Why not nursing/medicine/dentistry?

Acknowledging Other Roles

Acknowledging the importance of other roles is vital within this answer; you must be careful not to disrespect other professions. The interviewer is looking for your understanding of what makes veterinary medicine unique from other vocations.

Aspects of Veterinary Medicine That Appeal to You

Explain what aspects of veterinary medicine appeal to you, pick aspects that resonate with you and be prepared to back them up with previous experiences.

Diagnosing patients
Medical and surgical interests
Treatment plans and prescribing medication
Clinical reasoning
Making ethical decisions
Herd health
Client communication
Variety of animals
A large variety of roles within the profession, often vets carry out surgery, dentistry, radiography and much more. It is often less specialised.

Anchoring These Aspects to Real Experiences

Then you should anchor these aspects to real experiences. An example could include:

Example – ‘During my placement in a small animal practice, I noticed that the vet gathered the previous history, analysed blood results, carried out diagnostic testing and decided upon a treatment plan for the animal, whilst the vet nurse provided hands-on care and handling of the animal. Observing this helped me conclude that diagnostics and providing an appropriate treatment plan are what make me the most motivated by this profession.’

Key Notes

AVOID disrespecting other professions.
Always make it personal.
Focus on what makes veterinary medicine unique among other professions.