Sierra Temple nee Spangler coming home soon to practice

April 24, 2023

Sierra (Spangler) Temple always wanted a career that would be fulfilling, challenging and rewarding, that built her up personally as well as professionally. Since animals hold a very special place in her heart, working with animals was also desired, which made veterinary medicine her perfect fit. When she graduates from Washington State University later this spring, she'll be Dr. Sierra Temple, and she'll be headed back home to practice at Bonners Ferry Veterinary Clinic.

She is excited with her time as a student closing and her career as a practicing veterinarian coming up in just weeks.

“The focus on hands-on learning has made me feel most prepared for practicing medicine,” she said. “The clinical year in general has increased my confidence and solidified the material we covered in years one through three, and the communication course allowed us to navigate the hard conversations in a forgiving environment.”

She also gives some credit to the countless coffee shops in Moscow and Pullman.

“With the amount of study time veterinary students have, having good study locations is crucial,” she said.

In her spare time, Sierra enjoys backpacking, hiking, swimming, skiing, painting, but most of all, she still loves riding. She and her 12-year-old appendix quarter horse gelding Chester compete in low-level eventing. In addition to Chester, Sierra also owns Pudge, a two-year-old Fjord cross gelding.