Embracing New Opportunities: How to Discover Your Purpose in Veterinary Medicine

How Embracing New Opportunities Has Taken My Career In Unexpected Directions and Helped Me Discover My Purpose
By Dr. Sara Ritzie, BScH DVM

When I was little, I wasn't allowed to watch the Wizard of Oz because I would go into hysterics when the witch put Toto in the basket. I think this was an indication of the person I would grow up to become: a passionate ambassador for pets and our planet, who speaks up and acts when there is an opportunity to make a difference. 

I always knew I was destined for a STEM career, but it wasn’t until my first day as a volunteer kennel kid at my pets’ veterinary clinic that I realized my calling was to work with animals. Once it hit me, I was committed. I knew exactly what my career would look like: I would get into vet school on my first try, move back to my hometown in Ontario, and purchase a small animal clinic where I would practice until I retired.  
That’s not what happened at all. 
I did not get into vet school on my first try, never moved back to my hometown, and I didn’t buy a clinic. I only worked in a small animal practice for 3 years before following a new path. I’ve had at least seven different official job titles, and many more unofficial roles, and I’m still learning, growing, and adapting.

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In my fourth year of vet school, I had just finished my first ‘grown up’ resume when a job posting from BC was shared with my soon to be graduating class, and I thought “hm, maybe I should test out my resume.” And so, I applied. And I got the job. So I packed up my 1993 Oldsmobile Calais with all of my worldly belongings and my two dogs, and I drove out west to start my first job as a veterinarian in a traditional small animal practice. 
I loved working at the clinic; meeting new pets and their families, helping to improve the health of my patients, working in a fast paced environment with a team of people who cared deeply about what we were doing, the utter terror of doing something for the first time followed by the relief when everything turned out okay, having the honor of being present and easing a pet’s pain and suffering at the end of a good life. It wasn’t all happy appointments with puppies and kittens, but I loved it. That was when I heard about a role for a technical service veterinarian at a pet nutrition company back in Ontario, and I thought “huh, I could learn more about nutrition.” And so, I applied. And I got the job. So, I packed up my 2003 Subaru Forester with my two dogs and four cats (foster fails are no joke!), and I drove back to Ontario to start a new job as a veterinarian in “non-traditional practice.”

As a TSV, I was providing veterinary case consultations to veterinary team members across Canada. In a nutshell, I was a “phone-a-friend” when someone had a case that was stumping them. I learned so much about how to take the information I learned in school and apply it in practice, how to approach the cases that had challenged me when I was working in the clinic,  
and what to do with the patients that didn’t follow the classic presentation the textbooks described. I wish I had that knowledge when I WAS that team member that didn’t know what to do! My biggest takeaway to share is to chunk complicated problems into simpler components; to quote a dear friend and colleague, the best way to eat an elephant is one bite at a time. 
It might feel clunky and slow at first, and it can be tempting to try to come up with an answer in your head without “showing your work,” but considering all the information can reveal a better solution than the first one that comes to mind. Break down and evaluate the information the pet (and pet owner) is providing you with, and take the time to work through it methodically. 
How does this apply in real life?
If you are trying to make a nutrition recommendation, start with a nutritional assessment. This means write down (actually write down!) all the things the pet is eating in a day, calculate how many calories are coming from each item +/- the level of specific nutrients coming from each item, and ask yourself: is this the number of calories this pet should be eating? Is this complete and balanced? Is this the right nutrition for this pet? Keep asking questions until you have all the answers you need to make a strong recommendation.
If you are faced with a case and you don’t know where to start, start at the beginning! Do a physical exam. Write down what you noticed. Ask yourself if what you found warrants further investigation, or if you have unanswered questions. Look for trends in diagnostics. Ask questions about the pet’s lifestyle and home environment. Look for results that aren’t what you would expect, even if they are considered “normal.” Find the answers you need to prioritize the problems you need to address. And never hesitate to phone a friend to talk through scenarios and solutions. Just keep eating that elephant one bite at a time!
I thought I would work as a TSV for a couple of years, find a clinic that was a good fit for me, and go back to traditional practice. Every time I’ve thought I might be ready to do that, another opportunity has presented itself. Thirteen years later I’ve held a number of roles in the same organization; developing leadership skills, learning to navigate different software platforms, data analytics, learning how to present, coach, and train different audiences in different formats. All these experiences were very valuable, and none of them were what I imagined my career would look like! 

Throughout my professional career, a constant for me has been to participate in volunteer opportunities: joining community outreach clinics throughout Ontario and travelling abroad with World Vets and the Banfield Foundation to help animals in need across North and South America. When I first started working in industry, volunteering was a way for me to “keep my hands dirty” and maintain a connection with pets and their families. Over time I’ve discovered greater purpose in time spent giving back; to be able to use my knowledge and skills to help make life better for animals and people who would otherwise not have access to services, support, and care that they deserve is fulfilling, and energizing, and a constant reminder of why I wanted to become a veterinarian in the first place. 
As I write this piece, I’m at the precipice of another unanticipated career detour, feeling excited, nervous, and curious about the new experiences to come. The veterinary industry has provided endless opportunities to grow and explore, and I hope that once I reach the end of my veterinary adventure I will have given back as much as I have gained. If you are at the beginning of your journey, I wish you luck in your application, and wonder in your career.  Stay curious and receptive to the opportunities this profession offers, even the ones that aren’t part of your current plans (maybe even the ones you don’t think you want)… Every new experience brings new learnings, new perspectives, and new connections, and you just might find a personal purpose outside of what you thought you had planned.