Shifting Passions: From Livestock to Human Medicine

Personal Statement
Growing up in rural Texas, you have to learn to care for the things that are important to you. There really is not much to entertain yourself with so many adolescents become vulnerable to trouble. Luckily for me, I grew up with the responsibilities that came with growing up on a farm. I had things to care for on a daily basis and for the longest time, the things I cared for most were animals. I exhibited livestock in my youth and this is where I spent the majority of my time. I would come home from football or basketball practice and go straight up to the barn to tend to my animals. Along with feeding and cleaning, I would often administer vaccinations and antibiotics when needed. Because of my interest in medicine and science coupled with my love for animals some could say that I was destined to become veterinarian. The major I chose, animal science, even supported that notion. However, it was not until the summer after my freshman year of undergraduate where I realized it was human medicine that my heart was yearning for.
I began work that May at a prominent performance equine hospital, observing the veterinarians that practiced there.

Doctors should possess the skills necessary to assess what the patient actually needs contrary to what he/she believes they require. An illness obviously impacts one’s life regardless of how minuscule. A doctor plays a vital role in both the physical condition and the, often over-looked, emotional well-being of his/her patients. I firmly believe that through my experiences in two separate, but fairly similar branches of medicine I have developed the ability to care for those in a compassionate yet professional manner along with the ability comprehend the information necessary that being a health care provider