Benjamin Donaldson
Watertown
Summary
Compassionate marine biology graduate with experience in animal husbandry and public engagement. Background in emergency veterinary medicine emphasizes commitment to high-quality care for pets and owners during distress. Open to diverse job opportunities to enhance skills and knowledge before pursuing a master's degree.
Overview
9
9
years of professional experience
1
1
Certification
Work History
Veterinary Assistant Level II
VEG ER for Pets
Cambridge
11.2022 - Current
- My responsibilities entail but aren't limited to triaging patients, leading care for hospitalized patients, stabilizing critically ill patients, performing diagnostics and treatments for outpatient care, assisting veterinarians with emergency procedures, ordering and running in-house lab work, taking radiographs to send out for study, filling prescriptions to review with owners and improving customer experience.
- Accomplishments include completion of the RECOVER BLS & ALS CPR certification programs; helping with the training of several new employees; and proficiency in a myriad of clinical skills such as venipuncture, radiography, catheter placement/care, cystocentesis, intubation, sedation monitoring, advanced medical math, cytology/microscopy, patient rounding, operating/troubleshooting monitoring equipment and medication/fluid administration.
Quincy Animal Care Center Husbandry Intern
New England Aquarium
Quincy
05.2021 - 08.2021
- Responsibilities included daily care and maintenance for live animals involving food preparation and feeding, aquarium system cleaning and maintenance, record keeping of system parameters, facility maintenance, and maintaining a suitable quarantine environment.
- Highlights and accomplishments include providing husbandry for several adult cownose stingrays, assisting with restraint for the physical examination of several adult cownose stingrays and assisting with the training of new volunteers.
- Toward the end of the internship, I created a poster to pitch a hypothetical exhibit of my own design to the QACC staff, who provided me helpful feedback on my ideas.
- I also delivered a presentation to other interns from the aquarium in collaboration with a fellow QACC intern during the last few weeks of our experience to share what we learned about the various protocols involved in running a quarantine facility.
Blount Shellfish Hatchery Laboratory Assistant
Roger Williams University
Bristol
10.2019 - 04.2020
- Responsibilities included conditioning and spawning of broodstock shellfish, culturing larval and juvenile shellfish (hard clams, bay scallops, and oysters), algal food preparation and feeding, water quality testing and maintenance, and upkeep of life support filtration systems.
Visitor Services Assistant
MIT Museum
Cambridge
06.2019 - 01.2020
- Responsibilities included greeting visitors, selling admission tickets, ringing up museum store purchases, staffing reception desk, answering visitor questions, and monitoring groups in the galleries during busy periods.
- Employment ended in August due to academic responsibilities and temporarily resumed in December over a winter break.
Wet Lab Husbandry Aquarium Research Assistant
Roger Williams University
Bristol
10.2018 - 12.2018
- Responsibilities included assisting with daily maintenance of lab and employment of proper husbandry techniques entailing food preparation and feeding for ornamental broodstock organisms (mainly clownfish, gobies, peppermint shrimp, and seahorses), water quality testing, tank cleaning, and upkeep of life support systems.
- Position was terminated due to the relocation of many broodstock animals, which resulted in the staff keeping only work-study students with the longest standing in the lab.
West Wing Gallery Teen Intern
New England Aquarium
Boston
09.2017 - 08.2018
- Responsibilities included daily care and maintenance of gallery and holding tank appearance, food preparation and feeding, animal observation to report unusual behavior, collection of elasmobranch eggs laid on exhibit, skimming and siphoning of tanks, and life support system maintenance.
- Accomplishments included successful target feeding of stationary species and notifying staff that a pregnant stingray in holding was in labor and had given birth.
- The experience consisted of an academic year internship between the months of September and May, followed by a separate summer internship between the months of June and August.
Visitor Education Teen Intern
New England Aquarium
Boston
06.2017 - 08.2017
- Responsibilities included interpreting exhibits, providing conservation messaging, and facilitating activities for aquarium visitors.
- Accomplishments include proficiency in explanation of multiple galleries and running cart activities independently.
Education
Bachelor of Science - BS - Marine Biology and Biological Oceanography
Roger Williams University
Bristol, RI05-2022
Some College (No Degree) - Marine Biology and Biological Oceanography
Boston University
Boston, MASkills
- Triage
- Venipuncture
- Radiographic imaging
- Lab sample collection
- Cytology/microscopy
- Intravenous catheterization
- Fluid administration
- Sedation monitoring
- Advanced medical math
- Time management
- Client communication
Certification
Open Water Scuba Diver
Awards
- Dean's List, 11/01/19
- Dean's List, 05/01/20
- Dean's List, 05/01/21
- Dean's List, 05/01/22
Current Position
Veterinary Assistant Level II at VEG ER for Pets
Timeline
Veterinary Assistant Level II
VEG ER for Pets
11.2022 - Current
Quincy Animal Care Center Husbandry Intern
New England Aquarium
05.2021 - 08.2021
Blount Shellfish Hatchery Laboratory Assistant
Roger Williams University
10.2019 - 04.2020
Visitor Services Assistant
MIT Museum
06.2019 - 01.2020
Wet Lab Husbandry Aquarium Research Assistant
Roger Williams University
10.2018 - 12.2018
West Wing Gallery Teen Intern
New England Aquarium
09.2017 - 08.2018
Visitor Education Teen Intern
New England Aquarium
06.2017 - 08.2017
Bachelor of Science - BS - Marine Biology and Biological Oceanography
Roger Williams University
Some College (No Degree) - Marine Biology and Biological Oceanography
Boston University