Growing up, while other kids were watching Girl Meets World, or SpongeBob SquarePants, I was sitting in my living room with my two dogs watching Dr. K's Exotic Animal ER. This was my favorite show when I was around 12, and I dreamt of becoming a veterinarian like Dr. K. While my dreams have shifted from exotic animals to food animal science, the spark for veterinary medicine never left. Seeing such a strong woman killing it in a STEM field has continued to be a motivator for me, as women are the minority in food animal medicine. I have decided to pursue a career in the veterinary field because of my love of helping others. I believe I was called to serve the things that can't advocate for themselves, and I want to be their voice. I believe that since an animal cannot speak for itself, veterinarians have the very difficult task of trying to figure out what is wrong with an animal without that animal being able to say what’s wrong, like a regular doctor could. To me this seems like trying to solve a mystery, which also drew me to the field. I don't like things that come easily, and I believe growth comes from things that challenge you, which I would definitely find in a career as a veterinarian. I also have a pure love of animals, I grew up with pets of all different kinds, from dogs to guinea pigs, and from bearded dragons to shrimp. Growing up with this kind of exposure gave me a special insight to the deep connections people can form with animals, and that is what I want to preserve. I want to be the person that gets to keep that connection alive between somebody and their pet, because I know what it is like to lose that. Because I have also experienced that loss, I think that makes me empathetic to what my clients would be going through. Overall, I believe I could make a positive impact on the world through my veterinary career by providing a safe and fair place for my clients to come, filled with compassion. Going to the vet isn’t always about something positive, but I want to make my practice a place where people feel comforted and their needs be understood. I will execute this through maintaining fair prices and showing empathy to all of my clients.

I have decided to pursue a career in the veterinary field because of my love of helping others. I believe I was called to serve the things that can't advocate for themselves, and I want to be their voice. I believe that since an animal cannot speak for itself, veterinarians have the very difficult task of trying to figure out what is wrong with an animal without that animal being able to say what’s wrong, like a regular doctor could. To me this seems like trying to solve a mystery, which also drew me to the field. I don't like things that come easily, and I believe growth comes from things that challenge you, which I would definitely find in a career as a veterinarian. I also have a pure love of animals, I grew up with pets of all different kinds, from dogs to guinea pigs, and from bearded dragons to shrimp. Growing up with this kind of exposure gave me a special insight to the deep connections people can form with animals, and that is what I want to preserve. I want to be the person that gets to keep that connection alive between somebody and their pet, because I know what it is like to lose that. Because I have also experienced that loss, I think that makes me empathetic to what my clients would be going through. Overall, I believe I could make a positive impact on the world through my veterinary career by providing a safe and fair place for my clients to come, filled with compassion. Going to the vet isn’t always about something positive, but I want to make my practice a place where people feel comforted and their needs be understood. I will execute this through maintaining fair prices and showing empathy to all of my clients.

I have decided to pursue a career in the veterinary field because of my love of helping others. I believe I was called to serve the things that can't advocate for themselves, and I want to be their voice. I believe that since an animal cannot speak for itself, veterinarians have the very difficult task of trying to figure out what is wrong with an animal without that animal being able to say what’s wrong, like a regular doctor could. To me this seems like trying to solve a mystery, which also drew me to the field. I don't like things that come easily, and I believe growth comes from things that challenge you, which I would definitely find in a career as a veterinarian. I also have a pure love of animals, I grew up with pets of all different kinds, from dogs to guinea pigs, and from bearded dragons to shrimp. Growing up with this kind of exposure gave me a special insight to the deep connections people can form with animals, and that is what I want to preserve. I want to be the person that gets to keep that connection alive between somebody and their pet, because I know what it is like to lose that. Because I have also experienced that loss, I think that makes me empathetic to what my clients would be going through. My experience in the animal science industry is through school, volunteering, and through my job. I am in the animal science pathway at my school, and I am a part of FFA. The animal science pathway at my school spans all 4 years of high school, starting your freshman year with the Principles of Agriculture, followed by Vet Medical Applications, Small Animal Management, and Equine Science your sophomore year. This past year as a junior I took 3 veterinary classes as well, Advanced Animal Science, Veterinary Clinical Skills, and Livestock Production. My senior year I will have the opportunity to go off campus to a local veterinarian’s office or our school barn during two of my class periods to extend my knowledge outside of the classroom. Through FFA I have competed on the Skills LDE team where I performed an ear cytology with my team to a panel of judges. Also through FFA I am raising a lamb, which is teaching me so much about large animal medicine. I am a volunteer at a local animal shelter, where I assist with their cat ward, socializing these cats and helping to keep their area safe and the animals happy. I also have a job as a kennel technician at a veterinary clinic, which has been a huge source of learning about small animal medicine. Overall, I believe I could make a positive impact on the world through my veterinary career by providing a safe and fair place for my clients to come, filled with compassion. Going to the vet isn’t always about something positive, but I want to make my practice a place where people feel comforted and their needs be understood. I will execute this through maintaining fair prices and showing empathy to all of my clients.