Why I Want to Be a Veterinarian

If suffering from PTSD and depression could not deprive me of a great desire to improve myself and get successful doing the things which I know can benefit both the community and myself, nothing can make me take the wrong turning now. After a terrible accident in Korea when I was robbed and attacked by three people on the street, I realized that neither personal nor medical issues can be an obstacle on my way to academic progress. Scary experience has taught me to perceive the situations that have not been previously encountered as those which show me that I am capable of achieving or succeeding notwithstanding the troubles.

There is a hypothesis that every human being has a life calling for a particular profession or at least certain activities. However, it is challenging to believe in that until your own life proves the existence of a strong calling and encourages taking landmark decisions and introduction of serious changes. From my experience, I can confidently assert that every person should search for a particular professional niche determined with calling. I believe that neither personal barriers nor financial constraints can interfere with the aspirations and ambitions of a personality if the right calling is chosen. Even if certain circumstances or people cause some divergence from the chosen line, life will turn everything upside down to let us find what we really should do to be efficient members of the society. Being incapable of finding my calling, I had been wasting time on the things which are not mine until I experienced a life-changing breakthrough to realize that I should be a veterinarian.

Since I was very young, I have had very close relationship with animals, so I used to be called Pablo. There has always been a strong desire to become a veterinarian in my heart; I knew that it is the professional sphere that can enable me to utilize my skills, abilities, knowledge and enthusiasm to contribute to the development and progress of my community. I did have huge ambitions, motivation and potential to be one of the best experts in the field; however, my parents wanted me to become a dentist. According to the Korean cultural tradition, it is unavoidable not to adhere to the will of the parents; therefore, I entered the Pacific Union College in 2007 to get a profession that my parents had always dreamt about.

Major surgery on my face that I had to go through after the accident and the stress I experienced made me look at my life from a new angle. Those unfavorable circumstances and my own health condition did not let me concentrate on studying, although I had to return to the United States to resume getting my education. It appeared impossible for me to get back on track easily as I realized that pre-dental studies could not reveal all the potential I had. Moreover, my responsibilities of the president of a Korean club at La Sierra University implied my outstanding leadership skills, so I decided to serve as an example of a person who can exert all possible efforts to achieve the aim. I realized that one person may not be able to change the usual mode of thinking at once; however, I believe that right attitude, energy, and willingness to succeed can make changes inch by inch and spread by involving more and more like-minded people. It was not easy to develop the club into a sustainable community of independent people with well-developed critical thinking and ambitiousness. I managed not only to gather people and unite them, but also inspire them with my own example of facing difficulties. I am working tirelessly to utilize all my potentials and give back to the people around me.

It should be mentioned that both my depression and PTSD vanished as if by magic by two Maltese puppies, Choco and Song. The comforting effect of getting two small sincere friends amazed with the power of healing. Judging that effect of communication with the animals as a real miracle, I could no longer resist stepping on the path of veterinary science. Therefore, I changed my major to continue my studies as a pre-veterinarian student. This decision was made independently without any outside pressure or support. I was confident in my aspirations; however, it was difficult for me to inform my parents about my change of plans for the future. Having found out about my decision, they were upset and worried about it. Their reaction is absolutely understandable; nevertheless, I felt that the time for fulfilling of my dream had come. I was eager to declare that I have all the rights to achieve my goals and accomplish my calling. Finally, I managed to persuade my parents and even gained considerable support from their side.

From then on, I have worked really hard to raise my GPA. I have my own goals to reach and I am eager to master the time management skills to be able to study efficiently and do other activities. I started volunteering at the pet hospital and the animal shelter. The more I get to know this profession, the more I adore everything related to it. The straitened circumstances made me start thinking in the auspicious terms and put my faith in my potential and capabilities. The tragic accident turned out to be a decisive point that brought me to the only place I wanted to be. I found pet friends, recovered from depression, regained power to act despite my parents' will and made my first steps towards realization of both my calling and my dream.

For me, veterinary science is a perfect way to become closer to all living creatures. Modern society does not care a lot about animals, exploiting them in different ways. However, I am sure that pets can be even better friends than people sometimes, and everybody should be conscious to take care about them. Besides, there are people who still do not believe in miracles that animals can do. I hope my life example would be an encouraging one to prove that miracles of communication with non-human living creatures exist. In the future, I see myself as a successful veterinarian. I already have some ideas for researches and projects, and I believe that this veterinary school will help me to implement them into practice as well as deepen my knowledge and skills about world of animals. I want to contribute to the progress and development of the community notwithstanding all the obstacles and hindrances on the way to getting education and being an accomplished expert capable of efficient and diligent work.