I knew I wanted to become a veterinarian when Dr. Susan Pickle saved my childhood best-friend from life-threatening pneumonia when I was just six years old. "Samson" was my four legged buddy that I considered family. Dr. Pickle told me that if I visited Samson everyday and painted him a picture that he would begin feeling better. For over a week, I did just that. I painted pictures and visited with him everyday. After a few days, I walked out of the clinic holding my best bud where he was able to be with me up until my junior year of high school. Choosing to study a career in veterinary medicine is no easy task. It takes years to prepare prior to applying to veterinary school. You have to begin building your resume at a young age, hold leadership roles, have a willingness to get involved in the community, obtain shadowing hours in a veterinary clinic and also maintain a high grade point average (GPA). With my previous life experiences, I have been able to gather my ideal dream career from a young age. I chose to pursue a career in veterinary medicine because I have a strong passion for providing the utmost patient care, educating clients on new medicine and have an overall love and respect for animals and how they can impact us in a multitude of ways. Nothing compares to the joy of coming home to a loyal companion. The unconditional love of a pet can do more than keep you company. Animals can help reduce stress, improve mental health, can provide special services for individuals with disabilities, and even help children with their emotional and social skills and much more. Veterinarians play a vital role in the community by providing the best health for pets and reassuring owners about the well-being of their pet. Love and care for animals as well as staying in the know are undoubtedly crucial for becoming a good vet. With my former experiences, I have been able to gain a greater understanding of the different sectors of veterinary medicine and its contributions to society. The veterinary world is a broad career where you can serve both animals and owners in many ways. With my education and former experiences, I plan on obtaining my Doctor of Veterinary Medicine (D.V.M.) from an institution and further my knowledge by doing an internship or residency in a specialized surgery service. Specific services that draw my interest are soft tissue surgery, orthopedic surgery or specialized oncology research to give a multitude of treatment options to patients and owners. At the moment, I am unsure of what animal species I would enjoy working with, but I want to be able to offer the highest patient care and stay in the know with modern day medicine. I believe furthering my education and staying in the know will allow me to grow as an individual and as a stronger veterinarian. I want to become a veterinarian because I want to help animals just in the way that Dr. Pickle helped heal my best friend. I want to see owners walk out of my clinic and enjoy life with their companion, just as Dr. Pickle did for me. I hope to inspire and impact someone who has a strong love and passion for the career of veterinary medicine in the near future, just as Dr. Pickle did for me.