Dahil sa pagpasok ni Lans Nagal sa Pinoy Big Brother, may mga netizens na kumukuwestiyon sa kanyang pagiging matalino, pati na sa kanyang pag-aaral ng Veterinary Medicine.
But here’s something the public needs to understand.
Being delayed in veterinary school does not automatically mean a student lacks intelligence.
In fact, there is something many people outside our profession probably don’t know.
Veterinary Medicine is a six-year professional degree program in the Philippines.
Hindi ito ordinaryong apat na taong kurso.
Students must study anatomy, physiology, microbiology, pathology, pharmacology, parasitology, surgery, internal medicine, reproduction, public health, and many other disciplines.
And unlike human medicine, veterinary students must learn about diseases affecting multiple animal species.
According to the official curriculum of Visayas State University, its DVM program contains 243 academic units.
That’s six years of intensive scientific education, clinical training, examinations, and practical requirements.
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Bakit maraming nade-delay sa VetMed?
Here’s something interesting.
In its admission and retention policy, Visayas State University acknowledged that its veterinary medicine program had generally low on-time graduation and completion rates among student cohorts examined from academic years 2011–2012 through 2018–2019.
The university recognized academic difficulties and other institutional challenges affecting students’ progress.
Students can experience delays for various reasons.
Some fail demanding subjects. Others encounter financial difficulties, personal circumstances, unavailable course slots, or difficulties completing academic requirements.
And yes, sometimes students simply need more time to master difficult subjects.
But failing a subject is not the same as having low intelligence.
A 2026 scientific review published in Veterinary Sciences explained that veterinary education involves intense academic demands, frequent examinations, financial pressures, and significant psychological stress.
It also emphasized that grades alone cannot capture important qualities such as resilience, adaptability, motivation, and communication skills.
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Vet Source will launch this coming November 2, 2026.
Now, let’s talk about Lans.
Lans Nagal is not yet a licensed veterinarian.
She is a veterinary medicine student at Cavite State University.
A July 2026 profile identified her as a fifth-year student, a scholar, a student-athlete, and a former student government senate president.
She also uses social media to communicate scientific information to a wider audience.
Her exact academic timeline and any alleged delay have not been independently established by the sources reviewed for this article.
But even assuming she experienced academic delays, would that automatically make her unintelligent?
Absolutely not.
You can criticize her behavior inside the PBB house.
You can dislike her personality.
You can question the accuracy of her educational content.
Those are legitimate subjects for discussion.
But using someone’s academic timeline to ridicule their intelligence is an entirely different matter.
And let’s be clear about another thing.
Being articulate does not automatically make someone an excellent veterinary student. But being academically delayed does not automatically make someone a poor one either.
Those are separate issues.
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Here’s my point.
I’ve been in veterinary practice for more than two decades.
I know that graduating on time is an achievement worth celebrating.
But I also recognize that some students encounter setbacks before eventually becoming competent professionals.
We should maintain high academic standards without treating every academic setback as proof of intellectual failure.
Veterinary medicine requires knowledge, discipline, clinical judgment, communication, and continuous learning.
A student’s academic history deserves a more thoughtful assessment than a few social media comments.
To the public criticizing veterinary students for taking longer to graduate:
You don’t have to admire Lans.
You don’t have to support her in PBB.
But please understand the demands of veterinary education before using academic delays as an insult.
And to every veterinary student struggling to finish the course:
Being delayed does not define your intelligence. What matters is whether you eventually acquire the knowledge, competence, and professional responsibility required to care for your future patients.
Because in veterinary medicine, the ultimate goal isn’t simply to graduate first.
It’s to become a veterinarian worthy of the responsibility that comes with the title.
References
- Visayas State University — Veterinary Medicine Admission and Retention Policy. Documents challenges with on-time graduation and completion.
- Visayas State University — DVM Curriculum. Confirms the six-year curriculum and 243 academic units.
- Veterinary Sciences (2026) — Admissions Profiles, Academic Stress, and Student Outcomes. Peer-reviewed review discussing academic performance, stress, resilience, and professional development.
- SPOT.ph — Who Is LANS? July 1, 2026. Documents Lans Nagal’s educational background and accomplishments.
Sharing this helps others understand what it really means to be a vet. Like and follow if you’re with us.
Dr. Geoff Carullo is a Fellow and the current President of the Philippine College of Canine Practitioners.
