Personal Narrative: My Pursuit Of A Veterinary Science Degree

A personal experience that sparked my interest in the pursuit of a veterinary science degree was when I was eight years old. My mother brought home a small injured puppy that she found abandoned on the side of a busy street. I remember how scared he was, and how very fragile he seemed. She tried to make him as comfortable as possible until we could get him to the veterinary office the following day. He slept in a box, padded with blankets, next to my mom's bed. He would cry each time he moved. I slept in my mom's bed that night so that I could be close to him.

We took him into the vet the next day, and he received an examination. I watched carefully as the veterinarian checked him over. I remember being fascinated by his clean, white lab
coat and the tools that he used; a stethoscope, a thermometer, a scale. The veterinarian carefully picked the puppy up and carried him out of the room for an x-ray. He returned a short while later to inform us that he had a broken leg and would need surgery to repair it. We left him in the hands of the veterinary office and headed home. It seemed like days before we were able to go back to pick him up. In reality, it was only one day. We were given post-op directions and medication to help with the pain. We named him Ghost, and he lived with us for another 11 years, before passing away due to kidney failure.

Ghost is the reason I've chosen to pursue a degree in veterinary medicine. From the first day he came into our lives, I've wanted nothing more than to help animals.