To the average pet owner, this might sound like a harmless inquiry.
But in the tight-knit world of veterinary medicine in the Philippines—where reputation, regionalism, and academic bias still linger—this question carries more weight than people realize.
Especially when it comes from another veterinarian.
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When a Client Asks a Vet:
Sometimes it’s simple curiosity.
Sometimes it’s coded judgment.
Often, it’s a subtle way to measure if you’re “good enough.”
“Galing ba siya sa kilalang school?”
“Di ba ‘yan sa bagong bukas na college?”
“Legit ba ‘yan?”
And the unspoken follow-up thought:
“Kung hindi siya kilala, dapat ba akong magtiwala?”
But When a Fellow Vet Asks Another Vet:
That’s where it can sting even more.
Because we expect the public to be unsure.
But when a colleague sizes us up based on where we graduated—it feels like betrayal.
It implies:
- Hierarchy instead of unity
- Competition instead of collaboration
- Elitism instead of respect
Some may say, “Curious lang naman.”
But let’s be honest—this question is sometimes asked to place someone in a pecking order.
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Real Talk in the Veterinary Community:
There are vets who:
- Lead with their school name before even sharing what they do
- Discredit younger vets from private or provincial institutions
- Assume superiority not based on skill—but on pedigree
And then there are vets who remain quietly excellent—
Working in silence. Saving lives. Earning trust.
Never needing to flex where they came from.
What We Should Be Asking Instead (As Vets):
“Anong field mo?”
“How long have you been practicing?”
“May specialty ka ba or area of interest?”
“Kamusta ang practice sa area niyo?”
These are questions that build connection, not comparison.
Professional respect, not academic ranking.
Growth, not ego.
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Final Thought
In a profession where we’re already underpaid, overworked, and often emotionally drained—the least we owe each other is respect.
Because we’re all in this together.
Regardless of what school was printed on our diplomas,
we all stood in front of the same PRC Board,
faced the same cases, lost the same battles, cried over the same patients.
So the next time you feel the urge to ask “Doc, san ka graduate?”
Ask yourself first:
“Is this about connection… or classification?”
Because at the end of the day,
it’s not about where you started—
it’s about how you practice,
how you serve,
and how you lift the profession with you.
Dr. Geoff Carullo is a Fellow and the current President of the Philippine College of Canine Practitioners.
Sharing this helps others understand what it really means to be a vet. Like and follow if you’re with us.
