Personal Narrative: A Day At The Harbor Animal Hospital

The yellow haze of the fresh sunrise crested over the hanging clouds, producing a harsh glare on my haggard eyes. The car vibrated under me as ferociously as the butterflies in my stomach. As I used my hands to “press” my royal blue scrubs, I walked inside beginning another superb summer day at the Harbor Animal Hospital, shadowing the veterinarians and technicians. As I greeted the people at the reception desk, we began the waiting game. When the bell atop the desk rang, signaling the arrival of the first case, our day commenced. I followed the trail of people into the nearest exam room. Then, the usual introductions from Dr.Gray ensued, “this is Rachel, she is shadowing with us”. As Dr.Gray, the veterinarian, began her work, so did I, keeping a keen eye on everything she was doing and scribbling important points in my notebook. Each visit began in

Gray, the vet technicians, and I all gathered around the fluorescent light to view X-ray, examining the placement of the corn cobs in the animal’s intestinal tract. The various doctors and technicians discussed the methods in which they could remove the corn cobs without extensive surgery and recovery time for the young dog. After minutes of deliberation the group settled on a minimally invasive surgery and got to work. Hours later, we were able to send the dog home with his owner, happy and healthy. As I walked out of the clinic, a smile spread across my face, grateful to have witnessed hard work pay off for that dog. The drive home with the bright sun lighting up the road left my giddy for my future as a veterinarian. I considered how much time, effort, and brain power the doctors put into helping the dog and realized that is what I wanted to do. I realized I wanted to help animals stay healthy and live full lives. I realized that this was my dream, my passion. I realized that by helping pets I was contributing to the happiness of their owners as well. I knew I wanted to save