Winter/Spring 2011 Aesculapian magazine - University of Georgia ...

CVM students following in parents’ footsteps
By Johnathan McGinty
George William Rauton IV, left, with his father, Dr. George Rauton III.
When most people think of the old adage “Like father, like
son,” they probably don’t have veterinary medicine in mind.
For George William Rauton IV (DVM ’11), Phil Good
(DVM ’11) and a host of other students enrolled at the UGA
College of Veterinary Medicine, however, following in the
footsteps of their parents always seemed to be the only logical
career choice.
Rauton’s father, Dr. George Rauton III (DVM ’75),
runs Johnston Animal Hospital in Johnston, S.C., while
Good’s father, Dr. Michael Good (DVM ’78), is the primary
veterinarian at Town and Country Veterinary Clinic in Marietta,
Ga. Dr. Good also founded the Homeless Pets Foundation,
which takes care of abandoned and abused animals. Both are
graduates of CVM.
“It wasn’t your typical childhood,” Phil Good said. “I
remember being frustrated at spending many afternoons helping
out at my dad’s clinic rather than playing with my friends. In
fact, this nearly drove me away from veterinary medicine, and it
wasn’t until I was older and an undergraduate at Georgia Tech –
and once again frustrated, though this time at engineering – that
I realized the many joys of being a veterinarian.”
Likewise, Rauton said he has memories of tagging along with
his father on emergency calls, including one late night visit to help
deliver a calf. Growing up in a small town with an agricultural
base, Rauton saw firsthand the impact of his father’s work.
“I have been overwhelmed by the amount of respect the
community has for my father and how many people have come
to him, not only for help, but also advice,” Rauton said. “This,
too, made a lasting impression on me and has caused me to want
to follow in his footsteps.”
Both Good and Rauton said they were never pressured by
their parents to enter into the field.
“I can still remember going on calls with my dad when
I was younger, and clients asking me if I wanted to be a
veterinarian when I grew up and my answer was always ‘yes,’”
Rauton said. “While in undergraduate school as well as in vet
18 The University of Georgia • College of Veterinary Medicine