I don't actually remember the first time I thought I wanted to be a vet when I 'grew up', I actually think my mom/family have better memories of it then I do. I do remember we had a female vet, and thinking that it was pretty cool she could yell back at my Dad and he'd actually listen. That's probably a whole other blog post. Anyways, I have always been interested in animal health and behavior and that translated to empathy for animals...I wanted to help minimize whatever pain/suffering I could. My one and only hunting experience I actually shot a buck that had been wounded. It made me feel marginally better to know I ended his suffering, but I knew after I would never hunt again. Don't get me wrong...I like shooting stuff...but now I keep it to targets and clay pigeons.
The same vet that I admired also made a point of telling my parents to strongly discourage me from following her career path. I can understand where she was coming from, she was a pioneer in our traditional/conservative area and I'm sure she faced a lot of resistance from many producers. Additionally being a large animal vet is an incredibly physically demanding job, often compounded by really poor work conditions. I wouldn't say that's the sole reason I didn't persue vet school directly after high school...but I would say it contributed.
In my early 20's I realized I needed to think about a 'real career', thinking back to that time it never would have crossed my mind that I was actually capable of making my dream...whatever it may be...come true. I thought a little about becoming an Animal Health Technologist, but it just didn't seem right. A friend of mine had just finished the Agricultural Technology course at Lethbridge Community College and after talking to him I thought...that's for me! College was awesome, I loved the classes I took. Everything was hands on and practical...I was learning things that were actually applicable at the producer level. Unfortunately the jobs in the animal sciences are few and far between and I realized that finishing my degree would help strengthen my resume.
Where college was fabulous, I HATED my program at the University of Lethbridge. That is also a whole other post. The thought of vet school crossed my mind again during my first year at university. I talked with a counsellor about which courses I'd need to meet the requirements for the U of S vet program. I job shadowed with a vet here in Lethbridge, at the time Southern Alberta was in the middle of post-BSE hell and the majority of his time was spent preg-checking heifers. I thought...ugg...I don't need 6 more years of school to put my hand up a cow butts for a living (hahaha...I was SO right on that one lol!). I also wasn't in the position at the time where I could just pick up and move to Saskatchewan. It was a hard decision to make, I was determined I wouldn't carry resentment or regrets with me, and in the end I decided it wasn't the right decision for me given my circumstance.
So I finished my degree, started working with Alberta Agriculture, and I truly have enjoyed it. My boss lets me play in the field as much as possible, the work is almost never boring, and there is plenty of opportunity to learn, in fact I've been offered the opportunity to do my master's on several occasions. I've been content, and for the most part fulfilled here.
Then my whole world changed this summer.
At first I was just waiting for the dust to settle...sometimes the coincidences in life are funny and vet school popped up in a couple conversations. I guess it sort of got the gears turning in my head but by that time it was the end of August and the thought of dealing with everything in my personal life AND a career change was just too much.
I wrote in "A Story for Shelley" about a "particularly difficult day that a particularly important conversation occurred between the snob, her mom, and the beautiful, ambitious girl". That day was September 25th and I was in full escape mode...somedays a gal's just gotta do that. It was a difficult day, lots of tears...for both me and mom...somewhere in there mom said to me that if I didn't at least try to go to vet school now , I'd regret it. It was a lightbulb moment for me...I had been thinking about it lots, and of course I sorta wanted too...but I hadn't committed myself yet. Here it is...I'm in the position to do something I always wanted...and even more important...I finally have the confidence and faith in myself to do it. Doesn't mean I'm not scared...truth is I'm FRICKEN scared...but I have a better idea what I'm capable of now and I darn it, I'd better at least TRY!
Since I graduated from the U of L, the University of Calgary has started their own veterinary program so at the end of October I headed up to find out which courses I still needed to meet their pre-requisites. Turns out I need an English (are you kidding me!), a Biology (yep...I've got a BIOLOGY DEGREE and I need a biology!), 2 Chemistry's (eek!), and a Biochemistry (ick!). It was a really great meeting though, I was given lots of idea's how to prepare for the application and interview process, and how to prepare for the program itself. I felt incredibly encouraged after, its amazing to sit across from someone who does admissions and have them look at you as if they are seeing potential. I'm not going to even pretend I didn't tear up a little on the way home...it was pretty surreal to realize this dream that I had thought was dead was now very real again.
This appeared on my desk one day this fall, I have a few cheerleaders that really blow me away, even if they do have some unreal expectations, a 4.0 GPA...come on lol!
So what is the point of this long post you ask? Well...today is my first day of school...again...wish me luck!
AND their hides... 
Betcha never thought people were actually paid to wipe cow's bums did ya!.JPG)
So that's what I do in a nutshell...its pretty great most of the time, but then I've never minded getting dirty or stinky! I am happy that I have found a way to be a hands on part of the industry and I hope in some small way the work I do makes this industry stronger and safer. 
