All that's left for my veterinary application is to hit submit. I am in a state of shock still that I have finally officially applied. I am no longer perpetually "planning on applying" I am now "waiting to hear back". My anxiety has never been greater. Now that I have reached this point it is no longer up to me and starting in December any day could be the day I find out my future. I can't thank everyone I know enough for their support because without your encouragement I surely would've lost hope well before reaching this point. Here is the personal statement I will be sending the veterinary gods. It started as a joke between Carolyn and I several weeks ago and grew into something my candidacy will depend on. After writing the first draft I thought "I just wrote the essay that will get me in", the second through fifth drafts I thought "I am totally screwed and have no shot at salvaging this worthless drivel". I kept working it, Carolyn kept editing it, and many people kept critiquing it. My boss thought it was (her words) "genius" and my professor thought it was "very risky" and in so many words advised abandoning it altogether. My mom certainly didn't like the idea of it (in fairness hadn't read it yet). I like it. I hope it strikes a chord with someone on the admission board at Wisconsin, Colorado State, Washington State, Oregon State, or Davis. For now I will try not to let my nerves, fears, and hopes get the better of me. Here it is:
At first glance I may appear to be a fairly typical applicant, however it is with some urgency that I feel I must divulge my true identity. I am Batman. I may not spend nights on roof tops waiting for theatrical villains to strike, nor do I own an anatomically enhanced rubber suit; still the similarities between me and the mythological hero are uncanny. Surely I would not waste your time with shallow, albeit humorous comparisons between our shared struggles against crazy cat women. In truth my experience in veterinary medicine, as well as in life, reveals many similarities between my core mission and that of the famed dark knight.
The role of a veterinarian is to be an advocate, a protector if you will, of the innocent. With an abundance of misinformation available, increasingly skeptical clients place the onerous task on the veterinary professional to keep their loved ones safe. Like Batman, I made this mission my life’s work, and over the past twelve years I have thrived on the variety of tasks that this responsibility entails. One day I helped deliver 21 puppies, and the next I creatively fashioned an anesthesia mask for a tiger out of a milk jug! Not every day is filled with such valiant victories, yet the satisfaction I feel when a client specifically requests me, entrusting their loved one in my care, is as gratifying an experience as I could ask for. Well done Batman.
Being Batman is unquestionably more of a lifestyle than it is a job, and by taking the veterinary oath I will accept an alternate identity, one that comes with a responsibility that must be carried out with passion and an undying dedication to every aspect of the calling. As a veterinarian I will be committed to lifelong learning, knowing that this job goes well beyond your typical “9 to 5”. My dedication thus far has led me to spend many nights in damp, dark libraries that are not unlike the cave Batman calls home. While putting myself through school I also spent significant time working at every level from kennel boy to practice manager, constantly seeking new challenges to add depth to my experience. My work in mobile, emergency, specialty, zoo and general practices allowed me the opportunity to work with more species than I can accurately count; certainly this caped crusader has seen a lot. I currently help operate a two-person mixed animal mobile practice in its first year of business and have received an invaluable education through an intimate involvement in building the practice. During this past year I have done everything from updating the website and fine-tuning inventory control, to devising marketing tools and developing a keen business sense that will no doubt put me ahead of the class when it comes to real-world practice. After all, it is the business savvy of Bruce Wayne that enables Batman to accomplish his mission.
Similar to Batman, my story is also one of overcoming personal hardship. At four years old I was diagnosed with Acute Lymphocytic Leukemia, a disease that threatened to end my life and an ordeal that armed me with perspective. After being declared in remission at age nine I was instilled with a deep resolve to achieve whatever goals I set my heart to realize. Overcoming cancer, two painful family divorces, as well as significant financial hardships in order to arrive on the cusp of achieving my dreams might suggest super powers. However, my true power lies in my tenacity and stubborn refusal to be beaten by whatever villain comes my way. I can’t promise to finish top of my class in the veterinary program but I can promise that no one will work harder.
While some applicants have the enthusiasm of Robin, few have spent enough time behind the wheel of the bat-mobile. I am continually motivated by clients, peers, and superiors who take note of my abilities and choose to say “you’d make a great veterinarian”. I have unlimited capacity for empathy and established methods for conveying my compassion to clients. I use humor to successfully endear clients as well as motivate my peers, because with all the seriousness inherent in this profession I believe that balance is necessary, and humor can often be a valuable counter weight. But in order to employ humor, effective communication is paramount, a skill in which I excel. I envision speaking at conferences, writing books and articles, and owning a practice that utilizes my creativity to become a beloved institution within the community it serves. I can place a catheter in a seizing animal, earn the trust of a fearful dog, tackle a wild goat, and radiograph a nervous horse. I know this because I have done it my entire adult life. I know I can’t save the entire city of Gotham, but I am nonetheless compelled to use my powers to benefit a cause I believe in. It is with these insights that I submit myself into consideration to be a protector, a responsibility that I take seriously and enter into with a level of comprehension beyond the scope of your typical applicant.
