More than anything, I think it’s mutual respect. Respect for each other’s strengths, for the moments of doubt, growth, and for the work itself. On March 6th, 2025, I had the opportunity to witness great teamwork in motion while shadowing Dr. Eric Lorens at Rocky Mount Pet Clinic. 

 

When I arrived, Dr. Lorens was already scrubbed in, prepping for a Femoral Head Ostectomy (FHO) for a feline presenting with severe hip dysplasia. I watched as Dr. Lorens and LVT Sara Vaassen moved in sync - anticipating each other's needs. The room felt calm and focused. After brief introductions, I stood quietly in a corner and watched Dr. Lorens and Sara begin their work with the kind of grace that can only come with decades of practice. 

 

Dr. Lorens makes surgery look as simple as tying one’s shoe. Of course, it isn’t. His confidence is not born from ego, but from a career filled with curiosity, discipline, and care. I watched in awe of the focus, precision, and patience in the operation room. 

 

“What’s the cat’s name?”

 

“Ointment… the SPCA likes to give fun names for the animals they take in.” 

 

This made me giggle. Dr. Lorens smiled. 

 

A few moments later, Dr. Danielle Reece, another veterinarian at Rocky Mount entered the room to discuss a patient with Dr. Lorens. I mentioned to her that I am double majoring in Dairy Science and Animal Science at Virginia Tech.

 

Without hesitation, she said, “Wow, you must be wicked smart.” 

 

“Well, my grades would reflect otherwise,” I replied sheepishly.

 

“You know, I was your average C student throughout high school up until college,” Dr. Lorens said. 

 

Before I knew it, he was suturing Ointment back up. 

 

Throughout the day, I watched Dr. Lorens perform various surgeries, take x-rays, make phone calls, engage with his team, and give pets to his dog Cody. With Sara prepping, monitoring vitals, and proactively anticipating what needed to get done throughout the day, the morning went by quickly and smoothly. I met and spoke with a number of the staff at Rocky Mount; many of whom had been working there for over a decade. It felt more like a family than a working environment. Those I spoke with gave me perspective on how working at Rocky Mount compares to working at other clinics. I learned about the differences between working in a privately owned practice as opposed to a corporately owned practice. 

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Dr. Lorens graduated from the Virginia-Maryland College of Veterinary Medicine in 1992 and has been practicing for over 30 years. Dr. Lorens came to own his practice with his wife, Dr. Kathy Lorens, when they moved back to Southwest Virginia after more than a decade in Northern Virginia. Since 2003, he has owned the Pet Clinic of Rocky Mount, where he continues to treat mostly dogs and cats, but over the years has cared for everything from ferrets and sugar gliders to goats and turkeys.

Later in the day, I asked Dr. Lorens what had changed between high school and going back to school. He told me that he almost went to trade school after high school. He always knew he wanted to be a veterinarian, so instead, he became a licensed veterinary technician and worked for about six years in various clinics, including emergency hospitals. Dr. Lorens said that the real change came during his time working as an LVT and, particularly, from the time he spent working alone. 

 

“I’ve always loved working with my hands,” he told me.

 

On weekends, you won’t find Dr. Lorens reading a book. Instead, he’s out tending to the fields, working on a house project, or sitting beside his wife, watching their horses. It was through working alone–when no one else was around to watch or answer questions–that he learned to trust himself. That trust, paired with curiosity, is what carried Dr. Lorens through vet school and into the work he does today.

 

He went back to school for undergrad between community college and eventually graduated from George Mason. He was surprised at his acceptance to the Virginia-Maryland College of Veterinary Medicine on his first try. 

 

Dr. Lorens has a particular interest in surgery, but what struck me most wasn’t just his skill—it was the quiet assurance with which he moved, and the culture he’s cultivated: one rooted in curiosity, shaped by experience, and sustained by mutual respect. 

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I met Dr. Lorens through his daughter, Katie Lorens, a sophomore at Virginia Tech and my teammate on the Virginia Tech Crew Team. We met through the crew team in the fall of 2024 as she was interested in becoming a coxswain. Katie showed tremendous potential—not just as a coxswain, but as someone thoughtful, driven, and who plays to win. 

 

It came as no surprise to me that the same qualities I admired in Katie were mirrored in the way Dr. Lorens carries himself. In the way he spoke about his work—and more so, in the way he spoke about his family. Dr. Lorens has four children, several of whom are currently in veterinary school. He described Katie as “bound and determined” to get into vet school, which stuck with me. She is bound and determined. There was no need for embellishment. Anyone paying attention would be able to feel just how proud Dr. Lorens is of the life he has cultivated. I was inspired, to say the least. 

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The same pride and care that Dr. Lorens takes in his family extends into how he runs his practice. Unlike corporately owned clinics, where treatment decisions are often shaped by strict policies or financial limits, Dr. Lorens has the freedom to choose what matters most. He told me he’d rather perform a surgery at a deeply discounted rate than let cost get in the way of helping an animal in need. This sentiment left me with a lot to consider as I hadn’t quite understood the implications between working at a corporate versus private practice. 

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I left feeling excited. For myself and at the prospect of working alone long enough to develop the confidence and discipline within myself to one day cultivate my own team.