names. The only distinction between them is a single letter, “C.” In this article, they’ll be distinguished as Jillian and Dennis for clarity.
Let’s meet the new vets.
Jillian proudly shared that she is the first in her family to pursue a career involving animals. Both she and her sister chose paths involving animals, despite having only owned a pug named Oscar who lived to be 15 years old.
“I’ve been saying that I wanted to be a veterinarian since I was a little girl. I don’t think I’ve ever swayed from that or said I wanted to be anything else. My experiences in clinics and on farms over the years during my training have taught me that vet med is as much about helping the animals as it is about helping people. Whether it be helping an owner care for their best friend, or helping ensure food safety for the greater community, I’m glad this profession will allow me to play a small role,” explained Jillian.
Jillian will divide her time between caring for both small and large animals.
While pursuing her undergraduate degree in Animal Science at the University of Vermont, Jillian actively participated in the CREAM (Cooperative for Real Education in Agricultural Management) program. As one of 15 students responsible for managing the on-campus dairy farm alongside herd managers and professors, she engaged in various tasks, from milking the cows to assisting with veterinary checks. These experiences strengthened her passion for large animal medicine.
Following her undergraduate studies, Jillian undertook a summer internship titled BVIP (Bovine Veterinary Internship Program) at ISU. She explained, “I spent the entire summer constructing and completing my own research project, involving Bovine Respiratory Disease and calves as well as assisting with other research projects. That experience exposed me to agriculture in the Midwest and was a huge part of why I want to practice in a rural community.”
Residents will recognize Dennis as he grew up on the family farm outside of Harmony. Dr. Fischer is the grandson of Dr. Bob Peters who along with friend and classmate Dr. Andy Overby bought out a fellow in 1958. Dr. Peters studied biology at Luther College in Decorah and earned his doctorate at UMN College of Veterinary Medicine.
Dennis’ specialty is large animals. He was inspired to enter the field of veterinary medicine by both of his grandpas. “Growing up farming with my grandpa Carl Fischer and admiring the work of my grandpa Bob Peters really set a foundation for me to pursue this career. I understand the emotional and financial struggles farmers and producers go through and I just want to help people is really what it comes down to.”
Following high school, Dennis worked on the family farm alongside his father, but his ambition was always set on attending veterinary school.
He pursued his undergraduate studies in animal science at UMN. Reflecting on his vet medicine journey, Dennis admitted it was challenging, especially the initial years which predominantly focused on small animals, a field he wasn’t as passionate about. However, what sets Minnesota apart, according to Dennis, was the opportunity to specialize during the clinical year. ”You get to track your species in your clinical year,” he explained. “I focused on food animals (beef, dairy, and swine) for the last year-and-a-half of school, and got to do mostly food animals, which was really nice.” To round out his education, he did equine rotations and did equine emergency in Harmony. He also gained extensive experience through rotations at St. Peter, a 10,000 Jersey cow dairy herd.
Dennis further broadened his practical knowledge through a series of externships. These included placement at the Overton Vet Clinic in Nebraska, Waukon, Iowa; Harmony, Northern Valley Lifestock in Plainview, and Caledonia, Minn.
When asked what advice he has for the new vets, Dr. Peters immediately answered that you can’t even talk about that because so much has changed since he was in school, which was over 50 years ago. He explained that when he goes down to the vet clinic now, “Probably 90% of the equipment there, I don’t know what it is.”
The clinic is located at 855 Wicket Dr. NW in Harmony. Contact the staff at (507) 886-6321 or explore harmonycrescovets.com for more information or to schedule an appointment.
Bob Ciullo says
Jillian ..follow your dream and I have no doubt that you will do an outstanding job. The sky is the limit for you. Congratulations to your mother, father and sister and grandparents for your success as well.