Personal Essay: A Career In Veterinary Medicine

A few years ago I attended a college preparation course called Edu-Futuro where I was educated on how to apply for college. During the final days of the program the director brought in three adults who spoke to us on how they achieved their professional dreams and what we could do to prepare ourselves for college. One of the professionals was a veterinarian technician which caused me to be ecstatic because I am planning to obtain a profession in veterinary medicine. I desired to form a connection with him to hopefully grasp new opportunities to expose myself to the veterinary field. When I began telling him about my goals and love of animals he gave me what I would describe as a villainous smirk. He told me to sit with him and began to dismiss
my efforts and goals by instructing me to strive for a job as a veterinarian technician. His reasons derived from the fact that technicians did regular physical exams, did not have to study as much as regular veterinarians and make a decent amount of money. He followed up by sharing his thoughts on animals and how they were a nuisance to him because they were difficult to work with and they were just walking currency. My admiration immediately vanished when I realized this man had no respect for the profession I praised and a cold heart towards what I aspired to protect.
I prepared to smite his advice and reject any of the assistance he attempted to give me. When I opened my mouth the words would not come out and no matter what I tried only air escaped my mouth. The program ended for the day and the man left and I still didn’t say a word. At home I managed to calm down and think rationally; the man seemed experienced so there was a possibility that his words rang with truth. I have been raised with strict obedience to adults and I was taught to never question an elder’s reasons. The next week I went to the meeting and all the professionals attended again to answer more questions. By this point I had inquired assistance from trusted loved once and they all advised me to not cause a scene and I was planning to follow their instructions. However upon seeing his face I could not bear to hold in my emotions and I asked the man to speak with me outside of the classroom. I very calmly expressed my displeasure with his opinions on animals and defended their actions. I told him obtaining economic stability is important but no at the cost of another living creature. When I was finished the man beamed at me and told me three words before he left; “keep that mentality”. I was shocked at the man’s words and also my ability to speak up. From then on I lived by his advice; I never hesitated from defending what I truly believed
in.