My Personal Statement

The following is my actual personal statement that I submitted to the VMCAS application for the 2013-2014 cycle. I am giving you access to this very personal document because I want you to be able to see a real-life example of what a student just like you wrote about. Please do not copy or takes parts of my personal statement for your own use. Instead, I hope that you will use this as a jump start to thinking about what you want to write about with your own experience and aspirations.

         There I stood holding the oxygen support mask near the mouth of Tanner, the family's beloved labrador, as he took his last breaths. His body was shutting down; toxins were spreading through him due to acute renal failure. His weeping owners stood next to me. They had come to our emergency hospital with no inclination that their precious family member, who had been seemingly healthy that morning, was dying. Despite it being heart wrenching, I kept my composure. It was my job to support the family during their time of suffering by means of comforting words, reassurance, and emotional support. As we stood there together while Tanner passed away, I saw so much love mixed with grief. It is that human-animal connection that has drawn me into this profession. I have experienced nothing more satisfying and heart touching than reuniting a previously ill pet with their eager owner or witnessing the true bond between pet and owner as a pet passes away.   

        I first applied for the veterinary assistant position at West Michigan Animal Emergency Hospital (AEH) during the summer after my freshman year. It was disappointing when I was not extended a position at the hospital, but they reassured me that I should apply the following year. Over the next twelve months, I shadowed at four different veterinary clinics in the area, volunteered at a cat rescue center, was awarded a grant-funded research project in chemistry, and pushed even harder in school to maintain my high academic standards. When I went back into that interview with the same manager a year later, I was a more confident and experienced individual. In a matter of weeks, I was hired as a new trainee and began preparing for my position as a veterinary assistant for the summer. 

         Providing treatment for patients is a central component of the veterinary profession, but being a part of the AEH team has really shown me that our primary role is working with people. As an exam assistant, the moment a client walks in through the door he or she become my responsibility, which was the case when a frantic woman rushed in one night with a cat howling in pain. I quickly assessed the situation, determined that the cat was in distress due to a severe urinary blockage, and hurried him to the treatment area. A history was collected, which I communicated to the doctor, and a treatment plan was drawn up for me to present to the distraught owner. I could hear crying as I approached the door of the waiting room, but I remained professional. My training had prepared me to walk in calmly, provide comfort through reassurance and understanding, and thoroughly explain to the owner exactly what we needed to do for treatment. I left the room with a signed treatment plan and a much more relaxed client. This ability to understand the different perspectives and needs of clients is just one of the extremely valuable skills I have learned from working at AEH.    

        In addition to my employment at AEH, I have gained experiences and valuable skills through observing at four small animal clinics, an equine practice, a zoological hospital, and at the West Michigan Beef Company. I eagerly continue to pursue any opportunity I encounter to widen my breadth of knowledge about veterinary medicine. Through my experiences, I am beginning to appreciate that the possible career options for a veterinarian are endless. Examining the carcasses of beef cattle for signs of illness, monitoring the fertility of horses with an ultrasound, caring for exotic frogs that have a prolapsed rectum, and doing routine check-ups for companion animals are all opportunities I have had over the past two years. With each experience, I get a different perspective of the profession and invaluable mentoring from the veterinarians. Communication, teamwork, leadership, and most importantly passion are all aspects that I am continuously developing each day I work as a veterinary assistant, observe in clinics, and further my education.      

         Being accepted into a veterinary program has been the driving force in my life for the past five years and now that it is becoming a reality, I have no doubt that I will make veterinary medicine my career. Upon completing a degree in veterinary medicine, I aspire to work as a companion animal veterinarian, eventually open my own practice, and continue to advance my knowledge. The medical field is constantly evolving and I am excited to find opportunities to help further these advancements and utilize them in my own practice in the future. As this year unfolds, I am eagerly anticipating where life takes me in these next steps towards achieving my life-long passion of becoming a veterinarian. I am confident my strong academic background, extensive clinical skills, leadership abilities, and motivated work ethic will make me a competitive candidate for your DVM program.

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