The value of mentorship -- Abigail Penney-Wiseman
August 21, 2026
Abigail Penney-Wiseman, AVC 2027, travelled to Port Hope Simpson as one of the student participants on the Chinook Project. As part of the experience, the students craft various pieces of writing.
Before the Chinook Project, I had some anxious feelings surrounding surgery, specifically spay surgery , or ovariohysterectomy. My surgical experience was limited, and I was acutely aware of how careful and precise every step needed to be. A mistake during a procedure could have serious consequences. I had practiced suturing on synthetic skin and mentally rehearsed the steps of a spay countless times, but I knew that no amount of preparation could replace actually performing the procedure. I worried that my lack of experience would slow the team down and prevent us from helping as many animals as possible.
On the very first day of the clinic, I had the opportunity to scrub in for a dog spay of a sweet, two-year-old Chihuahua named Dottie. Dr. Jackson patiently walked me through each step, encouraging me to ask as many questions as I needed. Initially, I would complete a few parts of each surgery and observe the rest. During my first spay, I located the uterus using a spay hook and ligated the uterine body with guidance. By my next surgery, I was entering and closing the abdomen. Being able to practice individual components of the procedure without the pressure of completing the entire surgery efficiently gave me the opportunity to build confidence. It also showed me the value of good mentorship. Having someone who encouraged questions, knew when to provide guidance, and recognized when it was time to step back and let me learn through experience made an enormous difference in my learning.
After the first few days, we began pairing up so that two students would perform each surgery together. I was becoming more confident with the general steps of a spay, but I still struggled whenever I encountered something different from what I had seen before. Many of the animals had anatomical variations, particularly depending on where they were in their heat cycle, and even small differences would make me second guess myself. Having another student beside me to talk through decisions, bounce ideas around, or simply confirm knot security was incredibly helpful. What surprised me most was how supportive my classmates were. Everyone brought different strengths to the team, but everyone also had areas where they were still learning. While some students felt comfortable performing a solo spay almost immediately, they might have had little experience with dog neuters or lacked confidence placing IV catheters. We all had different skills to contribute and different skills we wanted to improve, which created an environment where we learned from one another rather than comparing ourselves to each other. I might not have been ready to guide someone through a spay at first, but I could confidently walk them through a dog neuter. That realization helped me appreciate the value of collaboration and reminded me that everyone has something meaningful to teach.
Looking back, one of the most valuable lessons I learned was the importance of working within a supportive team. We were honest about our strengths and weaknesses, asked questions without fear of judgment, and celebrated each other's successes. We encouraged one another, laughed together, and genuinely wanted everyone to succeed. That sense of trust transformed what could have been an intimidating experience into one that was exciting and deeply rewarding. It is something I will prioritize when considering future workplaces, because I now understand how profoundly a supportive team can shape both learning and professional satisfaction. Like everyone, I will encounter challenges. This rotation gave me more autonomy than I had experienced at any point in my veterinary training, and with that autonomy came greater responsibility, including taking ownership of any deficiencies. There were moments that could have had a very different impact on my confidence if they had been met with criticism instead of understanding.
Problems are inevitable in medicine, but I learned that what matters most is how they are handled. Working in an environment where an error is treated as an opportunity for finding a solution, rather than a reason for shame, allowed me to continue learning instead of becoming afraid to try. The Chinook Project challenged me in ways I had anticipated and in many ways I had not. It strengthened my surgical skills and gave me confidence through repetition and hands-on experience, but it also taught me about effective mentorship, the value of teamwork, and the humility required to learn from mistakes. Those lessons will stay with me long after I have forgotten the details of individual surgeries, and they will shape the kind of veterinarian and colleague I hope to become.
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