Here we go

This is my first blog so forgive me if it is boring and provide me with any feedback you'd like. This blog is about my adventure down the path to becoming a veterinarian.

First a little background. I am a 37 year old non-traditional student. I am making a transition from finance into the medical field. I worked for 12 years at the Chicago Board of Trade doing a variety of non-interesting (for the most part) work. People ask me 'Why are you switching careers?' Well there are many reasons. After working in the corporate world, I realized it wasn't for me. I was tired of the 9 to 5 (well often 10 to 3, ooops) way of life. I was tired of sitting in a cube, working for poor managers, doing non-rewarding work and feeling my life was being wasted in the pursuit of a paycheck and good benefits. I read stories all the time about people's goal of retirement. For a while I subscribed to this point of view, stashing away as much as I could in my 401k looking forward to retirement even though it was years away. Constant magazine covers 'Retire Early,' 'How to Reach Your Retirement Goals' etc.... I realized that my life shouldn't be geared toward retirement. I don't want to work in a boring job, wasting my life to look forward to my retirement. I want to do something interesting, something I look forward to every day (well most days), something I can actually do part-time during retirement because I like it so much.

People ask me 'Why Vet Med?' Obviously I like animals a lot. I like their innocence. I like their ability to forgive. To be by your side unconditionally. To have something to look forward to when you go home to an empty home without anyone in your life. They provide a nice comfort when I feel lonely. So I really care for them, they fascinate me. Their behaviour, the differences in personalities, their obsession with food even, it's funny. They amuse me, they sit by my side while I watch my cheezy TV shows that I like so much (Judge Judy, Scare Tactics, Nip/Tuck and my all-time favorite - SUPERNATURAL!), there's so much to like about an animal, a lot I cannot describe. So I like vet med because it provides me with a chance to help them. It provides me an opportunity to volunteer at shelters providing treatments. It's just an opportunity and challenge to improve their lives, even though they cannot appreciate it or understand that you are trying to help them. As I've experienced with my scratch marks and my first dog bite the other day.

But own of my main reason going into this field is I enjoy helping people. Because my 3 cats (yes, I am a crazy cat lady) mean so much to me, I appreciate what they mean to others. I work at a clinic and we have older ladies coming in with their pets. They love their pets and I'm sure some of them are lonely because they are by themselves. Maybe their husband passed away, maybe some of their friends did also. Their pet means the world to them. And I must admit, of all the clients at the clinic I work at, I am weakest towards senior citizens.

Pets also provide kids with learning opportunities. How to raise and care for creatures. Any way, if you've made it this far I am sure you can relate to some of what I have said. Hopefully I haven't bored you to death.

I am attempting to write this blog to tell you about my upcoming veterinary school education. To explain the difficulties and the triumphs. To just provide you with insite into what goes on at my school and in my mind. Hopefully to help you out if you are embarking on a career or exploring a career as a veterinarian. More on everything later. I hope you had a good day.