(Fave Intro) *VET MEDICINE IS DIRTY:
Any veterinarian worth their salt will tell you that they love bodily fluids. In my ten years of experience I have not encountered a veterinarian that does not take great satisfaction in draining an abscess and seeing copious amounts of pus. In my daily duties as a veterinary assistant I see urine, feces, vomit, and blood, and do not think twice. Many times I am adorned with the afore-mentioned substances, but even then I find it amusing. Talking about such things at meal time is a notorious offense of mine, but being socially correct can be a challenge when you are so excited about all that you see in the veterinary world. It is this sick fascination that led me to imagine what I would be like if I were an animal staying long term at a veterinary hospital.
Paragraph 1: Love animals–> Got involved, still liked it
walk in mud, then jump on walker =
pee from 3rd high cage = keep your sense of humor in job and in life
eat til you puke = if you find something you like, enjoy it to the fullest
Paragraph 2: Moved to Missouri for Animal Science program and w/hope of vet school & had to work for all funds
paint cage walls = use your iconoclasm to your advantage and customize surroundings to your liking
spin on leash = rebelliously follow your own path, even if others question it
bite = stand up to the challenge
Paragraph 3: Failed to get into vet school–> Saint George Loan crisis–> still motivated
spill water and food = never settle for less than the best
drool everywhere = keep that desire and have the dream in mind
walk around people or objects = work WITH obstacles instead of against them
Conclusion
As I learned during my work with a high volume of boarding and hospitalized animals, starting at a loud and foul-smelling kennel full of complaining cats and dogs, then working hard and leaving that same place with animals that were walked and fed, each cage shiny and clean, the back rooms organized and smelling fresh, every treatment crossed off the list is very satisfying. If the job started out fast and simple, without the mess and struggle, the end gratification would have been substantially smaller. Analogous to this scenario, was my journey to veterinary medicine–acceptance into a veterinary school in particular. At times, the task felt monumental, the road to success convoluted and bleak. Just like I taught myself tactics to get through the hard work of caring for boarding animals one at a time with dedication and humor, I was driven to make it into the veterinary profession. I am devoted to becoming a veterinarian because I know realizing the dream I have worked so hard to attain will bring the utmost pleasure.
I have learned to appreciate the journey, and everything I have learned because my initial plans did not fall into place in my preferred timeline. It is not in spite of my long struggle that I am applying to veterinary school, it is because of the struggle that I know I belong here. If I would have been easily accepted into a veterinary program the first time I tried, I may have not appreciated the career as much, and I certainly would not have harvested as much practical experience in many different practices, with a variety of managers in varied regions. My prolonged journey, allowed me to reap more rewards than getting there quickly.I have gleaned many technical skills from every hospital I have helped in, and garnered coping skills to deal with the austere aspects of the admissions process and the more dour aspects of the career.
Tags: animals, veterinary, vmcas, work, writing
Catty Remarks