‘I wanted to do a job I loved’

At first, I thought I’d be a fishmonger until I realised how much I’d smell. Then I was fascinated by the mounted police force, but that was too emotional and stressful. Or a paramedic? Far too much blood and responsibility. So maybe I’d be a jockey, but I kept on growing… Much to my family’s amusement, I decided to commit my whole life’s purpose, to one of the most intense, tiring, empathetic, smelliest, goriest, busiest, and challenging careers out there. Like most vet students my age, I’d always wanted to work with people and animals – providing support both physically and emotionally. I soon realised that whatever happened I wanted to do a job I loved.

Work experience made me realise that loving what you do doesn’t make you a workaholic, it makes you passionate and driven. I wouldn’t enjoy a day in day out, ‘living for the holidays’ type of job. I want to take pride, be reliable and responsible, and most importantly, enjoy what I do. A veterinary medicine degree can offer so many different routes and opportunities to work with animals, from large, small, and mixed animal practice to exotics, equine, and other specialities (including surgery). The wide variety of jobs and potential for career change appeals to me as I love a challenge and the ability to mix things up. Veterinary medicine has always been the job for me, since I could read and write I knew I’d have to work hard to get into vet school, and I’m pleased to say the hard work paid off.