Kaylei Wong

Kaylei Wong graduated from UMass Amherst in 2025 with a Bachelor of Science degree in Pre-Veterinary Science and a minor in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology. She is currently in her second year at Tufts University Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine pursuing a dual degree in the Doctor of Veterinary Medicine and Master’s in Laboratory Animal Medicine programs.

During her undergraduate career, Kaylei had the opportunity to work in several research laboratories, which sparked her appreciation for research. She worked with mice and marmoset animal models, which accelerated her interest in lab animal medicine. A highlight of her UMass career was taking the Research Animal Management course taught by Dr. Nuno Carreiro! These experiences inspired Kaylei to explore how the veterinary field can contribute to animal care while supporting scientific advancement.

In her first year of vet school, Kaylei worked as a Diagnostic Imaging Student Technician at the Tufts teaching hospital on weekends. In this role, she positioned patients for various radiographs and restrained patients for emergency ultrasounds. She enjoyed this position largely due to its hands-on nature and the opportunity to observe different specialty departments throughout the hospital.

After her first year at Tufts, Kaylei spent the summer at Tufts Comparative Medicine Services in Boston to develop a deeper, more well-rounded understanding of the lab animal field. During this time, she rotated through Preclinical, Veterinary, and Husbandry Services. In Preclinical Services, Kaylei monitored and recorded swine anesthesia parameters for surgical studies completed by external research companies. She conducted rodent health surveillance and basic rodent care, such as trimming teeth and nails, with Veterinary Services. She was grateful that this experience exposed her to both the clinical and the administrative responsibilities of a lab animal veterinarian. Kaylei performed several mouse surgeries and ended the summer by performing her first rabbit ovariohysterectomy, which she is still ecstatic about!

During the Fall 2026 semester, Kaylei's master’s coursework focuses on veterinary biostatistics and preventative medicine in lab animal species. Kaylei never expected to learn basic coding in vet school but finds it very interesting and helpful in understanding the statistical justifications used in academic literature.

Outside of coursework, Kaylei is the vice-president of the Tufts Chapter of the American Society of Laboratory Animal Practitioners (ASLAP). She is also a member of the Student Livestock Organization, the WAZE (Wildlife, Aquatics, Zoo, Exotics) Club, and the Reptile and Amphibian Club.

She is excited to see what the rest of vet school has in store for her! She is planning to spend this upcoming winter break at Charles River Laboratory to get a window into the industry perspective of the field. After Kaylei graduates from Tufts, she is planning to pursue a lab animal residency program.