Well, you are a veterinarian now. An accomplished, certified, medical professional. You are a doctor. Start acting like it!
But I still like eating Doritos and ice-pops and binge-watching criminal psychology series on Netflix and longboarding and not making my own bed! I am only 25 and I still feel like a little kid. Wait, does that makes me a little 25-year-old kid doctor? Possibly. Yes.
But, little kid doctor or not, self-reflection is important. Now that vet school is over forever, we have to ask ourselves, “Has that much really changed these past four years?”
No, I don’t think so. Sure, we are all a bit smarter, have a much greater understanding of veterinary medicine, and are much more adept at communicating with owners and diagnosing their furry little family members. But just because we have three new letters after our names, just because we are medical professionals (and act like them on the job), does not mean we need to lose our innocence. We do not need to stop doing the things we have always loved doing growing up. We can still eat Doritos and ice-pops and binge-watch criminal psychology series on Netflix and longboard and not make our own beds. We can still be kids.
So yes, you graduated vet school. You are now a medical professional who will be looked upon for clinical answers and advice on the daily. And, you will fill the need, no doubt in my mind. But, as you spend your days doctoring, don’t forget where you came from. Remember who you were before the DVM because it is who you were before the DVM that got you the DVM in the first place.
