After graduation, I hope to specialize in surgery so that I may become an expert in the field. I am determined to pursue a surgical specialization because my skills and passions best align with surgery. In addition, I understand that those who make groundbreaking impacts in their field are undeniably invested and passionate about their specialty. While I continue to grow into my career, I hope to give back to the profession and community in a few ways. I plan on providing top-of-the-line care to all patients, treat clients with compassion and patience, and offer respect and encouragement to my colleagues (veterinary technicians and staff included). The intent of being radically loving and kind to all is to encourage a healthy community where we support one another. In fact, I believe that a network of communities with these traits is a necessary framework on which our field may advance. In addition, I have a heart for missions. I humbly hope to be included in as many missions as I can in my lifetime. This includes traveling locally and abroad to help and equip those that are financially unstable and/or lacking education to care for their animals. Having first-generation immigrant parents from Brazil and having seen conditions in third world countries, are what urge me to volunteer my time and skills in veterinary missions. In the veterinary sense, helping and equipping those in need is a necessary step in achieving a global community where humans and animals enhance each other's lives. Lastly, as I am honing my skills with years of experience and studying, I aspire to conduct research and pioneer surgical techniques and contribute to the creation of new biomedical instruments. With most things, I convince myself that there must be a better way to do it. With this attitude and the help of my colleagues, we will make strides to advance the veterinary field in tangible ways. For example, as an anatomy TA this past year, I have helped dissect prosections. I was convinced that adaptations could be made to some of the surgical instruments used to dissect to make the process more efficient. With the help of my professor, we have developed an attachment for hemostats that might be a candidate for a patent. That said, I dream that this is only a sample of what I am meant to achieve in the profession. Now, here is a brief story of my first pet, Bugs. Bugs was a bunny that I got when I was very little— this explains the name, haha. Bugs and I loved to play. I would let him loose upstairs and run around with him, playing hide and seek and tag. Bugs taught me at a young age how to care for an animal— cleaning a cage, feeding, water, enrichment, etc. I loved Bugs. One year after I got him, he sadly passed away. I was coming home from my birthday party and found him dead in his cage with foam coming out of his nostrils. I’ve now come to realize that he likely had some viral infection. At that time though, I knew I wanted to go into the veterinary field so that I could keep this from happening to other animals. That is how deeply Bugs impacted me.