My career choice is to be a veterinarian when I grow up. I interviewed a veterinarian named Dr. Debbie Rhiley, who works at the Altadena Animal Hospital. I chose this profession, because I love all animals and helping them with their problems. What I enjoy most about being around animals is watching them play and have fun. My two favorite house pets would have to be cats and dogs.
In my interview with Dr. Rhiley, I found out that if you want to be a veterinarian, you will have to attend a college. You will be in that college for about four years. Then you will have to go to a vet school for another four years. Dr. Rhiley didn’t attend a trade school. If I decide to be a veterinarian who works mostly with cats and dogs, I will primarily work indoors with my animal patients. If I work with horses or other large animals (cows, sheep, etc.), I would work mostly outdoors.
Dr. Rhiley told me that when someone first becomes a veterinarian, they usually share a large work space with other veterinarians. Then after being a veterinarian for a few years, you could get your own personal office. Dr. Rhiley now has her own office. Traveling is not a part of this job. The farthest you would have to travel, is to the other side of a city, in an emergency.
A beginning salary for a veterinarian is around $60,000 a year. I don’t know about you, but that’s a lot of money! Once established a vet’s salary is around $100,000 a year. Dr. Rhiley gets $100,000 a year because she has been working as a veterinarian for about three years now. I think that part of the reason I want to be a veterinarian is because of how much money they pay you. But mostly it’s because of the love I have for animals.
Dr. Rhiley said that the most positive thing about being a veterinarian is being able to work with animals. Dr. Rhiley’s most negative aspect of being a veterinarian is having to work long hours, and that her job can be stressful. Another negative aspect is working with really mad animals.
Dr. Rhiley explained to me that if you want to become a veterinarian you have to be dedicated to go to college for at least eight years. Dr. Rhiley has been a veterinarian for three years now. I want to be a veterinarian for my whole life until I retire. I will have to be responsible by getting all good grades that I will need, and have the good attitude that is required. My hopes and dreams are to be needed, by helping animals, not making too many mistakes, and to become happy with my career and life.