What a Veterinarian needs to Succeed
To become a veterinarian requires a vast amount of time and determination, patience, and understanding of people. Yes, people. Because animals are owned by people and the the owners will cause most of the problems with which a veterinarian has to deal. It also takes a great deal of education and should involve a love of animals. Without the love of animals there will probably not be enough patience to deal with the owners.
Time and determination are important because at the first, one has to work hard just to get into school to study veterinary medicine. There are forms and tests as well as good grades that are required. Some times it takes several efforts to apply successfully. Maybe that GRE score could be just a bit better or one more course may tip the scale. These things all take time, effort and determination!
When time and determination is involved, patiernce is required. A horse veterinarian will sometimes sit in the stables dealing with a problem mare that is pregnant and due to foal. Pigs can give birth quickly, or take hours and like human doctors, some days the veterinarian needs to be present to help. Sometimes the patience may be required for dealing with the owner.
Thus an understanding of people is required. Most problems, even with animals, are people caused. Joe let the tail of the cat get caught in the fan or Lucy decided to feed the dog her bar of chocolate. It may be Ms. Jones that is paranoid about the parrot, even though the parrot is fine. You can treat the animals, but the have to understand how to talk with the people to prevent recurrences.
Horses, cats, dogs, parrots and even a few reptiles and spiders are all the official patients of the veterinarian and that is why a great deal of education is required. With humans there is one basic body shape and fairly standard set of parts on each one. Animals can go from zero legs to over eight, wear the skeleton on the outside as well as inside and internal organs can get really confusing! A veterinarian also can't just ask, "have you had dizzy spells recently?" The owners may not know and the patient will just stare! Education for a veterinarian is extensive. To get started on that education, take lots of chemistry, biology, and some good study courses.
Love, last but not least. A few veterinarians are just in it for the money, but very few. Loving and understanding the animals is needed, but also loving and understanding that the owners love their animals as well. The pets are often surrogate children, and when the children get sick the parents get worried. Love is essential.
Time and determination, patience and education, understanding and love are all required to become a veterinarian!
