Question • In the Experience section of your application, you were asked to select up to five experiences which you believe were the most important. Please select two of these experiences and explain how they have prepared you for a career in veterinary medicine. Answer: My journey towards veterinary medicine is inspired by several experiences I encountered in my life. The one that impacted me the most, Noah’s Westside Animal Hospital and 24-Hour Emergency Center. There I stood holding the oxygen support mask near the mouth of Bruno the family’s beloved Cane Corso, as he gasped and struggled to breathe. His body was shutting down due to gastric dilatation-volvulus (“GDV”). His weeping owners stood next to me in disbelief as just a few days ago, Bruno was running and playing in the backyard like everything was normal. The family brought Bruno into our emergency hospital due to vomiting, diarrhea, not eating or drinking, and most certainly being lethargic. The entire situation was heart-wrenching, but I was able to keep my composure because it was my job to support this family during this difficult situation. As Bruno was rushed into surgery, I accompanied the family back to the waiting room, providing to them comfort through reassurance and understanding, and I thoroughly explained to the family again exactly what procedure was being performed. I also continued to reassure them that Bruno was in good hands. I kept the family apprised of the status of Bruno throughout the entire surgery. It took several hours, but we were able to extract the dead tissue and untwist the stomach. After a long and tedious, touch-and-go surgical procedure, Bruno was expected to make a complete recovery. As the family was told of the outcome, tears streamed down their faces, it was this human-animal bond that has drawn me into this profession. I have experienced nothing more satisfying than reuniting a previously ill pet with its family. Working full time at Noah’s Westside Animal Hospital has prepared me for a career in veterinary medicine currently I have a total of 2,855 hours under the supervision of a veterinarian. These hours include 1,780 hours on the general practice side and 1, 075 hours on the emergency side. As a veterinary technician assistant, I am responsible for my clients as soon as they walk through the front doors, which was the case when a frantic man rushed his three-year-old French Bull dog into the emergency room. The French Bull dog, was howling in extreme pain. As I prepared the examining room for the next patient, I could hear a man shouting, “Can someone help me! Can someone please help me! My dog is in labor and something is not right!” Remaining calm and professional, I kneeled beside the French Bull dog, I asked the owner her name, and he replied, “her name is Rosie.” I began to stroke her head, while asking the owner questions, in a calm voice, “how long has Rosie, been in labor?” The owner replied, “It has been almost three hours now.” I then asked the owner if this was Rosie’s first pregnancy and he said, “yes”. The owner then explained that Rosie was supposed to have her puppies a week ago, and now the pregnancy has lasted more than sixty-eight (68) days. As I continued to stroke Rosie’s head, her was panting became more labored, and she continued shaking and yelping as contractions hit. I asked the owner if Rosie had any other medical conditions that we should know about. He explained, No. As Rosie was carried back to an examining room, I reassured the client, that Rosie was in good hands. After Dr. Pott’s physically examined Rosie, she suspected dystocia due to all of the clinical signs present, such as the duration of strong contractions with no delivery of puppies and a pus like vaginal discharge. Dr. Pott’s instructed me to draw blood, to check her calcium levels as low calcium levels may be associated with uterine inertia. She also asked me to take an x-ray to confirm the size and number of the puppies. Once the diagnosis was confirmed, Dr. Pott’s thoroughly explained to the owner the treatment plan, and indicated that there was a potential that we might have to do a C-section, as French Bull dogs do have a higher rate of dystocia. As I returned to the waiting room, my training had prepared me to provide comfort through reassurance and understanding, and I thoroughly answered the owner’s general questions. I left the waiting room with a signed treatment plan and a much more claimer and relaxed pet owner. Rosie was administered Oxytocin, which stimulates uterine contraction, calcium, her blood draw did show low calcium levels and intravenous fluids containing electrolytes. Rosie ended up having three healthy adorable puppies This was my first encounter with a dog struggling to delivery, and I was relieved that Dr. Pott’s was able to deliver these adorable puppies. The owner was relieved and grateful as well. The owner continued to thank us and praised our staff for delivering quick quality care, and making him feel more relaxed during this traumatic event in his life. It fascinates me to see a pet’s health turn around after treatment following the practices that the veterinarians engage in to solve the problem by evaluating and diagnosing an ailment. Even more, a client’s positive feedback after the recovery of their pets empowers me to continue delivering care to the animals and to pursue a career in veterinary medicine. Knowing that I helped gives me such amazing gratification as pet owners appreciate my dedication and patience towards the wellness of their pets, which keeps me motivated to deliver the best care for the animals. In 2019, I volunteered at the Indianapolis Animal Shelter for approximately 6 months, once or twice a week, during this time I cleaned cages, filled water and food bowls, provided company to the animals, walked dogs and trained and socialized animals. I also volunteered at the Southside of Indianapolis Animal Shelter for 6 months, once or twice a week depending on the need. I Volunteering my time at the local shelters such as the Indianapolis Animal Shelter, and the Southside of Indianapolis Animal Shelter, has taught me how to care for abused and homeless animals. This was evident in how the dogs responded to me in the shelter. There were several dogs at the shelter during the time that I volunteered that appeared to be physically neglected due to their appearance. A few of the dogs brought in were extremely malnourished, some had skin aliments and others were just huddled up in the corner of the cage. As I continued to help out, I figured out really fast, that shelter work was very stressful and upsetting to people. It was heart wrenching to see these animals afraid, unhappy and frantic. I also came to realize that the stress of one animal impacted the others animals, it was like a domino effect. As I interacted with the dogs and cats, I started to recognize signs of anxiety, stress, and fear as the situation or environment changed, I noticed changes in their body posture and vocalization. There were a few dogs that when someone walked near their cage they would cower, some of them would tremble and shake others would growl and bark uncontrollably. The more that I enacted with the animals, the more I noticed visible signs of fear and anxiety. I mentally took notices of all the signs of fear the animals were displaying and I tried to find different methods on how to make their stay at the shelter a little more pleasant and relaxing. For two of the dogs that would cower in the corner of their cages, I decided to approach them different, instead of approaching their cages quickly and head on, I decided to approach the cage slowly and from side, while communicating to them in a calm voice as I approached. This method did work for these two dogs, and after several weeks continuing this approach, the accepted me and felt comfortable and eventually their tails would wag and excitement filled them when they would see me and hear me. At the end of my volunteering commitment, these two dogs were amazing and lovable and ended up getting adopted. This is how I learned that a dog’s love knows no boundaries and they love unconditionally, even despite the hardships they have endured along the way. Generally, I have gained fundamental knowledge and skills that have contributed to my decision to pursue the veterinary profession. Therefore, I want to use the knowledge and skills acquired in my training and internship as a springboard for my full realization as a veterinarian. As my senior year comes to an end, I am ready for the next step in my adventure to become a veterinarian. I am confident that my extensive clinic skills and experiences, my strong work ethic and dedication and determination, my leadership and communication skills will make me a competitive candidate for your DVM program.
Secure Checkout
