What made want you become a vet?

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MyMia

Crazy Cat Lady
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At the age of 10, I was volunteering at the SPCA and at a vet clinic. At that time, I wanted to become a cat breeder. At the age of 12, I had the opportunity to observe a neuter operation. For the first few minutes, I couldn't stand it. I was hating every second of it. But then something unexpected happened: the horror was being replaced with fascination!

I then became a vet medicine addict. After I was done with my tasks at the hospital, I would ask to observe surgeries or a necropsies. Veterinary surgeon is what I've been wanting to become since.

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The science of disease in a variety of animal species.

I was a biochemistry major and analytical chem minor, to be fair. No touchie-feelies here. Didn't consider vetmed a viable option till college.
 
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I didn't want to go to vet school until my late 20s, and didn't want to be a clinical vet until the middle of second year.....before that I was more interested in ecology and (local) wildlife. The interrelationships of microbe, parasites, and the environment were what interested me first, then in vet school I fell in love with the detective work of practicing medicine.
 
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My family owns pet stores, so I grew up working with tons of animals. I loved helping to take care of them as a kid working in the store, particularly disease prevention and treatment in dogs. Number one experience that made me want to be a vet, hands down.
 
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For the fabulous life fueled by kickbacks from pet food companies and pharmaceutical reps.

Serious answer: Went for a BA in Journalism. Had a crisis after first year, dropped out. Spent a lot of time at the barn, realized I was fascinated by the vet. Did an assistant course, realized I hated assisting, loved medicine. Humans are gross and I didn't want to take the MCAT. So... vet med.
 
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Don't judge me for being so gangsta.

And don't believe Coquette - that first answer was srs. Rumor has it she just had to build a new pole barn to house her 8-and-growing car collection.

You're so wrong about me. I don't understand how you can slander my name like this. You know nothing about me.

I'm building a new barn for my 8-and-growing HORSE collection.
 
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I decided when I was five years old and, as it turns out, I'm REALLY persistent. So.
Mimicking this, I decided when I was about five years old too and a couple years later, after someone told me that girls don't become doctors, they become teachers or house mothers, I forcibly threw myself into the profession. (Good thing I actually ended up liking it)
 
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Mimicking this, I decided when I was about five years old too and a couple years later, after someone told me that girls don't become doctors, they become teachers or house mothers, I forcibly threw myself into the profession. (Good thing I actually ended up liking it)
I've heard house wife and stay at home mom but that's new. It sounds like being a mother to the physical building of the house. :p
 
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Yeah well she also calls slippers house shoes so
Okay but house shoes. They're literally shoes exclusively for the house. You can't breakdown slippers the same way, especially when there are other types of shoes you can "slip in"
 
Originally, because I liked animals. But I remember in fourth grade, the mom of a classmate came in to do a little mini-series of classes on anatomy (she was a human doctor) and I was fascinated with all the different systems and functions. I put the two interests together and that was my starting point. I really enjoyed biology and anatomy in high school and just kind of kept plodding along the same path until I got to this point.
 
Okay but house shoes. They're literally shoes exclusively for the house. You can't breakdown slippers the same way, especially when there are other types of shoes you can "slip in"
Slippers are for only in the house.

Other types of shoes you can "slip in"? You mean clogs, mules, and sandals?
 
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Vets are saints. I love animals but to take on the debt that you guys do for the grief you ultimately get takes a heart of gold.
 
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It was for the monies.... dolla' dolla' bills y'all...

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I think it's honest work.
 
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Midlife crisis.... :oldman:

Just kidding. I'm not that old! I've wanted to be a vet since I was about 6. According to several family members, I used to introduce myself to people by stating my name and that I was going to be a veterinarian. I got the "bug" after an experience with an injured wild bird that couldn't be saved. My mom says that not having the power to save the bird is what made me want to save every animal. I'm a little more realistic now, but I still want to save animals - at least as many as I can. :)
 
I asked a theriogenologist why the size of a bulls testes mattered...he explained what a theriogenologist was. I said "cool, I want to be that." He said, "you'll have to go to vet school." 13 years later I'm in a residency/PhD program.
 
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I asked a theriogenologist why the size of a bulls testes mattered...he explained what a theriogenologist was. I said "cool, I want to be that." He said, "you'll have to go to vet school." 13 years later I'm in a residency/PhD program.

So you're there to study testes? You know you can find those for a lot cheaper in a bar, right? :)
 
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I was 8 and just wanted to work with animals. Then I realized I also love science and medicine in high school. When I was 18 I was working at 2 SA clinics and started doubting if I would be happy as a GP. One day, a mobile surgeon came to the clinic to perform a Tightrope on a dog with a ruptured cruciate. That was the first time I realized I could be a vet who ONLY does surgery, and nothing else (!). 9 years later, I'm a surgery resident.
 
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In grade 3 decided I wanted to be an "animal cop" (think Animal Planet) and when my parents told me it wouldn't be a stable lifetime career I decided to "settle" for being a veterinarian instead. :laugh:

Since then have discovered that I legitimately do love science, medicine, and the profession. First time I shadowed I thought that I was wrong and that I wanted to be a tech instead, but after some more experience I realized that veterinarian was indeed the position I wished to be in. However, as much as I feel that this is the career I am meant for, I do keep an open mind about other life options and have done a little work on the side to set myself up for a career in my secondary interest in case I change my mind about vetmed.
 
When I was 3-4, I saw Emergency Vets on Animal Planet. A golden retriever had some sort of emergency (I don't remember what), and they ended up having to euthanize. My mom came in and realized what I was watching and quickly changed the channel, because the show was too "intense" for a 3-4 year old. She couldn't get over the fact that I didn't cry at the conclusion that the dog had to be put down, and that I was just sitting there watching the TV (I was a very active kid and really didn't watch tv much, hated educational kid shows). I distinctly remember being sad for the dog, but I still understood that it needed to be done. Ever since then, I knew I wanted to be a vet... and it's never changed! I feel like I never really "decided" to become a vet, but I was born to be one... corny, I know :p
 
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Grandpa was a surgeon (for people) who loved to talk shop, so I was raised around a lot of medicine. I was always fascinated and I don't recall ever really being squeamish about it. I've also always loved animals. As I grew I realized that I couldn't separate my emotions and empathy from the case when it was a human, but I could when it was an animal, so vet med seemed emotionally easier than human. I shadowed in several clinics and loved it. I actually got upset when one clinic manager decided that she didn't want me spending time with the doctors, but would rather I stayed in the back and helped out the techs. With the doctors was where I wanted so badly to be, it was fascinating and the vets there were very patient with my questions! It took a long time and a few detours to get here, but I was able to mature and amass a lot of varied experiences along the way that I think prepared me well.
 
I wanted to be a vet when I was small, and just last year when I was struggling with what I wanted to do with my life and switching my major 0294098 times, my mom popped in with a "I think you're gonna end up being a vet like you used to want to be" and that kinda planted the seeds again. Here I am a year later trucking away as a Bio undergrad, finally sticking to one major! We'll see how the rest of this goes.
 
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