VETERINARY MEDICINE AS A CAREER Working with animals has been a dream of mine since childhood. I was raised next door to the town veterinarian, Dr. Murphy. He specialized in farm animals, which my family raised, so he visited our house on a regular basis. He knew I loved to hear stories about his patients and always entertained me, no matter how busy he was. When I was 10, Dr. Murphy gave me a copy of All Creatures Great and Small by James Herriot. The book told the story of a country veterinarian and his daily work. To this day, that book remains one of my favorites and always renews my interest in animals. I recently spoke with Dr. Murphy, who is now retired, about his experience in the field of veterinary medicine. He told me, Kid, its long hours and hard work. No matter how exhausted you are though, itll all pay off when you hear a newborn calf cry for the first time. Dr. Murphy went on to reminisce about his years as a successful large animal veterinarian. Although he recently retired, Dr. Murphy still helps the occasional farmer in need. (Murphy n. pag.).Veterinary medicine is a very scientific field that requires extensive training and education. I am currently a Biological Sciences major and plan to apply to Veterinary Medical School at the University of California Davis upon separation from the military. I will be required to take a broad selection of courses ranging from Animal Behavior to Organic Chemistry and Calculus. Once I complete my Bachelors degree, I will be required to undergo an additional four years of intensive coursework to obtain my Doctor of Veterinary Medicine (D.V.M.) degree. Veterinarians who seek specialty certification in a field such as opthalmology, pathology, surgery, radiology, or laboratory animal medicine must complete a 3-year residency program, and pass an examination. In addition to academic instruction, training includes clinical experience in diagnosing and treating animal dise...
