Looking forward to the rest of my undergraduate career and to my future profession as a veterinarian, the G.O.A.L.S. of Honors & Scholars will continue to provide assistance to help me get involved and find future success. The two most relevant G.O.A.L.S. to help me achieve my goal of being admitted into veterinary school and coming out as a competent and knowledgable veterinarian is Leadership Development and Academic Enrichment. These two specific aspects of the Honors & Scholars G.O.A.L.S. are especially important in a career in veterinary medicine in order to be a sufficient leader and to remain up to date on current affairs and medical advancements, but they are just as important in order to present a competitive application for admissions into vet school.

Leadership development is especially important in terms of vet school applications in order to demonstrate leadership potential. A veterinarian is a leader and it is crucial to have competent skills in order to fulfill this role. In Fall of 2016 I will be joining the Pre-Veterinary Medical Association executive board. This is a step in the right direction in order to gain more leadership experience outside of the high school realm. Gaining more experience organizing and running a large club will help further my skills as a leader, which will hopefully be reflected in my application in two years to vet school. In four years, once I am hopefully in veterinary school, I will be learning how to become a leader within veterinary medicine and in another 10 years I will most likely be out in the workforce putting those skills into practice. Being a veterinarian means that you are in charge and hold responsibility for the patient, as well as the veterinary technicians working underneath you. It is important to begin to develop leadership skills early on order to be able to truly be the best leader and veterinarian possible.

The other one of the G.O.A.L.S. of Honors & Scholars that is relevant to my goals and career aspirations is Academic Enrichment. Grades are obviously very important for admittance into any competitive graduate program, such as veterinary school, but the experiences that are gained outside of the classroom are also crucial to the application, vet school, and having a career in the field. Right now, I am gaining experience working with a variety of different veterinarians in order to get a better idea of what this profession entails. I am also pursuing research as well in order to promote critical thinking skills, which is highly important in a career in veterinary medicine. In another four years, when I’m in veterinary school, I hope to continue to utilize my resources within the veterinary college and outside to further enhance my knowledge of the career through clubs and hands on opportunities with local veterinarians. Upon graduation and when I will hopefully be out in the workforce in another 10 years, I plan to continue to enhance my knowledge by participating in clinics, symposiums, and staying up to date on advancements that are being made in the field.

Overall, the two goals from the G.O.A.L.S. of Honors & Scholars that are the most pronounced and relevant to my current and future career goals are Leadership Development and Academic Enrichment. Leadership Development will help me to develop skills early on in my undergraduate career that will hopefully be built upon in veterinary school in order to become a great veterinarian. Academic Enrichment will also be important for helping me to achieve my goals by expanding my knowledge outside of the classroom in order to obtain diverse knowledge and hands on experiences that will benefit me in my future career.