Dr. Meredith Hayden’s journey is a thriving success story — spanning multiple states and Thrive hospitals, numerous roles as a vet professional, and a promising trajectory from veterinary school into a DVM role, which she officially embarked on June 1!
A science lover throughout high school, Dr. Hayden planned to shadow a veterinary clinic as well as an OBGYN to help her determine which path she wanted to pursue. When a friend who worked at
Farmington Veterinary Clinic, a Thrive partner in Arkansas, helped land her a job there, her fate was set.
“I never ended up shadowing the human doctor, because I knew I was in the field for me,” she remembers.
She spent her time at Farmington filling in where she was needed most that day, whether it be reception, in the kennel, or assisting in the exam room, deepening her experience with the day-to-day operations of a vet hospital as she prepared for her next step.
When it came time for her to enter veterinary school at The University of Tennessee College of Veterinary Medicine in Knoxville, Dr. Hayden recounts feeling stressed about the financial burden of not having a job lined up before moving to a new city.
Enter Nancy Woodward, practice manager at Farmington, who graciously took the time to search out Thrive hospitals near the University of Tennessee and reach out to
Powell Animal Hospital, just down the road from the university.
“I’m really grateful for Nancy – it was huge weight lifted off my shoulders when she told me they were looking for someone, and I loved how easy and streamlined the process was when I transferred to Powell.”
The Powell Animal Hospital team is equally appreciative of Nancy’s thoughtfulness and foresight: “We are grateful for the internal referral as Meredith has been a tremendous asset to us,” says Dr. Janell Peterson, medical director at Powell.
Dr. Hayden is humble when she speaks about her time working at Powell during veterinary school, emphasizing how her experiences there helped complement her veterinary education.
“During my preclinical phase of vet school, I would sit in lecture in the morning and learn about a new disease and then see it in real life later that afternoon — it was a very interactive method of studying for me.”
To hear Dr. Peterson tell it, Dr. Hayden shined for her exceptional tenacity and commitment to the profession.
“During the four years she was in veterinary school, Meredith worked as many hours as she could in whatever capacity we needed her. She never retreats from a challenge and has managed both her academics and her employment while achieving great success in both.”
As graduation began approaching this year, Dr. Peterson says it was a natural step to move Dr. Hayden into a DVM role at Powell where she was already a trusted, accepted, and appreciated part of the team.
Dr. Hayden describes the offer as “surreal” and is excited to take on this new adventure — “I feel SO grateful that I can walk into my career knowing with 100% certainty that I will be getting incredible mentorship.”
She wears the title “Thriver” proudly as she looks back at her journey.
“Thrive has been a part of my journey every step of the way so far! My experiences with Thrive hospitals are why I applied to vet school and how I excelled during my time there. Thrive has provided me with a constant support system since I decided to pursue veterinary medicine.”
As of June 1, Dr. Hayden is officially a veterinarian on the Powell Animal Hospital team. This excitement has been months in the making, as last February, her Powell teammates hosted a special “Signing Day” to celebrate her achievement.
“We wanted to be able to commemorate her first official job as a DVM in a special way that she would always remember. She has worked countless hours to get to this point, and it's time for her to reap the rewards,” shares Dr. Peterson.
Signing Day was a complete surprise for Dr. Hayden, whose joy is palpable, even in photos. “I felt so special! Getting to share that moment with doctors, technicians, and receptionists I had been working with for years was really sentimental.”
Facing all the promise in the world as she begins her career as a veterinarian, Dr. Hayden is looking forward to introducing new and innovative approaches she’s picked up through externships and working with specialists in veterinary school, enhancing the gold standard medicine Powell Animal Hospital already practices.
Experiences like Dr. Hayden’s remind us why we’re so grateful to be part of the Thrive community — to support, inspire, and learn from one another as we build meaningful relationships with clients and offer exceptional pet care.
“Meredith’s story is truly a testament to the culture of Thrive,” says Dr. Peterson. “With eager anticipation, we’ve been looking forward to her first scheduled day as Dr. Hayden!”
Join us in congratulating Dr. Hayden and cheering on the many successes sure to come as she continues her journey in vet med. Keep thriving, Dr. Hayden!
