Becoming a veterinarian is a long and daunting process that can overwhelm even the most committed students. The goal of becoming a veterinarian has been with me ever since I was little, but I have matured throughout the years and started to reach for these goals. I worked for a professional dog trainer, was a member of the FFA, and took horses to the fair through 4-H. My past has shaped who I am and what I want to be in the future. My long term goal can be accomplished by breaking the process up into smaller goals for each undergraduate year I attend Ohio State.
For my freshman year, I set goals to be an active member in the Ohio State Pre-Veterinarian Club and the Ohio State Western Equestrian Team. I have already met some of these smaller goals and believe that these clubs are enriching my education here at Ohio State. Joining club’s freshman year is a great way to have leadership opportunities later in college and sets a student up for success. Pre-Vet Club is going to help me have the opportunity to volunteer at the Ohio State Veterinary Medical Center. I have started exploring my community service options by going to the Buckeye Community Service Day. I also plan on attending a research forum in the spring of my freshman year. A high GPA is a very important aspect of getting into the veterinary program at Ohio State. I plan on using office hours and learning to use other resources my freshman year to better prepare myself for exams. On campus, I need to become more involved with faculty to establish relationships for a letter of recommendation for veterinary school later on. Also, the faculty can give me great advice. Also, I will be going to Nicaragua on the FYE Study Abroad Trip that is in December. This is going to help strengthen my global awareness.
As a sophomore I will start volunteering regularly at a specific organization. I will also apply for a summer research project. Keeping my grades up will be crucial, as sophomore year I will be taking organic chemistry. I will also need to create a professional resume that is updated with all of my current information for when I apply for research. I would like to either have a job or shadow a veterinarian consistently throughout the year. This is extremely important since the average applicant into veterinary school has 1800 hours of veterinary experience.
My junior year I should have the opportunity to be in a leadership role in a club. I will need to gather recommendations from faculty, staff, and veterinarians. Test prep is also extremely important since I will need to take my GRE my junior year. I will also need to apply for veterinary school this year. My grades are still important and it is essential that I have the majority of my prerequisites done for veterinary school by this year. I would like to go to Africa for a month or experience a study abroad that is more long term than my week long Nicaragua trip as a freshman. I want to become engrossed in the culture and learn more about the people so that I can have a more well rounded global awareness.
Senior year is about preparing for my final application. I need to practice interview questions and attend mock interviews. I also need to meet with an advisor to ensure I am going to graduate on time.
I want to incorporate all of the GOALS of honors and scholars into my plan at Ohio State through summer research, study abroad, leading a club, being an active member in academic clubs, and being committed to community service. I want to make the most of college and these goals are important to me. I will use my motivation to be persistent and accomplish becoming a veterinarian.