I recently had the pleasure of speaking at the pinning ceremony for the Worcester Technical High School senior students, whom I had met during my rotation at the Tufts At Tech clinic. They were graduating from their veterinary assistant program. It was an honor to share a few words with these high schoolers, who I refer to as “bros” in keeping with the clinic’s slogan “Be A Bro.” Below is an excerpt from the speech:
One of the most important things for satisfaction in life is to love what you do…and also to love with whom you do what you do! Right now I am in the midst of navigating the job market, hunting for the ideal one to start my career. As I meet with the vets and support staff at each practice, in my head I am evaluating each person to assess his or her BLQ. While many may be familiar with the acronyms CBC or BG or BUN, to name a few, BLQ flies under the radar. That said, it is an incredibly important variable. BLQ stands for “bro-like qualities.” Each of you scores very high on the BLQ scale, and this very scientific parameter is not only what makes me want to work with people like you, but to be friends with them.
The Indian guru Sathya Sai Baba famously said, “The end of education is character.” The journey you have taken through high school may be ending soon, but your learning will last a lifetime and inform the decisions you make from here on out. You have the incredible Tufts At Tech staff to thank for that! And thank you, you wonderful students for being instrumental in shaping me into the doctor that I am hoping to become. For your help, I am eternally grateful. Be proud of all that you have done up until this point. Be proud of the good that you have yet to do! Be thankful to your families for having helped you get here.
