On August 26th, at 8:15AM I will be flying out of JFK to the land of tropical vacationers dreams-- St. Kitt's. Known for the beaches, wildlife and weather- most people assume its great for spending a week but I doubt many of my friends would up and move there, even if it was for school. But that's what I'm doing! I will be embarking on my long awaited goal of becoming a veterinarian, and I'll be doing it in a third world country where contact to my family and friends will not be a daily face to face interaction. I'm terrified and electrified at what lies ahead of me. The path to get there though has been more winding than the infamous curving roads of the island.
Wayyyy back when I was a youngster I wanted to be a vet. Then I wanted to be a teacher. Then a doctor. Then back to a teacher. By the time I had hit middle school I had wanted to be a dozen things, all the while I really didn't know what I wanted to wear for clothing that day. When I was in seventh and eighth grade I begged my parents to let me volunteer at the local animal shelter. We had one dog and two cats at our house. My father was firm that we weren't getting any more animals (especially since the dog was over 100 pounds and had no desire to share his living space with other dogs.) The only way I would get to see more animals was by volunteering. Oh, and one of my friends got to do it, so I wanted to also! I had no idea that this would be a starting path for me.
Through volunteering at the age of 12 (my mother had to drive me, and stay with me to make sure I stayed on task- this was before age limits were introduced) I quickly found I was passionate about working with the animals. I liked walking the dogs, and playing with the variety of cats or rats or guinea pigs. I quietly worked my way up from dog walker, to kennel assistant on Sunday mornings (as a volunteer), to dog training team member. I made good friends, saw heartbreaking stories unfold, and happy endings light up a dreary day. I volunteered all the way through high school, and still as college approached I didn't think I wanted to do something directly involving veterinary medicine. By senior year, I figured I had nothing to lose by going to Maine to pursue a degree in Marine Biology-- after all that must be all about dolphins and manatees, right?! WRONG!
After about four weeks of trudging through mud flats on the ocean I was done with my obsession of becoming a marine biologist. I stuck it out for the year and applied for Fall admittance to a vet tech program back here in VT. I was accepted, and that fall I would start afresh doing something completely different- though I still wasn't sure it was what I wanted to be doing. That fall I joined the class of want to be vet techs, and set forth studying all things related to the field. By the time I did my required summer internship I was in love! Finally, something that seemed to fit with what I wanted!! I worked hard, got good grades, and passed my certification exam at the end of the degree. I was offered a job just two weeks after I graduated from school and didn't think twice!
From 2006 when I graduated, til 2009 I put a lot of effort into my job. I learned tons of valuable skills (things they could never begin to teach in the walls of a classroom), and I took opportunities to expand my knowledge base (and my animal family... ahem) but realized that I wanted more than I could get as a vet tech. Surgery excites me, diagnosing and formulating treatment plans present challenges, and most importantly I could extend the client relationships I learned to value so much as a technician. In order to go to vet school I had to go BACK to school, this time to finish my Bachelors and requirements for admission.
I never take a conventional path for things-- I mean here I was 3 years post graduation from my associates degree, and I decided I was going back to Maine to try and finish my Animal Science degree. In one semesters time I discovered the college would not accept credits even if I argued for them to do so from making appeals. The local university in VT would accept many more, thus cutting down on the time I would need to be in college for undergrad (and cutting my debt some too!) SO, I went back to VT and was accepted at UVM for studying Animal Science. I was fortunate to have a wonderful advisor at UVM who would help me with my applications for vet school, even though I was such a non-traditional student and he had not known me for long. I started the process, but was reminded time and time again by faculty and my advisor that traditional US schools frown upon Technical College degree work, and non-traditional students. My chances for getting in somewhere in the US were looking skimpy even though my grades, experience, and GRE scores were ok. My advisor pointed out, though, that Ross might be a good fit- they take a lot of students on that might not otherwise get the chance to prove their worth-- and he said that other schools have taken notice that Ross students are not Prima Donna's in their attitudes, they are good students, and well rounded having experienced life in such a different locale. I applied, as a back-up to Ross. Fast forward to today, and after heartbreak from US schools, and still sitting on some waiting lists I am prepared and comitted to going to Ross now. Even though it was not my first choice, I am more and more excited every day, especially as more information pours in.
This blog I hope will allow people to follow my journey through vet school, and all my prep work before hand. I would write more tonight but this blog post is long enough and I am tired- looong day of work looking me in the face for tomorrow! Tomorrow or the next day, I hope to write about some of the things I've have done so far as prep work, and also about pre-conceived notions that might be out there about the school!
A view of the campus!
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