Is this one of those cliche questions that we'll be asked during our interview(s)? 😀
Unfortunately, I think I have one of those cliche answers that interviewers hear too often...
As a little girl, I was fascinated with the care of horses--everyday care, training, and medical care. My mom had decades of horse magazines in the cabinet that I read religiously. (We had horses while I was young, then none for a while, and then got horses again not long before I entered high school). Eventually, I had my own subscriptions to horse magazines, and when I took Ag classes and got involved in FFA, that fascination extended to other livestock. In high school, I wanted to be a Vet, and then I was discouraged by a teacher (although he probably didn't mean to do so) by his stories of how difficult it is to find a job after getting your DVM. I really went through years of limbo, not knowing exactly what I wanted to do, after that. I knew I loved science and that I wanted to be in the science field, but not much more than that. It took a conversation with a co-worker about how their child was planning to become an equine vet to remind me of my passion for the field. It was at that point that I said to myself, "Yes, that is what I want to do with my life!" And now I am determined! Of course, now my interest has broadened a little bit, and while I'm still a little more passionate about livestock and especially horses, I want to vet small animals as well. This is where my heart is...I have no real "I *need* to help animals" sort of feelings...I just know that I will be a Vet because it's my calling.
Edited to add that the last part of this post *did not* come out sounding the way I meant it to. Ugh. Guess that's what happens when I hurry to finish a post... Anyway, I think what I meant was that I am not romanticizing the 'helping animals' thing. I understand that will be my job: to do what is best for each animal. I know it's going to be hard, hard work. So I'm not giddy about the career, but I'm focused on my career goal. *sigh* I know, this response was much too long. But I've never sat down and articulated everything in writing, so I expect that is why I'm having such a difficult time articulating it now. I know why I want to be a vet...now I just have to figure how to make others know why. 🙂
I'm sorry for my bloviating...
